Chenkes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

Early Origins of the Chenkes family

Early History of the Chenkes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chenkes research. Another 146 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1241, 1396, 1439, 1455, 1487, 1510, 1542, 1600, 1602, 1632, 1642, 1645, 1646, 1654, 1656, 1671, 1675, 1682, 1697, 1714, 1717, 1724, 1740 and 1982 are included under the topic Early Chenkes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chenkes Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Chenkes are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Chenkes include: Jenks, Jenkes, Jinks, Jinkes, Chenks, Chenkes and others.

Early Notables of the Chenkes family

Distinguished members of the family include Joseph Jencks I (1602-1682), early American settler in Lynn, Massachusetts. He was awarded the first patent in North America by the General Court of Massachusetts, for making scythes. In 1654 he built the first fire engine in North America. His son, Joseph Jencks II (1632-1717), arrived in 1645, was the earliest known settler of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in 1671 and became Deputy to the Rhode Island Assembly. Joseph Jenckes (1656-1740), was Deputy Governor and Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Henry Jenkes (d. 1697), was a Gresham professor of rhetoric, descended...
Another 132 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chenkes Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Chenkes family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Chenkes or a variant listed above: Frank H. Jenckes, aged 53, who arrived at Ellis Island destined for Woonsocket, Rhode Island, in 1913; Frederick L. Jenckes, aged 39, who arrived at Ellis Island, in 1916.