Chennix History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe name Chennix has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived in an area that was defined by seven oak trees. Chennix is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. During the Middle Ages, as society became more complex, individuals needed a way to be distinguishable from others. Toponymic surnames were developed as a result of this need. Various features in the landscape or area were used to distinguish people from one another. In this case the original bearers of the surname Chennix were named due to their close proximity to the seven oakes. Early Origins of the Chennix familyThe surname Chennix was first found in Kent where they held a family seat at Seven-oaks, a market-town and parish, and the head of a union, in the hundred of Codsheath. "This place, which in the Textus Roffensis is written Seovan Acca, is supposed to have derived its name from seven large oaks that stood upon the eminence on which the town is built. The free grammar school was founded and endowed in 1432, by Sir William Sevenoake, (1378?-1433?), usually written Sennocke, who, being deserted by his parents, was brought up by some charitable persons, and apprenticed to a grocer in London, from which station he rose to be lord mayor of that city, and its representative in parliament, leaving a portion of his wealth to found this school and an hospital for decayed elderly tradespeople. " 1 The variant Sinnock was "a corruption of Sevenoaks. " 2 Early History of the Chennix familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chennix research. Another 142 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1418, 1641, 1648, 1666, 1677, 1719, 1740 and 1765 are included under the topic Early Chennix History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Chennix Spelling VariationsSpelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Chennix have been found, including Snook, Snooks, Snukes, Sevenoak, Sevenoaks, Sevenoke, Sevenokes, Sinnox, Sinnocks, Sennocke, Sennox, Sevenocke, Sevenockes, Snooke, Snouk, Snouks, Sinnicks, Shinnicks, Shinnocks, Chennix and many more. Early Notables of the Chennix familyAnother 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chennix Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Chennix family to IrelandSome of the Chennix family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Chennix, or a variant listed above: Chennix Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
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