Cloak History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The origins of the Cloak name lie with England's ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It comes from when the family lived in a low-lying meadow. The name Cloak is derived from the Old English word cloh. It may also be derived from the Old French and Old English word cloke, which means cloak, and denotes someone who was a maker and seller of cloaks.

Early Origins of the Cloak family

The surname Cloak was first found in Surrey where they held a family seat at Winchester where Robert Cloche was recorded in the year 1210. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed.

Early History of the Cloak family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cloak research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1327, 1455, 1487, 1628, 1686 and 1720 are included under the topic Early Cloak History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cloak Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Cloak were recorded, including Cloke, Cloak, Cloche, Cloake, Cloch, Clock and many more.

Early Notables of the Cloak family

More information is included under the topic Early Cloak Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cloak migration to the United States +

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Cloak family emigrate to North America:

Cloak Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Anne Cloak, aged 19, who landed in New York in 1849 1

Cloak migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Cloak Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Ann Cloak, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Sir Charles Forbes" in 1849 2
Mr. Edward Cloak, (b. 1868), aged 22, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Merkara" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 13th October 1890 3

Cloak migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Cloak Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

William Henry Cloak, aged 13, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Berar" in 1875
Eliza Cloak, aged 18, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Berar" in 1875

Citations +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SIR CHARLES FORBES originally CHARLES FORBES 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849SirCharlesForbes.gif
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retreived 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_queensland.pdf