|
![Show Contents]() Cooksay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The history of the Cooksay family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living in Cooksey, a village in Worcestershire. 1 The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled Cochesei. It is probable that the place name meant "cock's island," or possibly "cock's stream." Early Origins of the Cooksay familyThe surname Cooksay was first found in Worcestershire where one of the first records of name was Sir Walter Cokesey of Cokesey, Worcestershire, who died 1295. He claimed descent from a family that held large estates in Kidderminster, Witley and other places. His son, Walter Cokesey held lands in Witley in 1328. A brass plate at Kidderminster Church notes the burial of Walter Cooksey in 1407. 2 Early History of the Cooksay familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cooksay research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1400 and 1481 are included under the topic Early Cooksay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Cooksay Spelling VariationsUntil quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Cooksay include Cookesey, Cooksy, Cooksey, Cookesy and others. Early Notables of the Cooksay familyMore information is included under the topic Early Cooksay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Cooksay familySearching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Cooksay or a variant listed above: Will Cooksey and his wife Sarah and children settled in Virginia in 1623; John Cooksey settled in New England in 1767; Daniel Cooksey settled in Virginia in 1670..
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Prodesse quam conspici
Motto Translation: To do good rather than be conspicuous.
- Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
|
