Fikes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Fikes is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Fikes family lived in Essex. The name, however, derives from the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Vaux, Normandy. 1

Early Origins of the Fikes family

The surname Fikes was first found in Essex where Robert de Vals, de Valibus, de Vaux was first listed shortly after the Conquest. 2

However, the name was scattered throughout early Britain due to their strong Norman ancestry. Aitard de Vaux held estates in Norfolk in 1086 as did Randulph de Vaux in Cumberland. 1

In part, this was due to the origin of the name "Vaux," a fairly common French place name which is plural of the word "val" which means in English "valley." 2 The "V" and "F" prefix was interchangeable at this time.

Early History of the Fikes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fikes research. Another 93 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1570, 1605, 1606, 1675 and 1732 are included under the topic Early Fikes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fikes Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Faux, Fawkes, Fauks and others.

Early Notables of the Fikes family

Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fikes Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fikes Ranking

In the United States, the name Fikes is the 7,538^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Fikes migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World 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 stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Fikes or a variant listed above:

Fikes Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Fikes, who immigrated to America, in 1905
Maurice Penfield Fikes, who landed in America, in 1905
Maance P. Fikes, who landed in America, in 1907
Maurice P. Fikes, aged 44, who immigrated to the United States, in 1914

Contemporary Notables of the name Fikes (post 1700) +

Deborah Fikes, American former Permanent Representative to the United Nations for World Evangelical Alliance
Richard Earl Fikes (b. 1942), American computer scientist and Professor Emeritus in the Computer Science department at Stanford University

The Fikes Motto +

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: A Deo et Rege
Motto Translation: From God and the king.

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/