Linneker History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Linneker is a name that first reached England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Linneker family lived in Cheshire. Linacre was an English topographic name for someone who lived near a field where flax was grown for the manufacture of linen cloth. It derives from the Old English word lin, meaning flax, and the word aecer, meaning cultivated field. Individual cases of the surname may be derived directly from this source, or second-hand from the towns of Linacre in Lancashire and Cambridge, both of which get their names from this source.

Early Origins of the Linneker family

The surname Linneker was first found in Cheshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Linacra in 1086. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, the family name is conjecturally descended from Godwin de Linacra, a Norman Baron, as noted in 1086. However, it is likely that soon after, they gave their name to Linacre across the River Mersey from Meols, now a suburb of Liverpool and in the parish of Walton on the Hill.

Early History of the Linneker family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Linneker research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1460, 1500, 1518, 1524 and 1620 are included under the topic Early Linneker History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Linneker Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Linneker are characterized by many spelling variations. 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. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Linneker include Linacre, Linaker, Leneker, Linneker, Liniker, Linnecar, Linnecor, Linegar, Linnegar, Lineker, Lynaker, Lynacre, Lynneker, Lenniker and many more.

Early Notables of the Linneker family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Thomas Linacre (c1460-1524) humanist and physician who was born in Canterbury. Eramus and Sir Thomas More were taught Greek by him and about 1500...
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Linneker Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Linneker family to Ireland

Some of the Linneker family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Linneker family

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Linneker, or a variant listed above: James Linacre, who settled in New York in 1796.