Okes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The origins of the Okes name lie with England's ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It comes from when the family lived near a notable oak tree or near a group of oaks. The surname Okes is derived from the Old English word ac, which means oak. The surname Okes belongs to the class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees.

Early Origins of the Okes family

The surname Okes was first found in Somerset where Oake is a village and civil parish that dates back to before the Norman Copnquest when it was listed as Acon in 897. The place was listed as Acha in the Domesday Book 1 and literally means "place at the oak trees" from the Old Englisk word "ac" 2

Early History of the Okes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Okes research. Another 69 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1606, 1631, 1640, 1644, 1645, 1662, 1675, 1680, 1681 and 1719 are included under the topic Early Okes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Okes 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 Okes were recorded, including Oak, Oake, Oakes, Oke, Okes and others.

Early Notables of the Okes family

Notables of the family at this time include

Nicholas Okes (died 1645), an English printer in London, best remembered for printing works of English Renaissance drama including works by William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, John Webster, Thomas Middle...

Okes 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 Okes family emigrate to North America:

Okes Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Will Okes, who arrived in Virginia in 1703 3

Okes Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Sarah Okes, aged 56, who landed in America from Castleford, in 1896

Okes Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Sidney R. Okes, aged 37, who settled in Minneapolis, Minn., in 1923

The Okes 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: Quercus robur salus patria
Motto Translation: The strength of the oak is the safety of our country.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
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)