Show ContentsOkison History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Okison was brought to England in the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Okison family lived in the county of Cumberland. This surname was a local name meaning the dweller at the acre, or the dweller at the plot of arable land.

Early Origins of the Okison family

The surname Okison was first found in the county of Cumberland, where they were descended from one of two noble houses, the Lords D'Acre, called D'Acres of the North, and Lord D'Acre of Herstmonceux, called D'Acres of the South. Both of these noble branches originally settled at Dacre in Cumberland.

Early History of the Okison family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Okison research. Another 118 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1282, 1346, 1379, 1614, 1619, 1660, 1661, 1692 and 1700 are included under the topic Early Okison History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Okison 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 Acre, Acres, Aker, Eaker, Eakers, Aiker, Aikers, Aikerson, Aker, Akers, Acker, Ackers, Ackhurst and many more.

Early Notables of the Okison family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Anthony Aucher, 1st Baronet (1614-1692), an English politician from Bishopsbourne, Kent, Member of Parliament for Canterbury (1660-1661), a supporter...
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Okison Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Okison family

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 Okison or a variant listed above: Henry Acres (sometimes Ackers) who settled in Newbury Massachusetts in 1674, and married Hannah Silver; Henry Eakers, who settled in Philadelphia in 1738.



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