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![Show Contents]() Okown History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The name Okown belongs to the early history of Britain, it's origins lie with the Anglo-Saxons. It is a product of their having lived in Yorkshire. The surname Okown is associated with the parish of Acomb, which was located on the outskirts of the city of York. Early Origins of the Okown familyThe surname Okown was first found in Yorkshire, at Acomb which is now a suburb within the City of York Unitary Authority. The place name is most likely derived from the Old English acum, which meant "at the oak trees." The village dates back to at least the Domesday Book where it was listed as Achum, Acum and Acun, and was land held by the Archbishop of York. The village was designated as a manor held by St. Peter. There was land enough for 8 ploughs and there were 14 rent-paying tenants. 1 By 1222, the village was listed as Akum. 2 East and West Acomb, Northumberland have traditionally been quite a bit smaller than the Yorkshire village with West Acomb being the larger of the two. In both of these latter cases, the first record of the place name was with the Akum spelling in 1268. Hadrian's Wall runs about 1 mile (1.5 km), north east of Acomb, Northumberland. Some of the first records of the family were Philip de Akum, who was registered in Yorkshire in 1210 3 and Willelmus de Acom who was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 4 Early History of the Okown familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Okown research. Another 142 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1325, 1379, 1525, 1574, 1670, 1692 and 1767 are included under the topic Early Okown History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Okown Spelling VariationsUntil the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Okown include Acombe, Acomb, Acome, Acom, Acum, Akum, A Combe and others. Early Notables of the Okown familyMore information is included under the topic Early Okown Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Okown familyThousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Okown were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: Robert Acom who settled in Virginia in 1642; and Thomas Acome who settled in Virginia in 1642.
- 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)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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