Syckes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestry of the name Syckes dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in the county of Cumberland. Syckes is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. During the Middle Ages, as society became more complex, individuals needed a way to be distinguishable from others. Toponymic surnames were developed as a result of this need. Various features in the area or landscape were used to distinguish people from one another. In this case the original bearers of the surname Syckes were named due to their close proximity to a marshy stream or damp gully. The surname was originally derived from Sikes-Dyke near Carlisle in Cumberland.

Early Origins of the Syckes family

The surname Syckes was first found in Cumberland at Sikes-Dyke. Another branch of the family was found in the parish of Sledmere in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

"Sledmere House, a spacious mansion of stone, the seat of Sir Tatton Sykes, Bart., is seated near the foot of an acclivity, in a beautiful and finely-wooded park, south of the village; it was built by Sir Christopher, the second Baronet, from his own designs, and was improved and enriched by his son, the late Sir Mark Masterman Sykes, brother of the present Baronet. Sledmere Castle, on the east side of the park, is a modern edifice. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of Sir Tatton. The church, which stands within the park, is a neat fabric, consisting of a nave, chancel, and square tower, and containing some handsome monuments to the Sykes family." 1

Again in the East Riding of Yorkshire, we found another record of the family at Wintringham. "The farm of Linton, the property of Sir Tatton Sykes, was the site of a monastic cell subordinate to the abbey of Scarborough." 1

Early History of the Syckes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Syckes research. Another 110 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1684, 1713, 1714 and 1756 are included under the topic Early Syckes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Syckes Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Syckes have been found, including Sikes, Sykes, Sykkes, Sikkes, Syks, Siks, Sike and many more.

Early Notables of the Syckes family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Arthur Ashley Sykes (1684-1756), an English latitudinarian divine, born in London, son of Arthur Sykes of Ardeley, near Stevenage, Hertfordshire. " On 7 Feb...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Syckes Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Syckes migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Syckes, or a variant listed above:

Syckes Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Richard Syckes, who landed in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1639 2

The Syckes 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: Sapiens qui assiduus
Motto Translation: He is wise who is industrious.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
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)