Symcach History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Cornwall in southwestern England provides the original birthplace of the surname Symcach. As populations grew, people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. Unlike most Celtic peoples, who favored patronymic names, the Cornish predominantly used local surnames. This was due to the heavy political and cultural influence of the English upon the Cornish People at the time that surnames first came into use. Local surnames were derived from where a person lived, held land, or was born. While many Cornish surnames of this sort appear to be topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees, many are actually habitation surnames derived from lost or unrecorded place names. The name Symcach history began in the village of Simcoe in the county of Cornwall.

Early Origins of the Symcach family

The surname Symcach was first found in Cornwall where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

Early History of the Symcach family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Symcach research. Another 51 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1609, 1631, 1645 and 1695 are included under the topic Early Symcach History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Symcach Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and 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 of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Simcoe, Simco, Simcock, Simcox and others.

Early Notables of the Symcach family

Notable amongst the family at this time was John Simcocks (1609-1695), English Jesuit, born in London in 1609. "Destined from early life for the priesthood, he studied the humanities at the college of St. Omer. In 1631 he entered...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Symcach Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Symcach family

A search of the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Symcach: John Simcock settled in Delaware in 1682 with his two sons; Anne Simco settled with her husband in Virginia in 1653; Alice Symcocks settled in Virginia in 1635..

The Symcach 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: Non sibi sed patriae
Motto Translation: For his country, not for himself.