Wiks History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Wiks is a name that was brought to England by the ancestors of the Wiks family when they migrated to the region after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The Wiks family lived in Sussex. The name, however, derives from the Old English word wic, which describes someone who lives at an outlying settlement.

Early Origins of the Wiks family

The surname Wiks was first found in Surrey at Wyke, a tything, in the parish of Worplesdon, union of Guildford, First division of the hundred of Woking. "This place is mentioned in Domesday Book under the name of Wucha, and at an early period was held by a family called De Wyke." 1

Another branch of the family was found at Yatton in Somerset. "The greater portion of [the church of Yatton] appears to have been rebuilt in the 15th century, by the Wyck family, to one of whom is a monument bearing his effigy, in the north transept." 1

Thomas de Wykes (fl. 1258-1293), the English chronicler, took the habit of a canon regular at Osney Abbey, near Oxford, on 14 April 1282. "He mentions in his chronicle various namesakes and probable kinsfolk, including Robert de Wykes (d. 1246), Edith de Wyke (d. 1269), and John de Wykes, who in 1283 took a 'votum profectionis'. The name is a fairly common one, both as a personal and a place name, so that it is highly unsafe to identify him with other bearers of the same name, such as Thomas de Wyke, priest, who before 1249 wished to become a Franciscan friar." 2

Early History of the Wiks family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wiks research. Another 158 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1086, 1222, 1293, 1430, 1554, 1593, 1621, 1627, 1628, 1632, 1641, 1643, 1683, 1684, 1699, 1703 and 1707 are included under the topic Early Wiks History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wiks Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Wiks have been found, including Weekes, Weeks, Wikes, Wykes, Wyke, Wix, Wicks, Weykes and many more.

Early Notables of the Wiks family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Thomas Wykes (1222-c.1293), English chronicler, a canon regular of Oseney Abbey, near Oxford; Thomas Wykes (died c.1430), Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire; Thomas Wykes (fl. 1554), of Moreton Jeffries, Herefordshire, an English politician, Member of the Parliament for Leominster in November 1554; Richard Wyche (or Wiche) (1554-1621), a...
Another 56 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wiks Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wiks family

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Wiks were among those contributors: Edward Weeks settled in the Bay Bulls in St. John's, Newfoundland, in 1708; John Weeks was a fisherman of Petty Harbour in Newfoundland in 1739; Anna, Marie and Joe Weekes settled in New England in 1635.

The Wiks 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: Cari Deo nihilo carent
Motto Translation: Those dear to God want nothing.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print