Wokendon History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe Wokendon surname is thought to be a habitational name derived from any of several place names, such as Oxenden in Kent. These place names come from the Old English local description of the "valley of the oxen." Early Origins of the Wokendon familyThe surname Wokendon was first found in Kent where they held a family seat. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1170 in Essex but Ailric Ockenden is thought to have been a branches of the old baronial family of Oxenden in Kent. Early History of the Wokendon familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wokendon research. Another 158 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1330, 1455, 1487, 1607, 1614, 1620, 1645, 1651, 1660, 1661, 1669, 1686 and 1703 are included under the topic Early Wokendon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Wokendon 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 Wokendon include Oxenden, Ockenden, Okenden, Okendon, Oxendon, Oxenford, Wokenden, Ockendon and many more. Early Notables of the Wokendon familyDistinguished members of the family include Sir Solomon Oxenden of Kent; Sir James Oxenden; and his son, Sir Henry Oxenden, 1st Baronet (1614-1686), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Winchelsea (1645); and his... Migration of the Wokendon 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 Wokendon were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: Nelson Ockenden, who was on record in Oregon in 1850; as well as William Ockenden, who came to California in 1884.
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