The present generation of the Addeken family is only the most recent to bear a name that dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name comes from having lived the personal name Adam. Addeken is a diminutive which means son of Adam.
The surname Addeken was first found in Westmorland and Northumberland where they held a family seat from ancient times, before the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Addeken research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1191, 1296, 1379, 1621, 1559, 1581, 1558, 1635, 1558, 1601, 1681, 1626, 1685, 1662, 1615, 1677, 1587, 1669, 1630, 1698, 1686, 1689, 1647, 1711, 1610, 1703, 1665, 1670, 1674 and 1680 are included under the topic Early Addeken History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Until 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 Addeken include Adkin, Atkin, Atkins, Adekin, Adekyns, Adekyn, Adkins and many more.
Distinguished members of the family include Richard Atkins (1559?-1581), English martyr, born at Ross in Herefordshire; Henry Atkins (1558-1635), English physician, born in 1558, son of Richard Atkins of Great Berkhamstead, Hertfordshire; William Atkins (1601-1681), an English Jesuit; Robert Adkins (1626-1685), English ejected minister of 1662 from Chard, Somerset; Richard Atkyns (1615-1677), an English writer and printer from Gloucestershire; Sir Edward Atkyns...
Another 62 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Addeken Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Some of the Addeken family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Thousands 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 Addeken were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: Sir Jonathon Atkins who was Governor of Barbados in 1663; Henry Atkins settled in Plymouth in 1641; Thomas Adkins settled in East Hartford in 1682.