The history of the name Apeckett begins in the days of the
Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It was a name for a person with a prominent nose. The Old English word
beke refers to the beak of a bird. More rarely, Apeckett may be a
local type surname, referring to someone who lived beside a stream. The surname in this case is derived from the Northern Old English word
bekke, which means
stream and is derived from the Old Norse word
bekkr. Also, Apeckett may be a
local surname referring to settlements called
Beckett in Berkshire and
Devon. The Berkshire settlement takes its name from the Old English words
beo, which
means bee, and
cot, which means
cottage or
shelter. The name of the
Devon settlement has the Old English
personal name Bicca, which is probably derived from
becca, which means
pickaxe or
mattock, as its first element.
Early Origins of the Apeckett family
The surname Apeckett was first found in
Norfolk and
Cheshire, where they held a
family seat from ancient times, long before the
Norman Conquest in 1066.
Early History of the Apeckett family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Apeckett research.
Another 217 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1170, 1653, 1719 and are included under the topic Early Apeckett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Apeckett Spelling Variations
It is only in the last few
hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early
Anglo-Saxon surnames like Apeckett are characterized by many
spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Apeckett include: Becket, Beckett, Beckete, Beckette and others.
Early Notables of the Apeckett family (pre 1700)
Another 24 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Apeckett Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Apeckett family to Ireland
Some of the Apeckett family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 113 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Apeckett family to the New World and Oceana
Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Apeckett or a variant listed above: John Becket who settled in Salem Massachusetts in 1683; was a shipwright and had a large family. Mary Becket settled in Plymouth Massachusetts in 1623.