The name Arkmaker is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name was taken on by someone who worked as a maker of chests, or other pieces of furniture. Wright is a word for a cabinet maker, or more generally a worker in wood. The element "ark" is derived from the Old English arc, meaning "ark, chest," and "wright" which is derived from the Old English wyrhta, meaning "craftsman, maker."
The surname Arkmaker was first found in Derbyshire, where the Arkmaker family held a family seat from very early times, long before the Norman Conquest of the Duke of Normandy, in 1066. They were the makers of chests.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Arkmaker research. Another 50 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1732, 1792 and 1769 are included under the topic Early Arkmaker History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Arkmaker include Arkwright, Arkright, Artrick, Artrip, Hartwright, Hartrick and many more.
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Arkmaker Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: John Arkwright, who settled in Jamaica in 1685.