The ancestors of the bearers of the Charnack family name are thought have lived in ancient
Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in Charnock. It was established there in a pair of townships in Standish in the county of
Lancashire. This surname is derived from the Old English
Charnok which means
one who lives beside the pile of stones. Often times this
pile of stones served a primitive marker to establish borders for villages or counties.
Early Origins of the Charnack family
The surname Charnack was first found in
Lancashire where they held a
family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the
Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.
Early History of the Charnack family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Charnack research.
Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1526, 1581, 1588, 1645, 1614, 1587, 1648, 1624, 1628, 1680, 1630, 1693, 1656, 1690, 1663, 1696, 1696, 1670 and 1734 are included under the topic Early Charnack History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Charnack Spelling Variations
Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently,
Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of
spelling variations. Changes in
Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Charnack include Chernock, Charnock, Chernick, Chernocke and many more.
Early Notables of the Charnack family (pre 1700)
Distinguished members of the family include Thomas Charnock (c.1526-1581), an English alchemist and occultist who devoted his life to the quest for the Philosopher's Stone; Roger Charnock (1588-1645), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Newton in 1614; Thomas Charnock (1587-1648), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Newton in 1624...
Another 107 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Charnack Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Charnack family to the New World and Oceana
Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Charnack or a variant listed above: John Charnocke, who came to Virginia in 1643; Captain John Charnock of Bedford, who settled in Boston in 1710; Mary Charnock, who settled in Georgia in 1732.
The Charnack 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: Soyez content
Motto Translation: Be happy