Dack History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany
Ireland

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought many new words to England from which surnames were formed. Dack was one of these new Norman names. It was specifically tailored to its first bearer, who was a person who had a duck-like gait or bore some other resemblance to a duck. The surname Dack is derived from Old English words duk, dukke, duck, doke, and dook, which all mean duck. However, these words are often indistinguishable from the various Old English words duc, duk, duke, douc, and doke, which all came from the Old French word duc. This ultimately came from the Latin word dux, which means leader, and is a derivative of the verb ducere, which means to lead.

Early Origins of the Dack family

The surname Dack was first found in Somerset where the first record of the family was John le Duk, who was listed there 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 1

The Rotuli Curiae Regis listed Ralph Dux of Buckinghamshire, 1198. 2

In Cheshire, two early listing were found: Robert Ducke was listed in the Assize Rolls of 1260 and later; Hugo Doke was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1279. 3 In the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, we found Adam Doke listed as holding lands there at that time. 4

In Devon, we found the variant Duckham. 5 "Amongst old Tiverton [,Devon] names, now scantily to be found in the county, but still surviving in this town, are Duckham This name is now established in Monmouthshire. The Duckhams were Tiverton churchwardens in 1691, 1703, and 1743." 6

Early History of the Dack family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dack research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1515, 1546, 1559, 1570, 1580, 1595, 1628, 1632, 1636, 1638, 1639, 1648, 1657, 1672, 1691, 1705 and 1756 are included under the topic Early Dack History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dack Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Duck, Duche, Ducke and others.

Early Notables of the Dack family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Arthur Duck (1580-1648), English civilian, second son of Richard Duck by Joanna, his wife, born at Heavitree, Devonshire. He was born at Heavitree, near Exeter, Devon. the younger son of Richard Duck and his wife Joanna. His elder brother was the lawyer Nicholas Duck (1570-1628) was a prominent lawyer in the city of London. 7Sir John Duck, 1st Baronet (c. 1632-1691), was an English politician, Mayor of Durham. He "was apprenticed early in life to a butcher at Durham, though from an entry in the guild registers it appears that in 1657...
Another 106 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dack Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Dack family to Ireland

Some of the Dack family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 30 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dack migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Dack or a variant listed above:

Dack Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Dack, who landed in Texas in 1850-1906 8

Dack migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Dack Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Maria Dack, English convict from Norfolk, who was transported aboard the "Angelina" on April 25, 1844, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 9
Thomas Dack, aged 27, a shepherd, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Chatham" 10

Contemporary Notables of the name Dack (post 1700) +

Charlotte Dack, English lecturer at the University of Bath
James "Jimmy" Dack (b. 1972), English professional football coach and manager
Bradley Paul Dack (b. 1993), English footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for Blackburn Rovers
Douglas Roy Dack, Canadian character actor, known for his roles in Kyle XY (2008) and Mission NinetyTwo (2015)
Harry Dack (1877-1954), British trade unionist and politician, born in Loftus-by-Cleveland, President of the Cleveland Miners' and Quarrymen's Association (1911–1932)
Matthew Dack, Canadian shoemaker in Toronto, Ontario, founder of Dack's Shoes in 1834
Walter MacMorris Dack (1852-1912), Canadian newspaper publisher and politician who represented Bruce Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1886 to 1894, eponym of Dack Township in Timiskaming District; he was son of John Walter Dack, an immigrant from Ireland
Craig Dack, Australian motorcycle champion for Yamaha Motors
Dack Rambo (1941-1994), stage name of Norman Jay Rambeau, an American actor, best known for his role as Walter Brennan's grandson Jeff in the ABC series The Guns of Will Sonnett, and as Grant Harrison on the NBC soap opera Another World

Citations +

Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 27) Angelina voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1844 with 171 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/angelina/1844
South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CHATHAM 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/chatham1852.shtml