Soon after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, the name Dax was recognized on the island as a name for a person who had a duck-like gait or bore some other resemblance to a duck. The surname Dax 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.
The surname Dax 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]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dax research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1580, 1648, 1570, 1628, 1632, 1691, 1657, 1515, 1559, 1546, 1595, 1636, 1639, 1638, 1672, 1705, 1756 and 1705 are included under the topic Early Dax History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Duck, Duche, Ducke and others.
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. [5]
Sir 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 Dax Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Some of the Dax 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.
Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World 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 stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Dax or a variant listed above: