Derks History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Irish names tend to vary widely in their spelling and overall form. The original Gaelic form of the name Derks is Ó Deirg, from the word "dearg," which means red. 1

Early Origins of the Derks family

The surname Derks was first found in County Mayo (Irish: Maigh Eo) located on the West coast of the Republic of Ireland in the province of Connacht, where they held a family seat in the baronies of Carra, Erris, and Tyrawley. They were descended from Fiachra, brother of Niall Mor, more commonly known as King Niall of the Nine Hostages, perhaps Ireland's greatest General/King.

Early History of the Derks family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Derks research. Another 127 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1557, 1578, 1601, 1608 and 1656 are included under the topic Early Derks History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Derks Spelling Variations

Before widespread literacy came to Ireland, a name was often recorded under several different variations during the life of its bearer. Accordingly, numerous spelling variations were revealed in the search for the origin of the name Derks family name. Variations found include Derig, O'Derig, O'Derrig, Derrig, Derieg, Derick, Derrick, O'Derick, O'Derrick, O'Durrig, Durrig, Derigan, Derigen and many more.

Early Notables of the Derks family

Notable among the family name at this time was Donogh Dáll Ó Derrig, aka Blind Donogh O'Derrick, Irish rapparee, executed December 1656. Thomas Derrick (fl. 1608) was an English executioner. Little is known of his lineage. However, he was convicted of rape, and was subequently pardoned if he became the executioner at Tyburn. Derrick executed more than 3,000 people in his career, including his pardoner, the Earl of Essex, in 1601. The...
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Derks Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Derks Ranking

In Netherlands, the name Derks is the 146^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,542 people with that name. 2

Derks migration to the United States +

Thousands of Irish families left for North American shores in the 19th century. These people were searching for a life unencumbered with poverty, hunger, and racial discrimination. Many arrived to eventually find such conditions, but many others simply did not arrive: victims of the diseased, overcrowded ships in which they traveled to the New World. Those who lived to see North American shores were instrumental in the development of the growing nations of Canada and the United States. A thorough examination of passenger and immigration lists has disclosed evidence of many early immigrants of the name Derks:

Derks Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

J Derks, aged 41, who landed in New York, NY in 1847 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Derks (post 1700) +

Frans Derks OON (1930-2020), Dutch football referee and sports executive

Citations +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
"Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
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)