Felicks History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the bearers of the Felicks family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in Normandy where Radulphus Fellex of Normandy 1195 and Nicholas Feliz were listed in the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae in 1198. 1

The name can be used as either a forename or surname and literally translates from Latin as "happy, fruitful, fortunate, lucky." 2 3

Saint Felix (d. 647?), was Bishop of Dunwich. He was born and ordained in Burgundy and ventured to England inspired by a desire for missionary work. "He sought Honorius, Archbishop of Canterbury, and told him his desire, whereon Honorius sent him to East Anglia, having previously consecrated him to be bishop of that people. Felix was counted as an English saint, and his festival was fixed on 8 March. Tradition connects Felix with the monastery of Ely." 4

Early Origins of the Felicks family

The surname Felicks was first found in Sussex where the name was first referenced in the year 1122 when Felix Monchus held estates in that shire. At about the same time, Felix filius Hamonis, and Hamo Felix were both listed in Kent in 1229. 5

Early History of the Felicks family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Felicks research. Another 81 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1229, 1352, 1455, 1487 and 1498 are included under the topic Early Felicks History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Felicks 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 Felicks include Felix, Felicks, Fellicks, Feelix, Feelicks, Fealix and many more.

Early Notables of the Felicks family

Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Felicks Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Felicks family

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 Felicks or a variant listed above: Don Felix who arrived in Baltimore in 1823; Barbara Felix who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1734; Henry Felix who settled in Rhode Island in 1833; HUgo Felix who settled in Texas in 1869.

Citations +

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)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)