Contents [hide]

Fooks History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Fooks History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Fooks

What does the name Fooks mean?

The ancestors of the Fooks family arrived in England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Fooks came from the Norman personal name Fulco. The line of this name descends from the noble house of Fulco Nerra, who held the title of Count of Anjou, Normandy. 1 Guido Fitz-Fulco of Normandy was listed in the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae (1180-1195.)

Early Origins of the Fooks family

The surname Fooks was first found in Norfolk where they were granted lands by William de Warrene. The first confirmed record of the family was Folco or Fulco who was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. 2

"Thomas Fouque occurs on the Exchequer Rolls of the Duchy about 1198. Robert Fulco was one of the Justiciaries in 1267." 3

Rotuli Curiae Regis rolls list Robert, Geoffry, Theobald, William F. Fulco in England, 1199.

The mix of forename and surname entries continued for some time as the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 lists Folkes (without surname) in Cambridgeshire; John Folke in Cambridgeshire; and Matilda Folkis in Buckinghamshire. 4

The ffolkes variant was first coined by Sir Martin Browne ffolkes, 1st Baronet, FRS (1749-1821.) He was born Martin Folkes but chose to use the "ffolkes" spelling later in life. His descendants continued the tradition.

Early History of the Fooks family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fooks research. Another 101 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1538, 1589, 1596, 1597, 1616, 1638, 1644, 1652, 1653, 1662, 1685, 1690, 1710, 1754 and 1765 are included under the topic Early Fooks History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fooks Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Fooks are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Fooks include Folke, Folk, Folkes, Fulke, Fooke, Fooks, Foolk, Fowke and many more.

Early Notables of the Fooks family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Fowke (c. 1596-1662), an English merchant and politician, Sheriff of London in 1644 and Lord Mayor of London in 1652; Phineas Fowke, M.D. (1638-1710), an English physician from Bishop Burton, Yorkshire; and Lieutenant General Thomas Fowke (ca. 1690-1765), a British Army officer, appointed Governor of Gibraltar...
Another 54 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fooks Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Fooks family to Ireland

Some of the Fooks family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fooks migration to the United States +

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Fooks, or a variant listed above:

Fooks Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Christophl Fooks, aged 27, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1740 5
Leonard Fooks, who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1743
Dewalt Fooks, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1750 5
John Nicholas Fooks, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1765 5

Fooks Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Fooks, aged 30, who arrived in New York, NY in 1805 5
Ellen Fooks, who arrived in America in 1805 5

Fooks migration to Australia +

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

Fooks Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mark Fooks, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Anna Robertson" in 1839 6
Eliza Fooks, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Cressy" in 1847 7
William Fooks, aged 24, a labourer, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Catherine" in 1851 8
John Fooks, aged 20, a labourer, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Catherine" in 1851 8
William Fooks, aged 24, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Catherine" 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Fooks migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Fooks Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Albert Fooks, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Black Eagle" in 1861 9
Mr. Albert Fooks, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Black Eagle" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 19th November 1861 10

Contemporary Notables of the name Fooks (post 1700) +

Daniel Fooks Wolcott (b. 1909), American Democratic Party politician, Served in the U.S. Navy during World War II; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Delaware, 1948; Chair of New Castle County Democratic Party, 1950

The Fooks 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: Qui sera sera
Motto Translation: Whatever will be.

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)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 2 of 3
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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 Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ANNA ROBERTSON 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839AnnaRobertson.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CRESSY 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847Cressy.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CATHERINE 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Catherine.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html