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Show ContentsJack History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The name Jack came to England with the ancestors of the Jack family in the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from the personal name Jacques, which is a form of the Latin name Jacobus. 1

Early Origins of the Jack family

The surname Jack was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Nether Silton in the North Riding of Yorkshire. At the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086, Nether Silton was recorded as a village with a Hall and the tenant-in-chief was the Count of Mortain.

Further to the south in the parish of St. Just, Cornwall, the barton called Treveres or Treverys, a family called Jack formerly had a seat." 2

Early History of the Jack family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jack research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1440, 1613, 1628, 1639, 1640, 1653 and 1818 are included under the topic Early Jack History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jack Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Jacques, Jaques, Jack, Jacks, Jackes, Jakes, Jeeks, Jeke, Jeex, Jaquiss, Jaquez and many more.

Early Notables of the Jack family

Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Jack Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jack World Ranking

In the United States, the name Jack is the 1,852nd most popular surname with an estimated 17,409 people with that name. 3 However, in France, the name Jack is ranked the 8,818th most popular surname with an estimated 500 - 1,000 people with that name. 4 And in New Zealand, the name Jack is the 522nd popular surname with an estimated 1,323 people with that name. 5 The United Kingdom ranks Jack as 892nd with 7,677 people. 6 South Africa ranks Jack as 389th with 18,532 people. 7

Ireland Migration of the Jack family to Ireland

Some of the Jack family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States Jack migration to the United States +

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Jack name or one of its variants:

Jack Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William Jack, who arrived in Virginia in 1652 8
  • Ezekiel Jack, who settled in Virginia in 1663
  • Polack Jack, who landed in Virginia in 1665 8
Jack Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Martin Jack, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1739 8
  • Adam Jack, who landed in South Carolina in 1752 8
  • Morris Jack, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1763 8
  • Jannet Jack, aged 23, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1775 8
  • John Jack, aged 30, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1775 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Jack Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • James Jack, who landed in America in 1802 8
  • Henry Jack, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1808 8
  • James Jack, aged 47, who landed in Delaware in 1812 8
  • William Jack, aged 37, who landed in Tennessee in 1812 8
  • Robert Jack, who arrived in Long Island in 1815 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Jack migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Jack Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • William Jack, who settled in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1796 9
  • Samuel Jack, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1799
Jack Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • James Jack, who landed in Canada in 1820
  • William Jack, who arrived in Canada in 1820
  • Ms. Julia Jack, aged 25 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Sir Henry Pottinger" departing 29th May 1847 from Cork, Ireland; the ship arrived on 7th August 1847 but she died on board 10

Australia Jack migration to Australia +

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

Jack Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Alexander Jack, a weaver, who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) sometime between 1825 and 1832
  • Mr. David Jack, Scottish convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Blenheim" on 11th March 1837, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 11
  • Margaret Jack, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Glenswilly" in 1839 12
  • Miss. Jane Jack, (Prentice), Scottish convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Baretto Junior" on 5th April 1850, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 13
  • Thomas Jack, aged 31, a miner, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Reliance" 14
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Jack 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:

Jack Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Jack, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Jura" in 1861 15
  • Margaret Jack, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Jura" in 1861 15
  • Martha Bell Jack, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Jura" in 1861 15
  • John Jack, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Jura" in 1861 15
  • Jean Jack, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Jura" in 1861 15
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Jack migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 16
Jack Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Mr. John Jack, aged 27 who arrived in St. Kitts (St Christopher) aboard the ship "Amity" in 1635 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Jack (post 1700) +

  • Jarrett Matthew Jack (b. 1983), American professional NBA basketball player
  • Patrick Churchill Jack (1808-1844), American politician, Member of Texas Republic House of Representatives, 1837-38; Judge of Texas Republic, 1841-44 17
  • Lowell E. Jack, American politician, Mayor of Manhattan, Kansas, 1961-62 17
  • Louis A. Jack, American Republican politician, Member of Maine State House of Representatives from Androscoggin County (3rd), 1931-32 17
  • James P. Jack, American politician, Delegate to Illinois State Constitutional Convention 46th District, 1920-22 17
  • James B. Jack, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1904 17
  • Hulan Edwin Jack (1906-1986), American Democratic Party politician, Member of New York State Assembly, 1941-53, 1968-72; Borough President of Manhattan, New York, 1954-61 17
  • Harry H. Jack, American politician, Candidate for Wisconsin State Senate 14th District, 1940 17
  • Griff W. Jack, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Steuben County 2nd District, 1922 17
  • George Whitfield Jack (b. 1875), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, 1913-17 17
  • ... (Another 25 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Empress of Ireland
  • Master David Jack (1912-1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 18
  • Mrs. Sarah Jack (1879-1914), née Coutts Canadian Third Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 18
Halifax Explosion
  • Mr. Andrew M.  Jack (1856-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who survived the Halifax Explosion (1917) but later died due to injuries 19
HMS Dorsetshire
  • Ronald William Jack (d. 1945), British Commander Shipwright aboard the HMS Dorsetshire when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 20
HMS Hood
  • Mr. George Jack (b. 1922), Scottish Ordinary Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Dundee, Angus, Scotland, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 21
HMS Royal Oak
  • James Duffy M. Jack (d. 1939), British Stoker 1st Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 22

Suggested Readings for the name Jack +

  • A Brief History of Our Cook Family and Our Sharp Family by Violet Sharp Cook.
  • John Jack of Cecil County, Maryland by A. Lucille Harney.
  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  5. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  6. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  7. "Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
  8. 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)
  9. Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
  10. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 81)
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blenheim
  12. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) GLENSWILLY 1839 (also called DAWSONS). Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Glenswilly.htm
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baretto-junior
  14. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) RELIANCE 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Reliance.htm
  15. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  17. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 20) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  18. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
  19. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
  20. Force Z Survivors HMS Dorsetshire Crew List, (Retrieved 2018, February 13th), https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listdorsetshirecrew.html
  21. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  22. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
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