Keckewack History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Keckewack

What does the name Keckewack mean?

In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Keckewack surname lived in the settlement of Kekwick in the county of Cheshire. The surname Keckewack belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Keckewack family

The surname Keckewack was first found in Cheshire where they were Lords of the Manor of Kekewich from very ancient times. "This family, long resident in Cornwall and Devonshire, are said to have been of Lancashire origin. There is a township in Cheshire called Kekwick, from which the name was probably borrowed. " 1

"Peamore, [Devon] now the seat of the Kekewich family, was formerly in the Cobhams and Bonviles, Tothills and Northleighs. " 2

Early History of the Keckewack family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Keckewack research. Another 142 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1550 and 1646 are included under the topic Early Keckewack History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Keckewack Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Keckewack are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Keckewack include: Kekewich, Kekwitch, Kekwick, Kekewitch and others.

Early Notables of the Keckewack family

More information is included under the topic Early Keckewack Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Keckewack family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Keckewack or a variant listed above: John Kekewich, who was recorded in the census of Ontario, Canada in 1871; as well as a family of the name Kekwick who landed in North America in 1890..

Sources +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital