Show ContentsLocke History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Locke family

The surname Locke was first found in Burgundy (French: Bourgogne), an administrative and historical region of east-central France where the family has been a prominent family for centuries, and held a family seat with lands and manor. The family were well established in the region of Dijonnais and several members of the family distinguished themselves through their contributions toward the community in which they lived and were rewarded with lands, titles and letters patent confirming their nobility.

Early History of the Locke family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Locke research. Another 125 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1483 and 1557 are included under the topic Early Locke History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Locke Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: de Loach, Deloach, Delouche, Desloges, Delouches, Deloges, Louche, Duloches, Loche, Loget, DeLocke, DeLock, Locke, Lock, Loach, Loke, DeLoke and many more.

Early Notables of the Locke family

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

Locke Ranking

In the United States, the name Locke is the 1,219th most popular surname with an estimated 24,870 people with that name. 1 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Locke is ranked the 179th most popular surname with an estimated 223 people with that name. 2


United States Locke migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Locke Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Robart Locke, aged 18, who landed in Virginia in 1621 aboard the ship "Warwick" 3
  • Robert Locke, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 3
  • William Locke, who landed in America in 1634 3
  • William Locke, aged 6, from Middlesex, who landed in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Planter", bound for Charlestown 3
  • John Locke, who arrived in New Hampshire in 1644 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Locke Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Febee Locke, who arrived in Virginia in 1703 3
  • Peter Locke, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1739 3
  • Richard Locke, who arrived in Bermuda in 1743 3
Locke Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Lydia Locke, aged 7, who landed in Kennebunk, Me in 1830 3
  • Jacob Locke, aged 29, who arrived in Kennebunk, Me in 1830 3
  • Ann Locke, aged 37, who landed in Kennebunk, Me in 1830 3
  • Esther Locke, aged 8, who landed in Kennebunk, Me in 1830 3
  • James Locke, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1850 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Locke migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Locke Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Abigail Perry Locke, who settled in Nova Scotia in 1761

Australia Locke migration to Australia +

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

Locke Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Aaron Locke, aged 24, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Florentia" 4
  • Wilhelm Locke, aged 35, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Himalaya" 5
  • Aaron Locke, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Florentia" in 1849 4
  • George Locke, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Candahar" in 1851 6
  • John Locke, aged 30, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Reliance" 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Locke 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:

Locke Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Locke, aged 35, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Indus" in 1843
  • Mary Locke, aged 40, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Indus" in 1843
  • Mary Ann Locke, aged 12, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Indus" in 1843
  • James Locke, aged 5, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Indus" in 1843
  • Martha A. Locke, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Gipsy" in 1854
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Locke (post 1700) +

  • Kevin Locke (1954-2022), Native American of Lakota descent of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and Anishinaabe of White Earth, preeminent player of the Native American flute, a traditional storyteller, cultural ambassador, recording artist and educator, son of Patricia Locke
  • Patricia A. Locke (1928-2001), Native American educator, activist, and prominent member of the Baháí Faith
  • Lawrence Donald "Bobby" Locke (1934-2020), American professional baseball right-handed pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (1959-1968)
  • John Locke (1764-1855), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts (1829-1833)
  • John Locke (1792-1856), American naturalist, professor, photographer, and publisher
  • Eugene Murphy Locke (1918-1972), American lawyer and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
  • Alain LeRoy Locke (1885-1954), American writer, philosopher, educator, and Rhodes Scholar
  • Bessie Locke (1865-1952), American pioneer
  • Gary Locke (b. 1950), American lawyer and Democratic politician, who became the governor of Washington in 1997
  • David Rose Locke (1833-1888), American journalist, who wrote the Nasby letters (1861) under the assumed persona of "the Reverend Petroleum Vesuvius Nasby"
  • ... (Another 11 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Frank Rock Slide
  • Mr. Thomas Locke, "Lock", Canadian resident of Frank, Alberta who was buried in the Frank Rock Slide on 29th April 1903 8
North Sea Flood
  • Horace Locke, British worker aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953
RMS Titanic
  • Mr. A. Locke (d. 1912), aged 33, English Scullion from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 9
SS Newfoundland
  • Mr. David Locke (1893-1914), Newfoundlander from St. John's, who on the 30th March 1914 he was part of the Seal Crew of the "SS Newfoundland" leaving the ship to intercept the Stephano which took him to the hunting grounds, he disembarked to begin sealing, but was caught in a thickening storm, attempting to return to the Newfoundland he and the 132 crew made camp for two days the sealers were stranded on the ice in a blizzard attempting to return to the ship, he died during this time
St. Francis Dam
  • Mr. Edward Locke, American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928


Suggested Readings for the name Locke +

  • Genealogy by Donald P. Hayes.

  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  3. 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)
  4. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) FLORENTIA 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Florentia.htm
  5. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The HIMALAYA 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Himalaya.htm
  6. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CANDAHAR 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Candahar.htm
  7. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) RELIANCE 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Reliance.htm
  8. Calgary Herald news article retrieved 11th August 2021. Retrieved from https://smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital/calgaryherald/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Calgary_Herald_Thu__Apr_30__1903_-copy-scaled.jpg
  9. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


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