The origins of the
Welsh name Mokritch go back to the ancient Celtic culture that existed in the hills and
Moors of
Wales. The forbears that initially held the name Mokritch once lived in or near the settlement of Mogridge in the southwestern English county of
Devon. The surname Mokritch belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.
Early Origins of the Mokritch family
The surname Mokritch was first found in
Breconshire (Welsh: Sir Frycheiniog), a traditional county in southern
Wales, which takes its name from the
Welsh kingdom of Brycheiniog (5th-10th centuries), where they held a
family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the
Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.
Early History of the Mokritch family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mokritch research.
Another 147 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mokritch History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Mokritch Spelling Variations
There are relatively few surnames native to Wales, but they have an inordinately large number of
spelling variations. Early variations of
Welsh surnames can be explained by the fact that very few people in the early Middle Ages were literate. Priests and the few other literate people were responsible for recording names in official documents. And because most people could not specific how to properly record their names it was up to the individual recorder of that time to determine how a spoken name should be recorded. Variations due to the imprecise or improper recording of a name continued later in history when names originally composed in the
Brythonic Celtic, language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, were transliterated into English.
Welsh names that were documented in English often changed dramatically since the native language of Wales, which was highly inflected, did not copy well. Occasionally, however,
spelling variations were carried out according to an individual's specific design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by minor variations. The spelling variations of the name Mokritch have included Muggeridge, Mugeridge, Mugridge, Moderidge, Modridge and many more.
Early Notables of the Mokritch family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Mokritch Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Mokritch family to the New World and Oceana
During the latter half of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the people of
Wales journeyed to North America to find a new life. They made major contributions to the arts, industry and commerce of both Canada and the United States, and added a rich cultural heritage to their newly adopted societies. A look at the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Mokritch: Charles Mugridge, who settled in Charleston in 1822; Francis Mugridge, who settled in Georgian in 1732; as well as J. Mugridge, who arrived in California in 1852..
The Mokritch 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: Dat deus incrementum
Motto Translation: God gives increase.