Newarke History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Newarke

What does the name Newarke mean?

The Newarke surname is a habitational name taken on from a place name, such as Newark in Cambridgeshire or Newark on Trent in Nottinghamshire. These place names derive from the Old English "niwe" meaning "new," and "weorc," meaning "fortification," or "building."

Early Origins of the Newarke family

The surname Newarke was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the 13th century when they held estates in that shire.

Early History of the Newarke family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Newarke research. Another 128 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1394, 1415, 1420, 1455, 1487, 1510 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Newarke History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Newarke 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 Newarke 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. 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. The variations of the name Newarke include: Newark, Newarke, Nework, Newock, Newoke, Newick and many more.

Early Notables of the Newarke family

the Newarke family of Yorkshire

Newarke migration to the United States +

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 Newarke or a variant listed above:

Newarke Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Jon Newarke, who landed in Virginia in 1628 1

Newarke 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. 2

Newarke Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

William Newarke, who was on record in Jamaica in 1684

Sources +

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)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies