Ocks History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The ancestral home of the Ocks family was in the German state of Bavaria. Ocks is a local name for a person who lived in Franconia, where their name rose to prominence through their involvement in the social and cultural affairs of the area. Their seat and land holdings were in the free canton of Gebuerg. The ancestral home of the Ocks family is found in the Rhineland. Ocks is of several possible origins, all of which derive from a common root; the name comes from the Middle High German ochs, meaning "ox." It may have originated from a nickname, referring to "one as stubborn as an ox." Alternatively, the original bearer of the name may have been someone who kept or sold oxen. Finally, the surname may be derived from a place of residence distinguished by a sign; in this case, the name would indicate "one who dwelled in the house with the sign of the ox."

Early Origins of the Ocks family

The surname Ocks was first found in the Rhineland, where the Ocks family became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. The earliest known bearer of the name was Hans Ochslin, who was a resident of Waldsee in 1536. Always prominent in social affairs, the young Ocks family became an integral part of that turbulent region as it emerged to form alliances with other families within the Feudal System and the nation.

Early History of the Ocks family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ocks research. Another 155 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1554, 1752, 1802, 1810 and 1821 are included under the topic Early Ocks History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ocks Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Ocks include Ochs, Ochss, Ochse, Och, Ochsse, Ocks, Ockss, Ockse, Ocksse, Osse (northern Germany), Oexle (Swabia), Oxle (Swabia), Oechsle, Ochsner, Exline, Echslin, Oxle, Ochslein ("little ox") and many more.

Early Notables of the Ocks family

Prominent among members of the name Ocks in this period include Peter Ochse from Gieselfeld (around 1554), a member of the Danish branch of the family who moved to Ravensburg where he became a major in the Bavarian army. According to Saxon...
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ocks Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ocks migration to the United States +

Between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries, German settlers arrived in North America by the thousands. Persecution based on religion and poverty were great motivators in this large-scale migration. So too was the opportunity for tenant farmers to own their own land. Ample land and opportunity awaited the settlers who went to such states as Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California, as well as Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Ocks or a variant listed above:

Ocks Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

J Ocks, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 1
Adam Ocks, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1860 1

Ocks migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ocks Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Alexander Ocks, who was living in Ontario in 1871

Ocks 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:

Ocks Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Peter Ocks, aged 35, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Golden Sea" in 1874
Eliza Ocks, aged 32, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Golden Sea" in 1874
Pauline Ocks, aged 4, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Golden Sea" in 1874
Harvey Ocks, aged 2, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Golden Sea" in 1874

Citations +

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)