The ancient history of the name Ooker dates back to the days of the
Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It was a name given to a person who because of their physical characteristics was known as a
rook. A broad and miscellaneous class of surnames,
nickname surnames referred to a characteristic of the first person who used the name. They can describe the bearer's favored style of clothing, appearance, habits, or character. In this case the surname refers to those individuals who have
black hair or
dark complexions. Early Origins of the Ooker family
The surname Ooker was first found in
Oxfordshire where Geoffrey le Roke, William le Ruk and Adam le Roc were all listed in the
Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. A few years later during the rule of King Edward III (1312-1377), Richard le Rouke and Hugh le Rook were listed as holding lands in
Somerset.
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Early History of the Ooker family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ooker research.
Another 141 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1606, 1820, 1650, 1709, 1704, 1622 and 1662 are included under the topic Early Ooker History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Ooker Spelling Variations
Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently,
Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of
spelling variations. Changes in
Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Ooker include Rook, Rooke, Rookes, Rooks, Roke and others.
Early Notables of the Ooker family (pre 1700)
Another 46 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ooker Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Ooker family to the New World and Oceana
Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Ooker or a variant listed above: Daniel Rooke settled in Virginia in 1652; Samuel Rooke settled in Virginia in 1654; Samuel Rooke settled in Boston in 1712; Thomas Rooke settled in Virginia in 1650.
The Ooker 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: Efflorescent cornices dum micat sol
Motto Translation: Rooks will flourish while the sun shines.