The ancient roots of the Quyke family name are in the
Anglo-Saxon culture. The name Quyke comes from when the family lived in the county of
Devon where they worked as dairy farmers. The surname is both
local and
occupational, since it describes where the original bearers lived and what work they did. The surname was originally derived from the Old English word
cwic. Occupational names that were derived from the common trades of the medieval era transcended European cultural and linguistic boundaries. In this case the surname Quyke was originally derived from the principal object associated with the activity of the original bearer; dairy farming. These types of
occupational surnames are called
metonymic surnames.Early Origins of the Quyke family
The surname Quyke was first found in
Devon where they held a
family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.
Early History of the Quyke family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Quyke research.
Another 127 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1636, 1706 and are included under the topic Early Quyke History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Quyke Spelling Variations
One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The
spelling variations under which the name Quyke has appeared include Quick, Quicke, Quig, Quigg, Quegg and others.
Early Notables of the Quyke family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Quyke Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Quyke family to Ireland
Some of the Quyke family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 89 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Quyke family to the New World and Oceana
At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in
England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left
England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Quyke arrived in North America very early: Richard Quick, who arrived in Virginia in 1651; Elizabeth Quicke settled with her husband in St. Christopher in 1634; Thomas Quicke was banished to Barbados in 1685.