Contents [hide]

Rooks History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Rooks History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Rooks has a history dating as far back as the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It was a name for a person who because of their physical characteristics was known as a "rook," from the black-feathered bird of the same name, similar to a sparrow, but has a whitish area on its face. 1 In this case the surname refers to those individuals who have black hair or dark complexions. 2 3

Alternatively, the name could have been from the Middle English "atter oke, atte roke" meaning "at the oak." 4

Early Origins of the Rooks family

The surname Rooks was first found in Worcestershire where Robert Dellroc was recorded c. 1182. In Somerset, we found Peter de la Roke in the Assie Rolls for 1243 and later back in Worcestershire, Richard del Ak was recorded in 1275 and Richard atte Rok was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for 1327. Again in Worcestershire, we found Geoffrey atte Ock in 1296 and Geoffrey atter Ok in 1332. 4

Geoffrey le Roke, William le Ruk and Adam le Roc were both listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 2 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. 5

Early History of the Rooks family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rooks research. Another 165 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1606, 1622, 1623, 1624, 1650, 1662, 1665, 1672, 1673, 1685, 1688, 1691, 1704, 1709 and 1820 are included under the topic Early Rooks History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rooks Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Rooks have been found, including Rook, Rooke, Rookes, Rooks, Roke and others.

Early Notables of the Rooks family

Distinguished members of the family include Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Rooke (1650-1709), an English naval commander, probably best known for capturing Gibraltar for the British in 1704. He was second son of Sir William Rooke (1624-1691) of St. Laurence, Canterbury, sheriff of Kent (1685-1688), and nephew of Lawrence Rooke [q. v.] In 1672 he was lieutenant of the London, flagship of Sir Edward Spragge, in the Battle of Solebay. In 1673 he was again with Spragge, as lieutenant of the Royal Prince...
Another 83 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rooks Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rooks Ranking

In the United States, the name Rooks is the 5,145^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 6

Rooks migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Rooks, or a variant listed above:

Rooks Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Richard Rooks, who settled in Virginia in 1638

Rooks Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Aleida Rooks, aged 8, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1847 7
Catharina Rooks, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1847 7
Gerrit Rooks, aged 6, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1847 7
Harmen Rooks, aged 30, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1847 7
Hendrika Rooks, aged 17, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1847 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Rooks 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:

Rooks Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

William Rooks, aged 29, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Hurunui" in 1877
Anne Rooks, aged 21, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Hurunui" in 1877
George Rooks, aged 18, a timekeeper, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Hurunui" in 1877

Rooks 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. 8

Rooks Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

William Rooks, who settled in St. Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1660

Contemporary Notables of the name Rooks (post 1700) +

Major-General Lowell Ward Rooks (1893-1973), American Commanding General 90th Division, North-West Europe (1942-1945) 9
Conrad Rooks (b. 1934), American writer, director and producer
Sean Lester Rooks (b. 1969), retired American NBA basketball player
Sanford Rooks Jr., American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Florida, 2000 10
Irvin Rooks, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1936 10
Richard Rooks (1940-2024), English footballer who made over 260 Football League appearances (1957-1972)
Steven Rooks (b. 1960), retired Dutch professional road racing cyclist
Captain Albert Harold Rooks (1891-1942), Captain in the United States Navy who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1942

The Rooks 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.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2014, March 26) Lowell Rooks. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Rooks/Lowell_Ward/USA.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 20) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html