Sitch History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the bearers of the Sitch family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in the county of Cumberland. Sitch is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. During the Middle Ages, as society became more complex, individuals needed a way to be distinguishable from others. Toponymic surnames were developed as a result of this need. Various features in the area or landscape were used to distinguish people from one another. In this case the original bearers of the surname Sitch were named due to their close proximity to a marshy stream or damp gully. The surname was originally derived from Sikes-Dyke near Carlisle in Cumberland.

Early Origins of the Sitch family

The surname Sitch was first found in Cumberland at Sikes-Dyke. Another branch of the family was found in the parish of Sledmere in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

"Sledmere House, a spacious mansion of stone, the seat of Sir Tatton Sykes, Bart., is seated near the foot of an acclivity, in a beautiful and finely-wooded park, south of the village; it was built by Sir Christopher, the second Baronet, from his own designs, and was improved and enriched by his son, the late Sir Mark Masterman Sykes, brother of the present Baronet. Sledmere Castle, on the east side of the park, is a modern edifice. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of Sir Tatton. The church, which stands within the park, is a neat fabric, consisting of a nave, chancel, and square tower, and containing some handsome monuments to the Sykes family." 1

Again in the East Riding of Yorkshire, we found another record of the family at Wintringham. "The farm of Linton, the property of Sir Tatton Sykes, was the site of a monastic cell subordinate to the abbey of Scarborough." 1

Early History of the Sitch family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sitch research. Another 110 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1684, 1713, 1714 and 1756 are included under the topic Early Sitch History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sitch 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 Sitch include Sikes, Sykes, Sykkes, Sikkes, Syks, Siks, Sike and many more.

Early Notables of the Sitch family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Arthur Ashley Sykes (1684-1756), an English latitudinarian divine, born in London, son of Arthur Sykes of Ardeley, near Stevenage, Hertfordshire. " On 7 Feb...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sitch Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sitch migration to the United States +

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 Sitch or a variant listed above:

Sitch Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Rob Sitch, who arrived in Virginia in 1651 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Sitch (post 1700) +

Julianne Sitch (b. 1983), American professional soccer defender, member of the United States U-19 and U-21 National Teams
Robert Ian Sitch (b. 1962), Australian director, producer, screenwriter, actor and comedian

The Sitch 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: Sapiens qui assiduus
Motto Translation: He is wise who is industrious.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
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)