Sluck History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The ancestors of the bearers of the Sluck family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in the village of Slack in the county of Yorkshire. The original bearers of the surname Sluck were named due to their close proximity to a place where the road becomes less steep. The surname was originally derived from the Old English word slagg, which denoted such as place. 1 2

"The word slack signifies valley, a small shallow dell. Black, slak, slake, an opening in the higher part of a hill or mountain, where it becomes less steep, and forms a sort of pass; a gap or narrow pass between two hills or mountains." 3

Early Origins of the Sluck family

The surname Sluck was first found in Yorkshire where "this is an ancient name; it designates the site of a Saxon royal residence in the north division of the West Riding, and as a surname it was represented by Adam Slach in Cambridgeshire in the time of Edward I. " 4

The Yorkshire heritage can be of no doubt, but we must look further south to Lincolnshire to find the first record of the family. The Pipe Rolls of 1195 include an entry for Gerebod le Slac. 5 Back in Yorkshire, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 have three entries for the family: Johannes del Slak; Thomas de Slake; and Johannes Sclake. All three held lands there at that time. 1

"The Slacks of Derbyshire are numerous in the Derby district. In 1674, Arthur Slack gave £40 to the town of Buxton (G.); and about the same time Robert Slack resided at Hayfield in this neighbourhood (Earwaker's "East Cheshire"). The name is still represented in the Buxton district on the Staffordshire border. Slack is the name of a place in the parish of Ashover. Thomas Slack was rector of Bolton, Yorkshire, in 1680. The present Slacks of this county have their principal home in the Macclesfield district. In 1662 Nicholas Slack held an estate called Dunge in Kettleshulme; Mr. Hewitt Slack was a Stockport surgeon in the first half of last century (E.). The Slacks are also established in Derbyshire, Cumberland, Staffordshire, and Nottinghamshire, and further reference will be found to them under one or more of those counties. " 4

In Scotland, the name is "recorded in Dumfriesshire. Of local origin, perhaps from the old lands of Slake or Slack in the parish of Roberton, Roxburghshire." 6

Early History of the Sluck family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sluck research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1379, 1579, 1587, 1900 and 1902 are included under the topic Early Sluck History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sluck 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 Sluck include Slack, Slacke, Slach, Slagg, Slag, Slak and others.

Early Notables of the Sluck family

More information is included under the topic Early Sluck Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sluck family to Ireland

Some of the Sluck family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 59 words (4 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 Sluck family

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 Sluck or a variant listed above: Anne Slack who came to Baltimore, Maryland in 1775; Seth Slack, who arrived in New York in 1820; Jane Slack, who arrived in New York in 1820; as well as George Slack, who came to New York in 1846..

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)