Valks History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Valks

What does the name Valks mean?

The prestigious family surname Valks originated in the territory that eventually became the German state of Prussia. The name comes from the Middle High German word "valke," meaning "falcon," and as such, the surname was likely originally a nickname or an occupational name.

Early Origins of the Valks family

The surname Valks was first found in Brandenburg, where the name was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout European history. The name emerged as a noble family with great influence, possessing extensive estates such as the castle Neuhaus and Thyrow in the region of Teltow as early as 1359, and became noted for its involvement in social, economic and political affairs. They also held property in Saxony, near the city of Wittenburg, as well as the state Luemzow in the region of Neu-Stettin (Pomerania) in 1583.

Early History of the Valks family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Valks research. Another 161 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1521, 1555, 1614, 1768, 1786, 1823, 1826, 1827, 1832, 1876 and 1900 are included under the topic Early Valks History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Valks Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Valks include Falk, Falcke, Valke, Falke, Falken and others.

Early Notables of the Valks family

Joshua ben Alexander HaCohen Falk (1555-1614), a Polish Halakhist and Talmudist, author of the Beit Yisrael commentary on the Arba'ah Turim; Johann Daniel Falk (1768-1826), who was a Danzig-born author and philanthropist; Adalbert Falk (1827-1900) was Minister of Education...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Valks Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Valks family

Since medieval times, the state of Prussia has played an important part in the history of Germany. The state's military powers were historically very strong, and endured until after the Second World War, when the territory was broken up and divided between the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany. A spurt of migration followed, with some Prussians going elsewhere in Europe and many others crossing the ocean to North America. Most entered the United States through Philadelphia. Some remained there, while more moved on to the states of Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Others traveled to Canada and settled Ontario and the prairie provinces. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Valks or a variant listed above: Wulf Falk, who came to Philadelphia in 1847; Georg Falk, his wife Agnes, and their five children, who arrived in Texas in 1854; and Joseph Falk, who arrived in New Castle County, Delaware, in 1853..