Contents [hide]

Wilkes History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Wilkes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Wilkes is an ancient Anglo-Saxon name that is derived from a medieval given name, a short form of William. 1

Wilkes is a patronymic surname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. Many patronyms were formed when a son used his father's personal name as a surname, while others came from the personal names of famous religious and secular figures. In this case, the surname was originally derived from the popular medieval surname William, which became even more popular after the Norman Conquest of England, in 1066, led by William the Conqueror.

Early Origins of the Wilkes family

The surname Wilkes was first found in Lancashire where as a forename Wylke de Chyrchele was recorded in the Assize Rolls for 1246. Later the mononym, Wilke was recorded in the Assize Rolls for Cheshire in 1286. The Hundredorum Rolls for Bedfordshire included an entry for Roger Wylk in 1279 and later, John Wilkys was registered in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1327. 2

Early History of the Wilkes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wilkes research. Another 73 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1529, 1535, 1545, 1548, 1551, 1553, 1556, 1564, 1570, 1580, 1598, 1600, 1641, 1665, 1666, 1690, 1691, 1732, 1740 and 1760 are included under the topic Early Wilkes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wilkes Spelling Variations

Wilkes has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Wilkes have been found, including Wilkes, Wilke, Wilks and others.

Early Notables of the Wilkes family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Israel Wilkes, a 17th century citizen and distiller of London, father of the politician John Wilkes
Sir Thomas Wilkes (1545?-1598), was an English diplomatist, born about 1545, and is said to have been a native of Sussex. "The Oxford registers do not supply his father's name, and the family occurs i...
Richard Wilkes (1691-1760), was an English antiquary and physician, born at Willenhall in Staffordshire on 16 March 1690, the eldest son of Richard Wilkes (1666-1740) of Willenhall. 3

Wilkes Ranking

In the United States, the name Wilkes is the 1,687^th most popular surname with an estimated 17,409 people with that name. 4 However, in the United Kingdom, the name Wilkes is ranked the 662^nd most popular surname with an estimated 9,924 people with that name. 5

Wilkes migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Wilkess to arrive on North American shores:

Wilkes Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Wilkes, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 6
William Wilkes who arrived in Virginia in 1654
John Wilkes, who landed in Maryland in 1664 6
William Wilkes, who landed in Maryland in 1675 6

Wilkes Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Eliza Wilkes, who landed in Virginia in 1702 6
Henry Wilkes, who arrived in Virginia in 1703 6
Joseph Wilkes, who landed in Virginia in 1714 6
Rudolph Wilkes, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1727 aboard the ship "William and Sarah" 6
Elizabeth Wilkes, who settled in New England in 1745
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wilkes Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Bartholomew Wilkes, aged 27, who arrived in New York in 1834 6
Gerh Wilkes, who landed in America in 1843 6
George Samuel Wilkes, who arrived in New York in 1857 6
Louis Edward Potter Wilkes, who arrived in Colorado in 1885 6

Wilkes migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Wilkes Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Joseph Wilkes, English convict who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Dromedary" on 11th September 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
Richard Wilkes, English convict from Worcester, who was transported aboard the "Arab" on July 3, 1822, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 8
Mr. Joseph Wilkes who was convicted in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" on 3rd October 1831, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
Miss Mary Wilkes, English convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Diana" on 4th December 1832, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
Mr. John Wilkes, (b. 1812), aged 30, English ploughman who was convicted in Worcester, Worcestershire, England for 15 years for felony, transported aboard the "Candahar" on 26th March 1842, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1847 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wilkes 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:

Wilkes Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

George Wilkes, aged 28, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oliver Lang" in 1856
Mary Wilkes, aged 23, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oliver Lang" in 1856
John Wilkes, aged 2, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oliver Lang" in 1856
Elizabeth Wilkes, aged 25, a domestic servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oliver Lang" in 1856
Ann Wilkes, aged 21, a domestic servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oliver Lang" in 1856
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Wilkes (post 1700) +

Del Wilkes (1961-2021), American professional wrestler and college football player, better known by his ring names, The Trooper and The Patriot
Charles Wilkes (1798-1877), American naval officer, known for The United States Exploring Expedition, commonly known as the "Wilkes Expedition"
David Wilkes (1964-2023), English professional football midfielder who played for Barnsley, Carlisle United, Halifax Town, Stockport County, Frickley Athletic, Guiseley and Bridlington Town (1981-1992)
John Wilkes (1727-1797), English politician, declared an outlaw in absentia, but that charge was later overturned, eponym of Wilkes County, Georgia and Wilkes County, North Carolina 12
William Harry Walters Wilkes (1865-1940), English cricketer
Sir Maurice Vincent Wilkes FRS, FREng, DFBCS (1913-2010), English computer scientist, Distinguished Fellow of the British Computer Society, a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the Royal Society
Jonathan Wilkes (b. 1978), English television presenter, actor and musician
Benjamin Wilkes (b. 1749), English artist and naturalist
Mr. Peter Gerald Wilkes B.E.M., British recipient of Medallist of the British Empire Medal 29th December 2018 for services to Tennis 13
Frank Noel Wilkes AM (1922-2015), Australian politician, Leader of the Labor Opposition in Victoria from 1977 to 1981
... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Wilkes family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. Charles Wilkes (1892-1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 14

Halifax Explosion

Miss Harriet Evelyn Wilkes (1916-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who survived the Halifax Explosion (1917) but later died due to injuries 15

RMS Lusitania

Miss Alice Kate Wilkes, English 3rd Class passenger residing in Chicago, Illinois, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 16

RMS Titanic

Mrs. Ellen Wilkes, aged 47, English Third Class passenger from Penzance, Cornwall who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived in the sinking in life boat 16 17

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)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dromedary
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Arab voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1822 with 155 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/arab/1822
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Diana
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/candahar
Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 31 Jan. 2019
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html