Wykes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Wykes is one of the names that was brought to England in the wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Wykes family lived in Sussex. The name, however, derives from the Old English word wic, which describes someone who lives at an outlying settlement.

Early Origins of the Wykes family

The surname Wykes was first found in Surrey at Wyke, a tything, in the parish of Worplesdon, union of Guildford, First division of the hundred of Woking. "This place is mentioned in Domesday Book under the name of Wucha, and at an early period was held by a family called De Wyke." 1

Another branch of the family was found at Yatton in Somerset. "The greater portion of [the church of Yatton] appears to have been rebuilt in the 15th century, by the Wyck family, to one of whom is a monument bearing his effigy, in the north transept." 1

Thomas de Wykes (fl. 1258-1293), the English chronicler, took the habit of a canon regular at Osney Abbey, near Oxford, on 14 April 1282. "He mentions in his chronicle various namesakes and probable kinsfolk, including Robert de Wykes (d. 1246), Edith de Wyke (d. 1269), and John de Wykes, who in 1283 took a 'votum profectionis'. The name is a fairly common one, both as a personal and a place name, so that it is highly unsafe to identify him with other bearers of the same name, such as Thomas de Wyke, priest, who before 1249 wished to become a Franciscan friar." 2

Early History of the Wykes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wykes research. Another 158 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1086, 1222, 1293, 1430, 1554, 1593, 1621, 1627, 1628, 1632, 1641, 1643, 1683, 1684, 1699, 1703 and 1707 are included under the topic Early Wykes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wykes Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Wykes family name include Weekes, Weeks, Wikes, Wykes, Wyke, Wix, Wicks, Weykes and many more.

Early Notables of the Wykes family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Thomas Wykes (1222-c.1293), English chronicler, a canon regular of Oseney Abbey, near Oxford
Thomas Wykes (died c.1430), Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire
Thomas Wykes (fl. 1554), of Moreton Jeffries, Herefordshire, an English politician, Member of the Parliament for Leominster in November 1554

Wykes migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Wykes family to immigrate North America:

Wykes Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Richard Wykes, a bonded passenger who settled in America in 1767

Wykes Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thomas Wykes, who was naturalized in New York in 1807

Wykes 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:

Wykes Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Read Wykes, aged 45, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1865 3
Sarah Wykes, aged 41, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1865 3
Elizabeth Wykes, aged 16, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1865 3
Sarah Wykes, aged 14, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1865 3
Mary Ann Wykes, aged 5, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1865 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Wykes (post 1700) +

Robert A. Wykes (b. 1926), American composer of contemporary classical music and flautist from Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Alissa Wykes, American football running back for the Philadelphia Liberty Belles of the Independent Women's Football League
Walter Wykes (b. 1969), American playwright and actor
Roger Irving Wykes (b. 1874), American Republican politician, Delegate to Michigan State Constitutional Convention 17th District, 1907-08; Michigan State Attorney General, 1912 4
John P. Wykes, American politician, Supervisor of Paris Township, Michigan, 1869-70 4
Norman Wykes (1906-1991), English cricketer who played for Essex between 1925 and 1936
Professor Dame Hilary Margaret "Til" Wykes DBE, MPhil, PhD (b. 1953), English academic, author and editor, Professor of Clinical Psychology and Rehabilitation at King's College London, and Director, NIHR Clinical Research Network: Mental Health
Geoffrey Wykes (1890-1926), English cricketer from Clarendon Park, Leicester who played for Leicestershire
Adrian Paul Acheson "Percy" Wykes (b. 1958), English former cricketer who played for Cambridgeshire and Luxembourg
David "Dave" Wykes (1867-1895), English footballer who played for the Wolverhampton Wanderers (1888-1895)
... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Wykes 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: Cari Deo nihilo carent
Motto Translation: Those dear to God want nothing.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 7th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html