| ![Show Contents]() Yorks History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Yorks is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in Yorkshire, the largest county in northern England, which is divided into three administrative ridings: North Riding, West Riding, and East Riding. The town of York was the military capital of Roman Britain, the capital of Northumbria, and was the seat of an Archbishop. Yorkshire was also the home of the House of York, which was an English royal dynasty from 1461 to 1485. The reigning members of the House of York were Edward IV, Edward V and Richard III. Their rivalry with the House of Lancaster resulted in the Wars of the Roses, which lasted from 1455 to 1485 and ended when the Lancastrian Henry VII united the two houses by marrying Elizabeth, the daughter of Edward IV. The surname Yorks belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Early Origins of the Yorks familyThe surname Yorks was first found in Wiltshire where they were first listed at Carne, and soon after the Conquest branched to Fillack in Cornwall, and Wellington in Somerset. The church parish of Guilden Morden in Cambridgeshire has an interesting story about the family. "The parish appears to have taken the affix to its name from the decoration of the steeple of its church with stripes of gilding. It is recorded that Charles Yorke, son of the first lord Hardwicke, died suddenly while the patent for raising him to the peerage by the title of Baron Morden, taken from this place, was in preparation." 1 And in Wimpole, Cambridgeshire more early records were found of the family. The reader should note that Philip Yorke, 1st Baron Hardwicke, Lord Chancellor of Great Britain from 1737 to 1756 was the first Earl of Hardwicke. "This place, which is on the road from Royston to Huntingdon, is remarkable as the residence of the Earl of Hardwicke, whose magnificent seat of Wimpole Hall, splendidly embellished, and surrounded by a beautiful demesne, was visited by Her Majesty and Prince Albert in October 1843. The church, which has been enlarged by fitting up a private chapel with seats, contains various monuments to the Yorke family, including one to the memory of Lord Chancellor Hardwicke, who was interred here." 1 One of the first records was William of York (d. 1256), Bishop of Salisbury. " In 1242 he was one of the king's two representatives sent to the parliament of 29 Jan. to ask for money and counsel for the French war, and when the king departed for Gascony he, the archbishop of York, and William de Cantelupe were entrusted with the custody of the realm. " 2 Early History of the Yorks familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Yorks research. Another 164 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1461, 1549, 1569, 1572, 1588, 1595, 1609, 1654, 1658, 1666, 1687, 1689, 1690, 1695, 1705, 1707, 1711, 1716, 1764 and 1770 are included under the topic Early Yorks History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Yorks Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Yorks are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Yorks include: York, Yorke and others. Early Notables of the Yorks familyNotables of this surname at this time include: Sir John York or Yorke (died 1569?), an English merchant and politician, Master of the Mint, Sheriff of London in 1549Rowland Yorke or York (d. 1588), was a soldier of fortune and is conjectured to have been one of the ten sons of Sir John York. "Being of an adventurous disposition, he volunteered for the Netherlands under Captain Thomas Morgan (d. 1595) in 1572. His heir was Edmund Yorke, who was executed at Tyburn in 1595 for attempting to assassinate Queen Elizabeth. " 2William...
Another 91 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Yorks Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Yorks family to Ireland
Some of the Yorks family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Yorks migration to the United States | + |
Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Yorks or a variant listed above:
Yorks Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Williams L. Yorks, aged 46, who landed in America, in 1892
Yorks Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Frederick G. Yorks, aged 45, who landed in America, in 1906
- Frieda Yorks, aged 37, who settled in America, in 1906
- Joseph Yorks, aged 27, who settled in America, in 1922
- Phyllis Yorks, aged 26, who immigrated to the United States, in 1923
- George Yorks, aged 27, who landed in America, in 1923
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Yorks migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Yorks Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century- Mr. John Yorks U.E. who settled in Kingston, Ontario c. 1786 son of Isaac Yorks 3
| Contemporary Notables of the name Yorks (post 1700) | + |
- Milton K. Yorks, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1936 4
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: Nec cupias, nec metuas
Motto Translation: Neither desire nor fear.
- 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
- Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
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Yorks migration to the United States 
Yorks migration to Canada 
England
Ireland
