Surname Wilkes - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'W'
Unearthed Through iGENEA DNA Test: Wilkes - An Ancestral Journey from Anglo-Saxon England to Viking Roots
An iGENEA DNA test has given me a compelling overview of the historical and cultural roots of my surname, Wilkes, rooted deep in the Northern English heritage. Apart from tracing my ancestry back to the Anglo-Saxon territories of early Medieval England, the test also revealed potential connections to Viking ancestry, enriching my sense of cultural and historical identity.
X. Wilkes
read moreWilkes: What does the surname Wilkes mean?
The last name Wilkes is of English origin and derives from the place name 'Wilkes' which is derived from the Old English 'wilc' meaning 'muddy spring'. It can also be thought to refer to someone who lived near such a spring.
Wilkes is quite a common surname and has been recorded in historical documents on many occasions. The earliest examples date back to the 12th century where it was found in several records in the form of 'Wilkin' and 'de Wilkes'.
The name Wilkins, or variations thereof, can be found predominantly in the United Kingdom, particularly in counties such as West Yorkshire, Cheshire, Yorkshire, Lancashire and Devon. It is also found in the United States and other parts of the British Isles.
Wilks is a patronymic surname, which refers to a surname derived from a father's given name. This type of surname was used widely in the Middle Ages as a means of identifying members of a family who all lived and worked from the same area. It has remained common in parts of the British Isles today and in various other countries where the name has been taken by families who have emigrated.
Order DNA origin analysisWilkes: Where does the name Wilkes come from?
Today, the last name Wilkes can be found quite prevalently in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other English-speaking countries throughout the world.
In the UK, it is mainly located in the central and southern parts, especially in the counties of Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Yorkshire, and Staffordshire. It is also found in parts of Wales.
In the United States of America, Wilkes can be found mainly in the South, in states such as Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Alabama. Other states like Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana also have some presence.
In Canada, Wilkes can be again found in the southern parts, in provinces like Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario.
Overall, this last name is still quite popular in England and in the English-speaking countries where the British settlers took their language and cultures. It also carries the connotations of someone who comes from an educated, noble background with a long history of respected leadership. The last name Wilkes will surely continue to be a common part of the English-speaking world in the future.
Variations of the surname Wilkes
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Wilkes can include a variety of spellings. Wilkes is an English origin name that has had different forms during its history, starting out as Wilc, becoming Wilke and even sometimes Wilks.
Other variants of the surname include Wilkins, Wilkey, Wilky, Wilkerson, Wilkeson, Wilkie, Wilks, Wilkens, Wylkes and Wylkinson.
Some Germanic influenced variants of Wilkes include Wilcken, Wilken, Willkins, Willkommen and Willemsen.
There are also variations of Wilkes which are found in other countries such as Wilkewitz, Wilkovitz and Wilkowicz in Poland and Wilkeman in the Netherlands.
There are also possible French variants of the name such as Wilkoff, Wilcauz and Wilco.
Variants of Wilkes could also include Wilnington and Wilkinshire, which are found in England.
As the name has spread, changes in spelling have been made, and Wilkes may have evolved into different surnames in different regions.
No matter what its variation, the Wilkes surname has a long and storied history, and its many forms are evidence of that.
Famous people with the name Wilkes
- John Wilkes, 18th century radical British journalist and politician
- Elijah Wilkes, American inventor and founder of Wilkes County, North Carolina
- Ron Wilkes, former American football player in the NFL
- Joe Wilkes, English footballer and manager
- Nathan Wilkes, U.S. Air Force pilot and aviation pioneer
- Charles Wilkes, the American naval officer and explorer
- Will Wilkes, British singer and BBC Radio 1 presenter
- John Wilkes Booth, American actor and assassin of President Abraham Lincoln
- Chris Wilkes, professional snooker player from England
- Augusta Wilkes, American medical doctor and Civil War Union Army hospital surgeon