York
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York Surname Genealogy
The York surname comes from the town of York, of great antiquity, in northern England. It was called Eboracum by the Romans. When the Vikings captured the town in 962, they changed the name to Yorvik. This name had become York by the 13th century.
The surname would initially describe someone from York. York and Yorke are the main spellings.
England. Yorks or Yorkes may have come at one time from York. There was one line which began with Sir Richard Yorke, a successful merchant who was mayor of York in 1469 and again in 1482. He was the forebear of a colorful Yorke family line.
But that does not mean that the Yorks should be in York. Two Yorke families, possibly related to each other, came from the south of England:
Philip's son Philip became Lord Chancellor of England and Lord Hardwicke. Cousin William became Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas. Philip's son Charles was also made Lord Chancellor and Philip's other sons were an MP, a diplomat, and a bishop. From son Charles came Sir Joseph Yorke and his son Charles, both British naval commanders.
The Yorke spelling had generally given way to York by the 19th century. Yorks by that time had become mainly a name of the English Midlands, with a particular concentration in the county of Northamptonshire.
Yorks in Long Buckby, Northamptonshire go back to the 1600's, the recorded family history beginning in the 1750's. Thomas York married Elizabeth Perkins at Yelvertoft in the late 1700's. Henry York of this family emigrated to Canada in 1844. The York name was also to be found at Ashby St. Ledgers, Duston and Southwick in the county by that time.
America. There were Yorkes in Dover, England but also in Dover, America. Richard Yorke arrived in Dover, New Hampshire as early as 1635.
Jeremiah York came to Chester county, Pennsylvania from Buckinghamshire with his four sons - Semore, Thomas, Henry, and Joseph - in the 1720's. The family later moved onto Granville county, North Carolina and were actively involved in the Baptist church in that area. Semore was a Tory and was imprisoned during the Revolutionary War. There was another York line in colonial times in Surry county, North Carolina. A descendant here was Sergeant Alvin York, the most decorated American soldier of World War One.
There were several Yorks in Kentucky in the early 1800's. One line went from Kentucky to Arkansas and then onto Oklahoma. James York took his family to Texas in 1821, settling in Austin county. His son John fought in the Texas Revolution and became a famous Indian fighter.
Select York Miscellany
Select York Names
Philip Yorke, the 1st Earl of Hardwicke, was an English lawyer who served as Lord Chancellor in the 1750's. He introduced the Marriage Act in 1753 which instituted the calling of banns before marriage.
J.W. York was a 19th century American musical instrument maker noted for his innovations. His York tuba sound is considered by most tubists to be the defining timbre of a quality instrument.
Peter York, born Peter Wallis, is a British style writer best known for co-authoring The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook.
Michael York is an English stage and film actor.
Select Yorks Today
The York surname comes from the town of York, of great antiquity, in northern England. It was called Eboracum by the Romans. When the Vikings captured the town in 962, they changed the name to Yorvik. This name had become York by the 13th century.
The surname would initially describe someone from York. York and Yorke are the main spellings.
- The Url of York. York genealogy.
- York DNA Project. York DNA.
England. Yorks or Yorkes may have come at one time from York. There was one line which began with Sir Richard Yorke, a successful merchant who was mayor of York in 1469 and again in 1482. He was the forebear of a colorful Yorke family line.
But that does not mean that the Yorks should be in York. Two Yorke families, possibly related to each other, came from the south of England:
- William Yorke held the Manor House in Twickenham in Surrey from 1445
- while John Yorke of Ramsbury was High Sheriff of Wiltshire in 1492 and his son Thomas followed him in that position in 1523, later residing for a time at Twickenham.
Philip's son Philip became Lord Chancellor of England and Lord Hardwicke. Cousin William became Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas. Philip's son Charles was also made Lord Chancellor and Philip's other sons were an MP, a diplomat, and a bishop. From son Charles came Sir Joseph Yorke and his son Charles, both British naval commanders.
The Yorke spelling had generally given way to York by the 19th century. Yorks by that time had become mainly a name of the English Midlands, with a particular concentration in the county of Northamptonshire.
Yorks in Long Buckby, Northamptonshire go back to the 1600's, the recorded family history beginning in the 1750's. Thomas York married Elizabeth Perkins at Yelvertoft in the late 1700's. Henry York of this family emigrated to Canada in 1844. The York name was also to be found at Ashby St. Ledgers, Duston and Southwick in the county by that time.
America. There were Yorkes in Dover, England but also in Dover, America. Richard Yorke arrived in Dover, New Hampshire as early as 1635.
Jeremiah York came to Chester county, Pennsylvania from Buckinghamshire with his four sons - Semore, Thomas, Henry, and Joseph - in the 1720's. The family later moved onto Granville county, North Carolina and were actively involved in the Baptist church in that area. Semore was a Tory and was imprisoned during the Revolutionary War. There was another York line in colonial times in Surry county, North Carolina. A descendant here was Sergeant Alvin York, the most decorated American soldier of World War One.
There were several Yorks in Kentucky in the early 1800's. One line went from Kentucky to Arkansas and then onto Oklahoma. James York took his family to Texas in 1821, settling in Austin county. His son John fought in the Texas Revolution and became a famous Indian fighter.
"Captain York died in October 1848 in a
battle with the Indians who had raided the settlement of what was to
become Yorktown. A historical marker designates York's grave
seven miles from town."
Select York Miscellany
If you would like to read more, click on the miscellany page for
further stories and accounts:
Select York Names
Philip Yorke, the 1st Earl of Hardwicke, was an English lawyer who served as Lord Chancellor in the 1750's. He introduced the Marriage Act in 1753 which instituted the calling of banns before marriage.
J.W. York was a 19th century American musical instrument maker noted for his innovations. His York tuba sound is considered by most tubists to be the defining timbre of a quality instrument.
Peter York, born Peter Wallis, is a British style writer best known for co-authoring The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook.
Michael York is an English stage and film actor.
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