Weeks (surname)
Encyclopedia
The name Weeks is a relatively common English
surname
, usually either a patronymic
of the Middle English Wikke (battle, war) or a topographic or occupational name deriving from Wick (small, outlying village). It may also be an Americanization of the Scandinavian habitational name
Vik (small bay, inlet).
in 1184; and Jordan de la Wike of Gloucestershire
in 1194. Later recordings include Symon Weeks, of Devon
shire, a worsted
weaver born in 1618, who emigrated to Barbados in February 1634; Benjamin Weich of London
, who married Aurrelia Clarke at St James Clerkenwell
, on September 21, 1653, and Henry Witch, who married Ann Rugrove at St. Olaves, Southwark
, on June 26, 1774.
, Wicks, Weech, Week, Weeke, Wich, Wych, Weetch, Wick, Wickes, Wix, Wike, Witch, Wykes, Whick, and Vik.
(7.3 times the British average), followed by Wiltshire
, Somerset
, Hampshire
, Brecknockshire
, Gloucestershire
, Monmouthshire
, Kent
and Dorset
.
Today, the name is predominantly found in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other former member states of the British Empire.
In 1990, there were 51,976 people in the U.S. with the last name Weeks, making it the 675th most common last name. The table below compares this with the corresponding enumerations of related names at that time:.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
, usually either a patronymic
Patronymic
A patronym, or patronymic, is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's father, grandfather or an even earlier male ancestor. A component of a name based on the name of one's mother or a female ancestor is a matronymic. Each is a means of conveying lineage.In many areas patronyms...
of the Middle English Wikke (battle, war) or a topographic or occupational name deriving from Wick (small, outlying village). It may also be an Americanization of the Scandinavian habitational name
Habitational name
A habitational name is a type of name. These names denote the starting inhabited location. Such locations can be any type of settlement, such as: homesteads, farms, enclosures, villages, hamlets, strongholds or cottages. The second element of a habitational name describes the type of settlement...
Vik (small bay, inlet).
Derivation
Weeks is an English surname. Common variations include Weekes and Wicks. It has several known derivations:- A patronymic from the Middle EnglishMiddle EnglishMiddle English is the stage in the history of the English language during the High and Late Middle Ages, or roughly during the four centuries between the late 11th and the late 15th century....
personal name Wikke, which is in turn a short form of any of various Germanic personal names formed with the element wig, meaning battle, war. - A variant of Wick, which is an English topographic name for someone who lived in an outlying settlement dependent on a larger village; from the Old English wic (LatinLatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
vicus), or a habitational name from a place named with this word. Examples of such places include Week Green in CornwallCornwallCornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
and Wick in Somerset. As the term was especially used to denote an outlying dairy farm or salt works, it may also have been an occupational name for someone who worked at such a facility. The addition of a final "s" to topographical and locational surnames was a usual medieval practice, denoting one who was resident at a place, rather than from it. - An AmericanizationAmericanizationAmericanization is the influence of the United States on the popular culture, technology, business practices, or political techniques of other countries. The term has been used since at least 1907. Inside the U.S...
of the ScandinavianNorth Germanic languagesThe North Germanic languages or Scandinavian languages, the languages of Scandinavians, make up one of the three branches of the Germanic languages, a sub-family of the Indo-European languages, along with the West Germanic languages and the extinct East Germanic languages...
Vik, itself either a habitational name from any of the numerous NorwegianNorwegian languageNorwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
or Swedish farmsteads named with Old NorseOld NorseOld Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
vík, meaning small bay, inlet, or (in Swedish) a topographic or ornamental name.
Early instances
Early bearers of the surname include: Alueredus de Uuica of the county of Somerset in 1084; Goscelin del Wich of WorcestershireWorcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
in 1184; and Jordan de la Wike of Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
in 1194. Later recordings include Symon Weeks, of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
shire, a worsted
Worsted
Worsted , is the name of a yarn, the cloth made from this yarn, and a yarn weight category. The name derives from the village of Worstead in the English county of Norfolk...
weaver born in 1618, who emigrated to Barbados in February 1634; Benjamin Weich of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, who married Aurrelia Clarke at St James Clerkenwell
St James Church, Clerkenwell
St James Church, Clerkenwell is an Anglican parish church in Clerkenwell, London, England.- Nunnery of St Mary: c. 1100 - 1539 :The parish of St James, Clerkenwell, has had a long and sometimes lively history. The springs which give Clerkenwell its name are mentioned during the reign of Henry II...
, on September 21, 1653, and Henry Witch, who married Ann Rugrove at St. Olaves, Southwark
Southwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
, on June 26, 1774.
Cognates and variations
Names etymologically related to Weeks include but may not be limited to: WeekesWeekes
Weekes is a surname, and may refer to:* Claire Weekes – Australian general practitioner and health writer* Dan Weekes-Hannah – New Zealand-born actor* Everton Weekes – Leading former West Indian cricketer...
, Wicks, Weech, Week, Weeke, Wich, Wych, Weetch, Wick, Wickes, Wix, Wike, Witch, Wykes, Whick, and Vik.
Frequency and distribution
At the time of the 1881 British Census, the relative frequency of Weeks was highest in DevonDevon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
(7.3 times the British average), followed by Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, Brecknockshire
Brecknockshire
Brecknockshire , also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, and a former administrative county.-Geography:...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire (historic)
Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
and Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
.
Today, the name is predominantly found in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other former member states of the British Empire.
In 1990, there were 51,976 people in the U.S. with the last name Weeks, making it the 675th most common last name. The table below compares this with the corresponding enumerations of related names at that time:.
| Name | 51,976 |
|---|---|
| Wicks | 12,291 |
| Wick | 8,255 |
| Wike | 2,629 |
| Wix | 2,079 |
| Weekes | 1,957 |
| Wyke | 917 |
| Wickes | 887 |
| Weech | 826 |
| Vik | 489 |
| Wykes | 336 |
Notable people with the surname Weeks
See also:- WeekesWeekesWeekes is a surname, and may refer to:* Claire Weekes – Australian general practitioner and health writer* Dan Weekes-Hannah – New Zealand-born actor* Everton Weekes – Leading former West Indian cricketer...
- List of people with surname Wicks
- Wick (surname)Wick (surname)An English topographic name for someone who lived in an outlying farm; it is a modern variation of the Anglo-Saxon wic.-People:* Denis Wick , British orchestral trombonist* Douglas Wick , American movie producer...