Surname Fowkes - Meaning and Origin

Fowkes: What does the surname Fowkes mean?

The surname Fowkes is of English origin and is believed to derive from the Old English pre-7th century word "folc", which means ‘people’. It began as a personal name and later evolved into a surname. It is also thought to have been patronymic because the suffix 's' typically indicated 'son of,’ suggesting the original bearers were 'sons of Folk.' Over the centuries, the name has undergone various spelling alterations such as Fowke, Fooks, Foulks, among others. Harcourt Fowke, originally from London, was one of the early settlers in the New World, landing in Virginia in 1635. Distributed across the United Kingdom, Fowkes is particularly common in Leicestershire. Noteworthy people bearing this name include Australian singer Normie Rowe (born Norman John Rowe), British comedian Norman Fowkes, and British politician Sir Frederick Fowke. The Fowkes family motto "Esse quam videri" translates as "To be, rather than to seem".

Fowkes: Where does the name Fowkes come from?

The surname Fowkes is of Anglo-Saxon origin and it first emerged in Derbyshire, England. It is derived from the personal name Fulk. Fulk is an old Germanic name, from an element meaning "people".

In the Middle Ages, when there was a growth in population and people started to need an extra name for identification, surnames started to become a common practice. Fowkes is a patronymic surname, meaning it is based on the given name of a father, or ancestor, adding "s" as a diminutive suffix.

Largely due to emigration and the spread of English language and culture, the surname Fowkes can now be found in various parts of the world, but is still most common in the United Kingdom. It can also be found in the United States, Australia, Canada and South Africa among English-speaking populations. The variations of the spelling include Folke, Fowke, Fooks, Foulks, among others. Many of these forms can be found commonly coexisting in the same geographic region.

Variations of the surname Fowkes

The surname Fowkes is believed to be of Anglo-Saxon origin. It is derived from the name "Fulco." The name has undergone several changes over the centuries with several variant spellings which include: Fooks, Foulks, Fowke, Foulk, Fooks, Fowk, Fouke, Foulkes, and Folks.

Additional variants include Foakes, Foakes, Vokes, and similar forms. These occur as a result of regional dialect influences, changes over time, or due to transcription errors in records.

As for the common prefixes and suffixes, they may also have "s," "es" or "e" at the end of the name as in Foulkes, Foulke and Fowkes. There also exist names that contain the prefix “Fitz”, which means “son of”, although this prefix is not as common.

These different forms emerged independently in various regions such as Norfolk, Shropshire, Leicestershire and so on. In many instances, the name may have been anglicized to Fowkes or other versions upon immigration to English-speaking countries. The surname may also exist independently from families who have Anglicized a similar-sounding non-English name. It's also common for the surname to be spelled differently within the same family.

Famous people with the name Fowkes

• Colin Fowkes: Colin Fowkes is an artist and illustrator from Los Angeles, California. He is known for his art work that consists of both traditional and digital elements.
• Trevor Fowkes: Trevor Fowkes is a Canadian singer-songwriter and actor. He is most well-known for his lead roles in the musicals, My Fair Lady and Beauty and the Beast.
• David Fowkes: David Fowkes is a British banker and entrepreneur. He is the founder of an international private banking group called Investec.
• Lucinda Fowkes: Lucinda Fowkes is an English model and actress. She has been featured in many fashion campaigns and advertisements for luxury brands.
• John Fowkes: John Fowkes is a former Australian Football League (AFL) player who played for the Essendon Football Club.
• Rowan Fowkes: Rowan Fowkes is an English footballer who currently plays for Cambridge United.
• Judy Fowkes: Judy Fowkes is an American physician and professor of medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch. She specialized in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
• Bill Fowkes: Bill Fowkes is an American musician and songwriter who is most well-known for his work in the punk rock band, The Ramones.
• Rob Fowkes: Rob Fowkes is an English painter and sculptor, whose works mainly feature abstract forms. He has held exhibitions in many galleries across the United Kingdom.
• Mark Fowkes: Mark Fowkes is a former professional racing driver from Australia. He was a two-time Formula Vee Australian champion, and has also raced in the Tasman Series.

Other surnames

Fowke