Show ContentsBuke History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Buke

What does the name Buke mean?

The name Buke is rooted in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It was a name for someone who was a person who shared a fanciful resemblance with a goat or a male deer. The name is derived from either the Old English word buc, meaning he goat, or male deer. This name would originally have been applied to someone one thought resembled a he-goat or male deer. 1

Interestingly, there may a Norman connection as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae lists Radulphus de Bucca as living in Normandy in 1180. 2

Early Origins of the Buke family

The surname Buke was first found in Norfolk, where the name has been "represented in the county as far back as the 13th century. The name of Buck is now most numerous around Norwich." 3

However, by the late 13th century, the name was scattered throughout ancient Britain. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Robert Bok, Huntingdonshire; Richard Boke, Oxfordshire; Robert de le Buk, Essex; and Thomas Buk, Cambridgeshire as all holding lands at that time. 4

Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Robertus Buk, proving that the Latin version of naming was still in use at that time. 4

By the 15th century, some of the family were found further north in Scotland. There John Buc, was a charter witness in Glasgow, 1495. A few years later, Thomas Buk from Dunfermline had a remission in 1508. Alexander Buk was admitted Burgess of Aberdeen, 1506, and Duncan Buk held that position in 1560. 5

Early History of the Buke family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Buke research. Another 224 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1313, 1400, 1540, 1560, 1591, 1622, 1658, 1696, 1753 and 1779 are included under the topic Early Buke History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Buke Spelling Variations

Buke has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Buke have been found, including Buck, Bucke, Buch, Buke and others.

Early Notables of the Buke family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir John Buck, Sheriff of Lincolnshire. Sir George Buck (1560-1622), was an antiquarian who served as Master of the Revels to King James I of England. "He was descended from a good family which had formerly held large estates in Yorkshire and Suffolk. For taking the side of King Richard III at the battle of Bosworth Field his ancestors were deprived of most of...
Another 71 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Buke Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Buke family

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Bukes to arrive on North American shores: Isaac and Richard Buck who arrived in Barbados in 1635; Old Buck settled in Virginia in 1650; Susan Buck and her husband settled in New England in 1637.



The Buke Motto +

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: Fide et fortitudine
Motto Translation: By fidelity and fortitude.


  1. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  2. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  3. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)


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