Contents [hide]

Locke History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Locke History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France
Scotland
England

Early Origins of the Locke family

The surname Locke was first found in Peeblesshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd nam Pùballan), former county in South-central Scotland, in the present day Scottish Borders Council Area. They were from the locality known as Portmoore Loch in the parish of Eddleston in Peeblesshire. Literally, the name means "a place where rivers meet with a partial obstruction from a wooden dam. " 1

Later they acquired the lands of Gillemorestun in 1189. John Loch of Roxburghshire represented his Clan when he rendered homage in 1296 to King Edward I of England on his brief conquest of Scotland. Malise Lock was taken prisoner at Dunbar Castle in the same year. 2

Further to the south in England, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Geoffrey Loc, or Lock in Suffolk; and William Lock in Oxfordshire. 3 Kirby's Quest lists John Loke in Somerset, 1 Edward III. (during the first year of Edward III's reign.) 4

Early History of the Locke family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Locke research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1464, 1474, 1504, 1510, 1621, 1632, 1677, 1704 and 1820 are included under the topic Early Locke History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Locke Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Loch, Lock, Locke, Lochlair, Locklair and others.

Early Notables of the Locke family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

George Lock, Bishop of Glasgow in 1510; Matthew Locke (ca. 1621-1677), an English Baroque composer and music theorist
John Locke (1632-1704), known as the Father of Classical Liberalism, the philosopher who wrote "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding" among other seminal works. Many of his writings are reflected i...

Locke Ranking

In the United States, the name Locke is the 1,219^th most popular surname with an estimated 24,870 people with that name. 5 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Locke is ranked the 179^th most popular surname with an estimated 223 people with that name. 6

Locke migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Locke Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Robart Locke, aged 18, who landed in Virginia in 1621 aboard the ship "Warwick" 7
Robert Locke, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 7
William Locke, who landed in America in 1634 7
William Locke, aged 6, from Middlesex, who landed in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Planter", bound for Charlestown 7
John Locke, who arrived in New Hampshire in 1644 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Locke Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Febee Locke, who arrived in Virginia in 1703 7
Peter Locke, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1739 7
Richard Locke, who arrived in Bermuda in 1743 7

Locke Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Lydia Locke, aged 7, who landed in Kennebunk, Me in 1830 7
Jacob Locke, aged 29, who arrived in Kennebunk, Me in 1830 7
Ann Locke, aged 37, who landed in Kennebunk, Me in 1830 7
Esther Locke, aged 8, who landed in Kennebunk, Me in 1830 7
James Locke, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1850 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Locke migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Locke Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Abigail Perry Locke, who settled in Nova Scotia in 1761

Locke migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Locke Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Aaron Locke, aged 24, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Florentia" 8
Wilhelm Locke, aged 35, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Himalaya" 9
Aaron Locke, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Florentia" in 1849 8
George Locke, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Candahar" in 1851 10
John Locke, aged 30, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Reliance" 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Locke migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Locke Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Thomas Locke, aged 35, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Indus" in 1843
Mary Locke, aged 40, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Indus" in 1843
Mary Ann Locke, aged 12, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Indus" in 1843
James Locke, aged 5, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Indus" in 1843
Martha A. Locke, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Gipsy" in 1854
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Locke (post 1700) +

Bessie Locke (1865-1952), American educator and businessperson who in 1909, founded the National Kindergarten Association
Taylor "Tates" Locke (1937-2024), American basketball coach from Batesville, Indiana
Kevin Locke (1954-2022), Native American of Lakota descent of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and Anishinaabe of White Earth, preeminent player of the Native American flute, a traditional storyteller, cultural ambassador, recording artist and educator, son of Patricia Locke
Patricia A. Locke (1928-2001), Native American educator, activist, and prominent member of the Baháí Faith
Lawrence Donald "Bobby" Locke (1934-2020), American professional baseball right-handed pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (1959-1968)
John Locke (1764-1855), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts (1829-1833)
John Locke (1792-1856), American naturalist, professor, photographer, and publisher
Eugene Murphy Locke (1918-1972), American lawyer and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Alain LeRoy Locke (1885-1954), American writer, philosopher, educator, and Rhodes Scholar
Gary Locke (b. 1950), American lawyer and Democratic politician, who became the governor of Washington in 1997
... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Locke family +

Frank Rock Slide

Mr. Thomas Locke, "Lock", Canadian resident of Frank, Alberta who was buried in the Frank Rock Slide on 29th April 1903 12

North Sea Flood

Horace Locke, British worker aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953

RMS Titanic

Mr. A. Locke (d. 1912), aged 33, English Scullion from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 13

SS Newfoundland

Mr. David Locke (1893-1914), Newfoundlander from St. John's, who on the 30th March 1914 he was part of the Seal Crew of the "SS Newfoundland" leaving the ship to intercept the Stephano which took him to the hunting grounds, he disembarked to begin sealing, but was caught in a thickening storm, attempting to return to the Newfoundland he and the 132 crew made camp for two days the sealers were stranded on the ice in a blizzard attempting to return to the ship, he died during this time

St. Francis Dam

Mr. Edward Locke, American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928

The Locke 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: Assiduitate, non desdia
Motto Translation: By assiduity, not by sloth.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
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)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) FLORENTIA 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Florentia.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The HIMALAYA 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Himalaya.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CANDAHAR 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Candahar.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) RELIANCE 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Reliance.htm
Calgary Herald news article retrieved 11th August 2021. Retrieved from https://smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital/calgaryherald/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Calgary_Herald_Thu__Apr_30__1903_-copy-scaled.jpg
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html