Dax History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany
Ireland

Etymology of Dax

What does the name Dax mean?

Soon after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, the name Dax was recognized on the island as a name for a person who had a duck-like gait or bore some other resemblance to a duck. The surname Dax is derived from Old English words duk, dukke, duck, doke, and dook, which all mean duck. However, these words are often indistinguishable from the various Old English words duc, duk, duke, douc, and doke, which all came from the Old French word duc. This ultimately came from the Latin word dux, which means leader, and is a derivative of the verb ducere, which means to lead.

Early Origins of the Dax family

The surname Dax was first found in Somerset where the first record of the family was John le Duk, who was listed there 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 1

The Rotuli Curiae Regis listed Ralph Dux of Buckinghamshire, 1198. 2

In Cheshire, two early listing were found: Robert Ducke was listed in the Assize Rolls of 1260 and later; Hugo Doke was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1279. 3 In the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, we found Adam Doke listed as holding lands there at that time. 4

In Devon, we found the variant Duckham. 5 "Amongst old Tiverton [,Devon] names, now scantily to be found in the county, but still surviving in this town, are Duckham This name is now established in Monmouthshire. The Duckhams were Tiverton churchwardens in 1691, 1703, and 1743." 6

Early History of the Dax family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dax research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1515, 1546, 1559, 1570, 1580, 1595, 1628, 1632, 1636, 1638, 1639, 1648, 1657, 1672, 1691, 1705 and 1756 are included under the topic Early Dax History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dax Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Duck, Duche, Ducke and others.

Early Notables of the Dax family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Arthur Duck (1580-1648), English civilian, second son of Richard Duck by Joanna, his wife, born at Heavitree, Devonshire. He was born at Heavitree, near Exeter, Devon. the younger son of Richard Duck and his wife Joanna. His elder brother was the lawyer Nicholas Duck (1570-1628) was a prominent lawyer in the city of London. 7Sir John Duck, 1st Baronet (c. 1632-1691), was an English politician, Mayor of Durham. He "was apprenticed early in life to a butcher at Durham, though from an entry in the guild registers it appears that in 1657...
Another 106 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dax Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Dax family to Ireland

Some of the Dax family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 30 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dax migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Dax or a variant listed above:

Dax Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Dax, who landed in Maryland in 1674 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Dax (post 1700) +

Michael Dax McCarty (b. 1987), American soccer player who plays for New York Red Bulls
Dax Wentworth Pierson (1970-2024), American musician from Oakland, California, member of Subtle and 13 & God
Dax David Riggs (b. 1973), American musician

Sources +

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.
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)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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)