HISTORY OF THE SILK NAME :

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This unusual and interesting name has two possible origins, the first being a metonymic occupational (job descriptive) surname for one who worked or dealt in silk, a silk-merchant. The derivation is from the Old English pre 7th century "seolc", from the Latin "sericum". The second possible source is from an English medieval personal name, a short form of e.g., "silkin", itself from "Silverster" or "Silranus", originally meaning "dweller in the wood" and often given in medieval times in honour of various early Christian saints.

The name development has included "John Silke" (1353, Wiltshire) and "William Sylke" (1615, London). One "Samuel Silk" married Sarah Mann at St. Georges Chapel, Mayfair in 1748. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Selk which was dated 1170 in The Somerset Pipe Rolls during the reign of King Henry II, The Builder of Churches, 1154 - 1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Our Silk family including WHITAKER Small numbers by a name refer to personal number in listing eg WILLIAM ^2SILK - See 2

GENERATION ONE :

1. ~ ~ ~ WILLIAM SILKE was born about 1662 and was the son of WILLIAM SILKE and ANN DODDS. William married MARY GLOVER and their children included:

WILLIAM ² SILK, born about 1700.

GENERATION TWO:

2. ~ ~ ~ WILLIAM SILK (WILLIAM) was born about 1700 and was the son of WILLIAM SILKE and MARY GLOVER. William married SARAH KENNARD on 2 February 1724/25 at St Lawrence, Ramsgate, Kent, England.

Children of WILLIAM SILK and SARAH KENNARD included:

WILLIAM SILK, baptized 11 December 1726 in Ramsgate, Kent, England.

EDWARD SILK, baptized 28 June 1730 in Ramsgate, Kent, England.

JAMES ³ SILK, baptized 5 August 1933 in Ramsgate, Kent, England.

GEORGE SILK, baptized 10 October 1736.

GEORGE SILK, baptized 30 July 1738.

SARAH SILK, baptized 29 March 1741.

ANN SILK, baptized 02 February 1741/42; died 1744.

GENERATION THREE:

3. ~ ~ ~ JAMES SILK (WILLIAM > WILLIAM) was baptized on 5 August 1733 in St Lawrence, Ramsgate, Kent, England and was the third son of WILLIAM SILK and SARAH KENNARD. James married ELIZABETH COCK and children included:

JAMES ⁴ SILK, born 1763.

GENERATION FOUR:

4. ~ ~ ~ JAMES SILK (WILLIAM > WILLIAM > JAMES) was baptized on 5 August 1733 in St Lawrence, Ramsgate, Kent, England. James married SARAH HOLLANDS. Sarah was born around 1770 in Kent, England.

Children of JAMES SILK and SARAH HOLLANDS were:

JAMES SILK, baptized 21 March 1790 in Ramsgate, Kent.

WILLIAM ⁵ SILK, baptized 16 October 1791 in Ramsgate, Kent.

CHALRES SILK, born 13 May 1793 in Ramsgate, Kent.

ROBERT SILK, born 19 December 1795 and baptized 24 January 1796 in Ramsgate, Kent.

ELIZABETH ANN SILK, born 9 February 1798 and baptized 11 March 1798 in Ramsgate, Kent.

JOHN SILK, born 7 June 1801; died as an infant.

JOHN SILK, baptized 29 May 1803 in Ramsgate, Kent.

HARRIET SILK, baptized 25 October 1805 in Ramsgate, Kent

THOMAS SILK, baptized 12 February 1809 in Ramsgate, Kent.

GENERATION FIVE:

5. ~ ~ ~ WILLIAM SILK (WILLIAM > WILLIAM > JAMES > JAMES) was born on 18 September 1791 and was baptized on 16 October 1791 in St Lawrence, Ramsgate, Kent, England. William was the second son of JAMES SILK and SARAH HOLLANDS.

William married ANN PEALL on 14 January 1814 in St Lawrence, Ramsgate, Kent. Ann was born on 17 October 1793 in Ramsgate and was the daughter of JOHN PEALL * and SARAH WHITE.

* John had married Sarah on 26 January 1793 at St Lawrence, Isle of Thanet, Kent, England. At the time he was a Widower. Other children of John and Sarah included ROBERT PEALL, baptized 26 June 1796.

Children of WILLIAM SILK and ANN PEALL were:

ANN SILK, baptized 12 May 1815 at St Lawrence, Ramsgate; died on 11 October 1878 in Lower Clapton, Middlesex. Ann married HENRY ADLER on 12 May 1815 in Ramsgate.

EMMA SILK, baptized 29 April 1818 at St Lawrence, Ramsgate. Emma married WILLIAM HAMMOND on 21 February 1847 in Thanet, Kent.

SARAH SILK, baptized 5 November 1820 at St Lawrence, Ramsgate. The 1901 Census records Sarah as living at 30 Camden Hill Rd, Lambeth, in London.

HARRIET SILK, baptized 21 December 1823 at St Lawrence, Ramsgate. Harriet was living in Rotherhithe, Southwark in 1861 and the 1871 Census records her as living at 17 Chapel St, St Pancras, Marylebone, London.

MARIA SILK, baptized 16 April 1826 at St Lawrence, Ramsgate. Maria married WILLIAM LANGDON WHITAKER on 16 April 1826 in Ramsgate. William was born in Cornwall, England and was baptized on 14 December 1821. William was the son of GEORGE WHITAKER and JANE LANGDON.

AMELIA SILK, baptized 01 August 1830 at St Lawrence, Ramsgate, Kent. Amelia was living in Rotherhithe, Southwark in 1861.

DRUSILLA SUSANNAH SILK, baptized 16 February 1834 in Ramsgate, Kent; died January 1841.

ROBERT SILK, baptized 5 June 1836 at St George, Ramsgate, Kent.

In December 1823 William was recorded as a School Master, in 1830 a Grocer, and once again a School Master in 1834. In 1841 he was living in the Parish of Preston By Wingham, and in 1851 was living in Lucas Street, St George in the East, St Mary, Tower Hamlets, London and his occupation was noted as a School Master.

Ann died in 1860 and was buried at St George East, Ramsgate, Kent.

Refer to the WHITAKER family for more information about William's family and descendants of Maria and William.

Please note that in keeping to genealogy publishing protocol I have not included information about later generations including living persons. If you have a family connection please contact me for further information.

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