SILK tribes around the world

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SILK Family History

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...

Who have we missed?

Tell us about any famous SILK (or surname variant) you think we should add here. We will get our genealogists to check them out and add them to the list. Thanks!