Thread: VICK One-Name Study

jameslvick · 05-11-2007, 02:21 PM

There are several clans of VICKs in the world. In the U.S. the descendants of Joseph VICK of Isle of Wight County, Virginia comprise the largest clan. I wonder how all of the clans in the U.S. and the world came to be VICKs? To help find out, I have started a “one-name study” under the auspices of the Guild of One-Name Studies. As the Guild states on its webpage “A one-name study is a project researching all occurrences of a surname, as opposed to a particular pedigree (ancestors of one person) or descendancy (descendants of one person or couple). Some "one-namers" may restrict their research geographically, perhaps to one country, but true one-namers collect all occurrences world-wide.”

Fortunately, the descendants of Joseph VICK have an association, the Joseph Vick Family of America (JVFOA). JVFOA has done a tremendous amount to document Joseph1’s descendants and their history. Have any of the VICK clans in the U.K. or elsewhere documented their history? I would love to learn more about these clans.

I am also interested in learning more about the origins of the VICK surname. Here are three origins.

1. 'The Dictionary of English Surnames' by Reaney & Wilson says that the VICK surname is a variant of VECK. VECK comes from the Old French name le EVESKE meaning the bishop. Dr. Andrew MILLARD told me “Vic is found as a placename and a surname in France, with the surname concentrated in two areas: around Vic-en-Bigorre in the Pyrenees, and in the Département de l'Hérault, around Montpelier…. Given the historical links between England and Aquitaine (which included Bigorre) there is the possibility of a connection with English VICKs.”

2. Dr. Rita HEUSER of Johannes Gutenberg-Universitat Mainz wrote “The surname of Vick definitely goes back to a person's name, namely the Old Germanic name of Friedrich. It displays the dithematic structure typical for Germanic names, combining the parts fridu- 'peace' and -rihhi 'mighty, powerful'. Those names were in Germanic times probably meant as a kind of metaphorical blessing for the child. By sound change and regional orthographic conventions, Friedrich became Vick/Fick in some areas… A broad variety of surname variants emerged from the Germanic name of Friedrich, e.g. Fick(e), Vicke, Feck(e).” Hans Christian FREDERICKSEN, lived on the boarder of Denmark and Germany. Hans’ son, Hans Peter, took the VICK surname. Hans Peter died in Saskatchewan, Canada.

3. Some immigrants to the United States changed their surname to one more familiar in America. For example, Jan Nepomuk VICH (born 11 Jun 1869 of the district of Vysoke Myto, of what is today the Czech Republic) changed his name to John VICK by the time he appears in the 1910 U.S. Census of Benton Co., WI .

Does anyone else have any thoughts on the origin of VICK?

Regards,

Larry

James Larry10, James Ralph9, Robert Emory8, Edward Elmo7, Jacob Mercer6, Stephen5, Jacob4, ?Isaac3, William2, Joseph1

Paragroup Q*

05-11-2007, 02:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
jameslvick New Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Lake Worth, FL, USA Posts: 3	VICK One-Name Study There are several clans of VICKs in the world. In the U.S. the descendants of Joseph VICK of Isle of Wight County, Virginia comprise the largest clan. I wonder how all of the clans in the U.S. and the world came to be VICKs? To help find out, I have started a “one-name study” under the auspices of the Guild of One-Name Studies. As the Guild states on its webpage “A one-name study is a project researching all occurrences of a surname, as opposed to a particular pedigree (ancestors of one person) or descendancy (descendants of one person or couple). Some "one-namers" may restrict their research geographically, perhaps to one country, but true one-namers collect all occurrences world-wide.” Fortunately, the descendants of Joseph VICK have an association, the Joseph Vick Family of America (JVFOA). JVFOA has done a tremendous amount to document Joseph1’s descendants and their history. Have any of the VICK clans in the U.K. or elsewhere documented their history? I would love to learn more about these clans. I am also interested in learning more about the origins of the VICK surname. Here are three origins. 1. 'The Dictionary of English Surnames' by Reaney & Wilson says that the VICK surname is a variant of VECK. VECK comes from the Old French name le EVESKE meaning the bishop. Dr. Andrew MILLARD told me “Vic is found as a placename and a surname in France, with the surname concentrated in two areas: around Vic-en-Bigorre in the Pyrenees, and in the Département de l'Hérault, around Montpelier…. Given the historical links between England and Aquitaine (which included Bigorre) there is the possibility of a connection with English VICKs.” 2. *Dr. Rita HEUSER of Johannes Gutenberg-Universitat Mainz wrote “The surname of Vick* definitely goes back to a person's name, namely the Old Germanic name of Friedrich. It displays the dithematic structure typical for Germanic names, combining the parts fridu- 'peace' and -rihhi 'mighty, powerful'. Those names were in Germanic times probably meant as a kind of metaphorical blessing for the child. By sound change and regional orthographic conventions, Friedrich became Vick/Fick in some areas… A broad variety of surname variants emerged from the Germanic name of Friedrich, e.g. Fick(e), Vicke, Feck(e).” Hans Christian FREDERICKSEN, lived on the boarder of Denmark and Germany. Hans’ son, Hans Peter, took the VICK surname. Hans Peter died in Saskatchewan, Canada. 3. Some immigrants to the United States changed their surname to one more familiar in America. For example, Jan Nepomuk VICH (born 11 Jun 1869 of the district of Vysoke Myto, of what is today the Czech Republic) changed his name to John VICK by the time he appears in the 1910 U.S. Census of Benton Co., WI . Does anyone else have any thoughts on the origin of VICK? Regards, Larry James Larry10, James Ralph9, Robert Emory8, Edward Elmo7, Jacob Mercer6, Stephen5, Jacob4, ?Isaac3, William2, Joseph1 Paragroup Q*