Boak Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History

<h3>Boak Origin:</h3>
<p>England, Germany</p>
<h3>Origins of Boak:</h3>
<p>This common surname noted with over fifty different spellings, acquires from the pre 5th century Olde German and after that in an Anglo-Saxon word “baecc.”  It represents a water source, or as a name especially for a person who resided or worked by a river.  The different spellings of the new surname which records from the early 13th century, contain as Bach, Bache, Bak, Bake, Balk, Balck, Batch, Beck, Bock, Boak, Boake, Beckmann, Becker, Bacher, Pach, Pachman, Ubach, and much more.  The name is noted in almost every European country but is most famous in Germany and England.  It is a fact in the latter country that most of the early documentation appeared.  England was the first country to adopt ancestral surnames as we know them today, for all its people.  Original surname records in other countries where they exist, frequently relate only to the royalty or ministry.  Amongst these very early English records are those of Robert de Basche, an observer at the Assize Court of the town of Stafford in the year 1199, and Mary Boake who married Thomas Eason at St Mary at Hill, the in the city of London in 1645. In Germany Heinrich Bach noted as being the bishop of the town of Villingen in 1447.  Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750) the famous German writer, was the musical administrator to Prince Leopold of Kothen in 1716, and after that musical manager for the city of Leipzig from 1728 to his death.</p>
<h3>Variations:</h3>
<p>More common variations are: Bowak, came in Philadelphia in, Boyak, Boakh, in, Boako, Boaky, Boaka, Bouak, Boiak.</p>
<h3>Scotland:</h3>
<p>The surname Boak first appeared in Berwickshire an old district of Scotland, directly part of the Scottish Borders Cabinet Area, found in the eastern part of the Borders in the Country of Scotland, where they held a family seat from old times, long before the Norman Invasion in 1066.</p>
<h3>England:</h3>
<p>The very first recording spelling of the family was shown to be that of Reiner de Bache, dated about 1212,  in the “rolls of the county of Lincolnshire,” England.   The origin of surnames during this period became a necessity with the introduction of personal taxation.  It came to be known as Poll Tax in England.  Surnames all over the country began to develop, with unique and shocking spelling varieties of the original one. </p>
<h3>Ireland:</h3>
<p>Many of the people with surname Boak had moved to Ireland during the 17th century.  </p>
<h3>United States of America:</h3>
<p>Some of the people with the surname Boak who arrived in the United States in the 19th century included Letitia Boak, who arrived in New York in the year 1841.  Antony Boak came to Philadelphia in the year 1872.</p>
<p>Here is the population distribution of the last name Boak: United States 966; England 441; Canada 222; Australia 217; Scotland 151; New Zealand 19; Indonesia 10; Malaysia 3; India 2; Kuwait 2.</p>
<h3>Notable People:</h3>
<p>Chester Robert Boak (June 1935–November 1983) was an American professional baseball player who played in ten Major League Baseball games over two seasons for the 1960 Kansas City Sports and five more for the 1961 Washington Senators.  </p>
<p>John Boak (June 1837-October 1876) was a Scottish cricket player.  He was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm fast.  He was born in Edinburgh and got an early education at the Royal High School.  He made his only first-class debut for Middlesex against the Marylebone Cricket Club at Lord’s in 1873.  In his only first-class match, he added 19 runs at a batting average of 9.50, with a high score of 11. </p>
<p>Keith Boak is a British film and television manager, who was famous for his work on a famous drama series.  He now lives and works in the United States.</p>
<p>Travis Boak (born 1 August 1988) is an Australian rules football player and is the 63rd director of the Port Adelaide Football Club which plays in the Australian Football League (AFL).  </p>

Blazons & Genealogy Notes

Or, a pale gu. in chief two frets, and in base another counterchanged. Crest—A beacon fired ppr.