This unusual surname recorded as Bonnick, Bonick, and Bonwick, is locational. It derives from a place called Bonwick in the East Riding of Yorkshire, recently recorded as having 26 inhabitants. There is also a hamlet called Bonwicks Place in Sussex which may have given rise to some surnames, although the records suggest that the first nameholder gave his name to this village, having previously moved from Yorkshire. There is some disagreement as to the actual meaning of the village name. In Olde English 'wic' seems to have had a variety of meanings dependant on its geographical location.
The two most usual explanations are that it describes a farm as in Gatwick, the appropriately named 'Goat farm' or Cheswick, the cheese farm. However in the latter case it may also describe a safe harbour or landing place, and situated as it is by the mouth of the Humber, Bonwick may describe either a good landing place or it could be a personal name such as 'Buna', to give "Buna's wic" an explanation favoured by Ekwall's dictionary of place names. Early examples of the recordings include William de Bonwyk of Sussex in the 1332 subsidy rolls of that county, and John de Bonnewyk of Yorkshire, a witness in the assize rolls of that county. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Walter Bonwyk, which was dated 1296, the subsidy rolls of the county of Sussex, during the reign of King Edward 1st, known as 'The hammer of the Scots', 1272 - 1307. 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.
Discovering the historical roots of bonick is deeply interesting, as it takes us back to the ancestors and relatives who established this lineage. The origin, the coat of arms or the different heraldic shields, and the bibliography in which the surname bonick is mentioned are part of this exciting investigation. Adhering to what we know about the way surnames originated, it is possible to offer a realistic explanation of the origins of bonick.
Although surnames have a specific origin at a certain time and region of the planet, many of them have spread far and wide across the world for various reasons, as is the case with the surname bonick. The list of countries with a higher presence of people with the surname bonick provides us with a perspective on the history of the surname, beyond its origins, focusing on its migrations.
The historical chronicle of bonick is based on a striking series of events that were led by those who have carried this surname throughout history. For those like you, who are interested in the history hidden behind the surname bonick, it is essential to find all kinds of information, both direct and tangential, that helps to construct a solid narrative of how the birth and expansion of bonick developed. In the following lines, you will find everything we have been able to gather about the surname bonick.
We suggest that if you want to learn more about the surname bonick, try to locate it through the bibliographic sources we suggest. We keep our website updated through our own research and also thanks to contributions from people like you, after verification; so if you have information about bonick and send it to us, we will update it on this website.
It's more than likely that there have been some distinguished bonicks throughout human history. Sadly, not all the contributions of those who bore the surname bonick were recorded by the chroniclers of the time. If you or someone you know bears the surname bonick, you could potentially build illustrious lineages through your efforts and virtues.
Thanks to a significant bibliographic review, we have so far compiled information on the heraldry, history, and genealogy of bonick. The origin, history, coat of arms or different coats of arms, and the heraldry of bonick are recorded in a wide variety of sources and documents that are essential to know for better compilation. Accessing the archives of the town or towns where your ancestors were born and lived is, of course, a good way to trace the origins of bonick.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of bonick, and at the same time, of surnames in general.