My family name is Newkirk (Mothers side) and Eaves (Fathers side), whats the nationality of those names?

Question

And im looking for answers from experts or people who have at least studied this subject.

Answer 1

From ancestry.com

Newkirk:

Americanized form of the Dutch topographic name Nieuwekerk ‘new church’ (see Neikirk).

Dutch: habitational name from Nykerk, a city in Gelderland whose name is itself a dialect variant of Nieuwekerk, or a topographic name for someone living by a new church.

Eaves: from ancestry.com

English: metronymic from the medieval female personal name Eve.

Eaves from surnamedb:

This interesting surname has two possible origins. Firstly, it may be metonymic from the female given name Eve, originally "Hawwah" meaning life and given to Adam's wife. "And the man called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living" (Genesis 111, 20). "Eva" (without surname) appears in the Danelaw Charters, Lincolnshire (1206), and John filius (son of) Eve, is noted in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire (1273). The second possibility is topographical deriving from the Old English pre 7th Century "efes" meaning border and describes "a dweller by the border or edge" of a wood or hill. One, John atte Reuese, appears in the 1327 Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire and Robert del Eves, is noted in the 1332 Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire. In the modern idiom the surname has many variant spellings including Eaves, Eavis, Reeves, Evison, etc..

Answer 2

The origins of your family names is probably found within the county of Lancashire UK.

Newkirk - "Kirk" is Old English (Anglo Saxon period which was a form of English spoken from the 5th to 11thC) and was originally spelt kierk meaning church; hence one who comes from Newchurch. There are 3 examples of Newchurch in Lancashire: Newchurch-in-Pendle; Newchurch-in-Rossendale; Newchurch-in Culcheth.

Eaves - is also Old English from the same period as above and was originally written as "effes". It means someone who comes from the edge or a border of a wood or hill. The earliest references in Lancashire are from the 12thC amd ots evolution has come down as Eues, Eves, Eyves to Eaves from around the early part of the 17thC.

There are several places with the name of Eaves in Lancashire: Eaves, near Woodplumpton; Habergham Eaves, Burnley; Eaves, near Chorley; Bashall Eaves, near Clitheroe. All fit in with the above criteria, being on the edge of a wood or hill.

There is also the possibility that the Lancashire Eaves are descended from an Anglo- Norman family called Devias (De Ewyas) who were lords of Samlesbury, near Preston in the 13thC.

If you have Lancashire connections drop me a line as I am sure I will be able to set you up with a family tree for the Eaves side of your family.

Regards, David Eaves.

Answer 3

This is what I found for you.

Surname: Eaves

This interesting surname has two possible origins. Firstly, it may be metonymic from the female given name Eve, originally "Hawwah" meaning life and given to Adam's wife. "And the man called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living" (Genesis 111, 20). "Eva" (without surname) appears in the Danelaw Charters, Lincolnshire (1206), and John filius (son of) Eve, is noted in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire (1273). The second possibility is topographical deriving from the Old English pre 7th Century "efes" meaning border and describes "a dweller by the border or edge" of a wood or hill. One, John atte Reuese, appears in the 1327 Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire and Robert del Eves, is noted in the 1332 Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire. In the modern idiom the surname has many variant spellings including Eaves, Eavis, Reeves, Evison, etc.. On September 1st 1572, Ann Eves was christened at St. Mary Whitechapel, Stepney, London. Annes, daughter of Richard Eves, was christened on May 14th 1581, at St. Giles Cripplegate, London. The christening of Sybil, daughter of William Eves, took place at St. Margaret's, Westminster, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John atte Euese, which was dated 1275, in the "Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire", during the reign of King Edward 1, 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.

http://www.surnamedb.com/

The following information came from ancestry(dot)com

Newkirk Name Meaning and History

Americanized form of the Dutch topographic name

Nieuwekerk ‘new church’ (see Neikirk).

Hope this helps.

I am not an expert, but the information is on the internet if you know where to look.