Recorded in many surname forms including Newark, Newarke, Neward, Newarte, Newick, Newweek and Newrick, this is an English locational surname. It probably derives from the town of Newark in Nottinghamshire, as in the first recording shown below, the place name being first recorded in the year 1054 as 'Newercha', and meaning the 'new work'. This is a reference to the fortifications created to protect the area against the Danish-Viking raiders. A second possible origination is from the village of Newick in Sussex. This is first recorded as 'Nivecha' in 1121, and the general meaning of 'new place' is much the same as Newark, although the specific meaning is probably considerably less warlike, and may indicate a new farm. Curiously the surname of Newark is well recorded in Sussex some two hundred miles from its apparent place of origin. Early examples of the surname spelling include Henry de Newark, who died in 1299. He was the archbishop of York, and formerly the commissioner of King Edward 1st of England, when he made his claim to the throne of Scotland in 1283. Other recordings taken at random from early surviving records include Elizabeth Newark of Bignor, Sussex, on October 10th 1608, Abigail Newick who married William Baily at Rumboldswyke, also Sussex, on April 22nd 1704.

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