There are several possible origins for this name. The first is job descriptive and means 'The Several of Rook' with Rook being a medieval nickname for one with the attributes of that bird. However it is also possiable that the name is literally job descriptive for a keeper of Rooks, a Rookherd, in days when such birds were bred for the pot. Finally it is also possible that the name is a variant of 'Rooker' - a spinner or weaver of cloth. All origins are Anglo-Saxon pre 9th Century, similar origins are naturally found in Germany. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Rookeman. which was dated 17th June 1635, Embarked for America. during the reign of King Charles I, The Martyr, 1625 - 1649. 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.

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