This interesting name has two distinct possible origins, the first and most likely being a patronymic form of Sack, itself coming from the Old English pre 7th Century "sacc" meaning "sack", and originally given as a metonymic occupational name to a maker of sacks or bags. The source of the word goes back to the late latin "saccus", Greek "sakkos", and probably ultimately to a Semitic root. Sacks, with variant forms Sachs, Saks and Sax, may also have originated as a regional name for one from Saxony, written in German as Sachsen, and so called from a Germanic tribe who settled there. They in turn were named from the Old High German "sahs", dagger, referring to a specific knife or dagger used by them. One William Sak was recorded in the 1327, "Subsidy Rolls of Essex". On April 2nd 1570, Elizabeth Sackes, an infant was christened in St. Andrews, Enfield, and on May 30th 1686, William Sacks was christened in St. Giles Cripplegate, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Symon Sac, which was dated circa 1250, in the Cartulary of Ramsey Monastery", Essex, during the reign of King Henry 111, known as "The Frenchman", 1211 - 1272. 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.

© Copyright: Name Origin Research 1980 - 2024