Middleweek

Recorded in several spellings including Middlewich, Middlewick, and the transposed Middleweek, this is an English surname. It is locational from the village of Middlewich in Cheshire, a name which translates as 'the middle wic' with in this case 'wic' meaning the salting between Northwich and Nantwich. Normally in Olde English 'wic' would mean a dairy farm or settlement but the predominance of the salt workings in the Cheshire area, gave 'wic' a different context. In the 1086 Domesday Book the village name is recorded as 'Mildestric or Mildestwich', and the surname originally took this form, being apparently, gradually developed into the modern spelling in conjunction with the like-wise change of the village. Name recordings are rare but include Samuel Middlewick who married Elizabeth Bartreup at St. Katherine, Coleman Street, London on December 21st, 1823, whilst George Middlewick recorded on November 7th 1852 at the famous church of St Martins in the Field, westminster, and on several other occasions, may be the father of George Middleweek, who is recorded at the same church on October 18th 1868. One of the earliest recordings of the family name is that of Robert Mildich. This was dated November 13th 1607, when he was a witness at St. Andrews Holborn, in the city of London, during the reign of King James I of England and VI of Scotland, 1567 - 1625. 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.