Plak

Recorded in the "English" spellings of Plack, Plak, Plugue, and Pluck, this is a surname of Flemish-French origins. It was originally recorded in England in the 17th Century at the various French Huguenot church, indicating that the name holders fled from the continent to avoid persecution by the various catholic regimes lead by France. The surname (in England) derives from the names Plock, Pluchet,and Plucque found in the early Heraldic Records for Europe. The meaning is rather obscure, but is probably a variation from the Ancient French "peluche" of the pre 7th century, and as such be a nationalistic nickname meaning "stranger" in the same context as "Welsh or Walsh" which also have that meaning. In England early examples of the recording include Marie Plucque baptised at Threadneedle Street French Huguenot church in 1693, Mary Plak, who married Assher Turner at St Nicholas church, Cole Abbey, London, on November 16th 1738, and Hugo Plake, a witness at St Dunstans in the East, Stepney, on December 1st 1760. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of Simon Pluque, which was dated 1641, and who married Antoinette Delahaye at Threadneedle Street Huguenot Church, London, during the reign of King Charles 1st, 1625 - 1649. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.