Shark

recorded in a wide variety of spellings including Chark, Shark, Sharks, Sharkes, and Shork, the certain thing about this surname is that it has nothing whatsover to do with fish or loans! It is Olde English pre 7th century in origin, and almost certainly a development of the word "cirice" found in the modern English town of Chirk, and meaning a church! There are no straight lines with surnames, but this is one recorded in the records of Medieval England, and although quite rare in any of the various spellings, appears often enough to be proveable. Education may not be good today, but for those who wish to learn it has never been better. Before the last century only one in ten of the civilised world could write their name accurately, it is therefore hardly surprising that given the very thick accents and dialects of olden times, that the spelling of peoples name was subject to continual change. What we do know is that this surname was recorded in London, England, in the time of Queen Elizabeth 1st, 1558 - 1603. Examples taken from the surviving registers of that that city include Robart Shark, a witness at the church known as St Botolphs without Aldgate, or outside the city walls at Aldgate, on April 21st 1588, and later, Thomas Sharkes, at the church of St Luke's, Finsbury, on July 27th 1770. This last recording was during the reign of King George 111, (1760 - 1820), the last king of America.