Wheeliker

This is a very rare variant northern spelling of the Olde English habitational and job descriptive word 'hweol-loc', which translates as a water wheel either in a race, or covered by a building, at which the original name holder worked. It is possible that the name originated in the Cheshire area where the village of 'Wheelock' is sited near Crewe. Either way the name is extremely rare, only one example being recorded in the London Directory (1985) and none at all in the historical records prior to 1910. The surname origination seems to be wholly in the Nottinghamshire area of Nuthall, an example being Mary Wheeloker who married Samuel Tunnicliffe at Nuthall, on August 22nd, 1830. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Matthew Wheeloccer, which was dated October 17th 1802 married Sarah Dennis at Nuthall, Nottinghamshire, during the reign of King George 111, 'Farmer George', 1760 - 1820. 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.