Bickerdyke

This unusual surname is of locational origin. It derives from a place called Bickerdike, believed to have been situated in Yorkshire. The word Bickerdike comes from the Middle English 'Biker', to quarrel plus 'dik', ditch or dyke, indicating that the place was originally named after an argument about a ditch. Placenames incorporating the element 'bicker' (sometimes with the meaning of 'beocere' from the Old English for beekeeper) are found with some frequency in the northern counties of England. There is a place called Bickerstafff in the county of Lancashire. The surname Biggadike is found under the variant forms of Biggadyke, Bickardike, Bickerdyke, Bigadike etc.. The form Bickerdike is most common in Yorkshire and Biggadike is more specific to Lincolnshire where it occurs in the church registers for Whaplode when on June 22nd 1737, John Bigadike is recorded as marrying Mary Bate, Charles, son of John and Sarah Biggerdike was christened at the same place on November 28th 1755. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Christopher Bickerdicke son of Bernard Bickerdicke, which was dated 26th September 1572, who was christened at Farnham, Yorkshire, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as 'Good Queen Bess', 1558 - 1603. 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.