Surname Sheeks - Meaning and Origin

Sheeks: What does the surname Sheeks mean?

The surname Sheeks is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "schouwe," which means "a watchman or lookout". It is an occupational name for people who played the role of watchmen or lookouts in medieval times. Like many European surnames, it is based on the job or trade of the initial bearer. Most often, these types of surnames were given to people who did these specific jobs. Therefore, people with the Sheeks surname may have ancestors who were watchmen or lookouts. It's also possible that the name arose in more than one place independently, given the commonality of this occupation in feudal society. Surnames can often provide interesting insights into the history and occupations of our ancestors.

Sheeks: Where does the name Sheeks come from?

The Sheeks surname is most commonly found in the United States. It first appears in American records in the mid 19th century, in Ohio and Indiana, states with large populations of German-American and Scots-Irish settlers. These early Sheeks families may have emigrated from Germany, England, or Ulster.

Today, Sheeks is most numerous in the Midwest states of Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Missouri. In each of these states, Sheeks is among the top 1000 surnames. It is also fairly common in southeastern states like Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia, which have large populations with roots in the British Isles. It has also spread to the West Coast—in California, Oregon, and Washington state, Sheeks ranks among the top 20,000 surnames.

On the global stage, Sheeks is still fairly uncommon in comparison to other popular surnames like Smith and Johnson. According to World Names Public Profiler, Sheeks only ranks among the top 100 surnames in only two countries—the United States and Germany. In the United States, Sheeks is the 19,169th most common surname.

Variations of the surname Sheeks

The surname Sheeks is thought to have derived from several different areas, including Scotland, Germany, and the United States.

In Scotland, there are several variants of the Sheeks surname, including Sheck, Sheik, Shek, Shekes, Shick, Shiek, Shieks, Sheekes, Schick, and Shykes.

In Germany, the variant Sheck is also common. Other variants include Sheik, Shek, Shekes, Sieke, Sheckes, Shebes, and Shiek.

In the United States, the Sheeks surname is typically an Americanized form of the initially German Sieke surname. Variants include Sheck, Sheik, Sheikis, Shek, Shekes, Schick, Shykes, Shecek, Sheckes, and Shebes.

There are also other surnames that have been derived from Sheeks, such as Sheeksmanship, Sheepsley, Sheekem, Sheeks-Crawford, Sheeksmann, and Sheeksotter.

The Sheeks surname is known to have many variants and spellings, across many different countries, and can take several different forms. Despite these many variations, all of these names are thought to share a common origin.

Famous people with the name Sheeks

• Mandy Sheeks: Mandy Sheeks is an American film composer and sound designer. She is best known for her work on the Academy Award-nominated movie Whiplash, Rainbow Time, and rupture with Raven Banner Entertainment.
• Ryan Sheeks: Ryan Sheeks is an Australian football midfielder who currently plays for Pascoe Vale. He has previously played for South Melbourne Hellas, Melbourne Knights , Dandenong Thunder, North Geelong Warriors and Melbourne City FC reserves.
• Austin Sheeks: Austin Sheeks is an American wheelchair tennis champion. The first-seeded competitor in men’s singles at the 2004 Summer Paralympics, he won a bronze medal and a gold medal in the doubles.
• Norman Sheeks: Norman Sheeks is an American actor from Ohio best known for his role as the title character in the 1986 film The Whiz Kid and the Carnival Caper.
• Eric Sheeks: Eric Sheeks is a Canadian businessman and investor. He is the founder and CEO of private equity firm Sheeks Group.
• Robert Sheeks: Robert Sheeks is an American author and editor, known for writing books and articles about the entertainment industry. He is the author of multiple biographies, including those on stars such as Angelina Jolie and Christina Aguilera.
• Jonathan Sheeks: Jonathan Sheeks is a Baptist pastor who served as the Senior Pastor of Landmark Baptist Church in Covington, Georgia. Sheeks is also an avid writer and has written three books on Christian ministry, as well as a book of poetry.
• Christy Sheeks: Christy Sheeks is an American author and artist. She is best known for her book, God Picked a Daisy: A Call to the United States of America to Build Godly Character, which provides guidance to parents on teaching character virtues and godly habits.

Other surnames

Sheek