This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'atten oak,' from residence beside the oak-tree. Middle English oke. As with Nalder and Nash, the final 'n' in the prefix alien (-at the) becomes the initial of the name proper (v. Oak). Nokes and Noakes merely represent a cluster of oak-trees.

Philip attenoke, Close Rolls 3 Edward I.

William atte Noke, London. Riley's Memorials of London.

Richard Attenok. Calendarium Inquisitionum Post Mortem.

Richard atte Noke. Issue Rolls.

Robertus Nok, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

1504. Baptised — Anne, d. Robert Nocke: St. James, Clerkenwell.

In the Register of the University of Oxford. (Index) this name is spelt indifferently Knokes, Nokes, and Nooke.

1637. Married — Nicholas Firman and Ann Nokes: St. James, Clerkenwell.

1649. — Richard Hope and Susan Noke: ibid.

1664. — Richard Wood and Mary Noakes: ibid.

1749. — George Nock and Elizabeth Long: St. George's Chapel, Mayfair.

"At the Oak." See the prefix Atte, Atten. Aten Oke and Atten Oke were the original forms. When the preposition began to be dropped from this class of surnames, the final N in this instance adhered to the designation of the tree, and we obtained the form Noake, since vulgarly pluralized into Noakes. A-Noke was a transitional form. John A-Noke, who, with his constant antagonist, John Atte Style, was formerly as well known in our law courts as the redoubtable John Doe and Richard Roe of later times, was nothing more than plain John Noakes; and "Jack Noakes and Tom Styles," the phrase by which we designate the ignobile vulgus, are lineal descendants of those litigious 'parties.' The surname Haynoke appears to be identical with A-Noke, while Boaks is probably a crasis of "By Oaks." See the prefix By. See also the names Nye and Nash. Dean Trench has some appropriate remarks on the absorption of the article into the noun in some cases, but he does not seem to have remarked the corresponding adhesion of a part or the whole of a preposition, as in the cases above cited, as well as in Attwood, Agate, Twells, &c., &c. See Study of Works, ed. 1852, p. 118. See also Gloss, to Chaucer, edit. 1825.

NOAEES, NOKES: A corruption of Atten Oak, "at the oak;"en was added to at when the following word began with a vowel, as "John Atten Ash"—John Nash, that is, John at the Ash. Mr. John Nokes is a celebrated personage in legal matters, as well as his constant antagonist Mr. John Styles (John at the Style). The names are so common, that "Jack Noakes and Tom Styles" designate the rabble.

The name of Noakes a century since was represented in the parishes of Goudhurst and Faversham (H.).