"Sykes" is a surname of

Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons, in some contexts simply called Saxons or the English, were a Cultural identity, cultural group who spoke Old English and inhabited much of what is now England and south-eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. They traced t ...

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

origins, which generally has

topographical Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the landforms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps. Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary scienc ...

roots as it original linguistic origin. The name derives from the

Old Norse Old Norse, also referred to as Old Nordic or Old Scandinavian, was a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants ...

word "sík" or "síkja", meaning a small stream, marshy hollow, or gully. It eventually was used to describe an individual who resided near such a topographical feature. In time, this would evolve into "syke" or "sykes" in

Middle English Middle English (abbreviated to ME) is a form of the English language that was spoken after the Norman Conquest of 1066, until the late 15th century. The English language underwent distinct variations and developments following the Old English pe ...

. As a surname, it began showing-up in English records as early as the 13th century. It is relatively more common in the north of England, reflecting the Norse linguistic influence in that region. The surname Sykes is also relatively common among

African Americans African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa ...

, which often reflects the legacy of

slavery Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

in both the Americas and the rest of the world. Enslaved people were frequently given the surnames of the families who enslaved them, so many African American Sykes families can trace their surnames to a plantation owner or region of the American South. Sykes may refer to:

People

* Sir

Alan Sykes Sir Alan John Sykes, 1st Baronet (11 April 1868 – 21 May 1950) was an English businessman in the bleaching industry and Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician in Cheshire. Biography Sykes was born at Cringle House Cheadle, Greater ...

, 1st Baronet, businessman and British politician Alan Sykes Businessman scientist Stockport *

Annette Sykes Annette Te Imaima Sykes (born ) is a New Zealand activist and lawyer who advocates for the rights of List of Māori iwi, Māori tribes to be Tino rangatiratanga, self-governing. She was ranked third on the joint Internet Party and Mana Movement, ...

, New Zealand human rights lawyer and Māori activist *

Bob Sykes (American football) Robert Eugene Sykes (March 15, 1927 – August 4, 2020) was an American football fullback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He played college football at San Jose State. Early life and education Born in Oakland, Cali ...

, American football player *

Bob Sykes (baseball) Robert Joseph Sykes (born December 11, 1954) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played during five seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals. Sykes was drafted by the Tigers in the ...

, American baseball pitcher * Bob Sykes (ice hockey), Canadian ice hockey player *

Bobbi Sykes Roberta "Bobbi" Sykes (16 August 194314 November 2010) was an Australian poet and author. She was a lifelong campaigner for Indigenous land rights, as well as human rights and women's rights. Early life and education Born Roberta Barkley Patt ...

, Australian author and land rights activist *

Bryan Sykes Bryan Clifford Sykes (9 September 1947 – 10 December 2020) was a British geneticist and science writer who was a Fellow of Wolfson College and Emeritus Professor of Human Genetics at the University of Oxford. Sykes published the first repor ...

, British academic and geneticist *

Christopher Sykes (author) Christopher Hugh Sykes (17 November 1907 – 8 December 1986) was an English writer. Born into the Northern England, northern English landowning Sykes family of Sledmere, he was the second son of the diplomat Mark Sykes, Sir Mark Sykes (1879� ...

, British author *

Christopher Sykes (politician) Christopher Sykes (10 January 183115 December 1898) was an English Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1865 to 1892. He enjoyed the "intimate friendship" of Edward VII when Prince of Wales and Alexandra of Denmark when ...

, British politician *

Diane S. Sykes Diane Schwerm Sykes (née Diane Elizabeth Schwerm; born December 23, 1957) is an American jurist and lawyer who serves as the chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. She served as a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Cou ...

, judge on the United States Court of Appeals *

Edmund Sykes Edmund Sykes (born at Leeds; executed at York Tyburn, 23 March 1587) was an English Roman Catholic priest. He is a Catholic martyr, beatified in 1987. Life He was a student at the English college at Reims, where he was ordained 21 February ...

, Catholic martyr *

Emilia Sykes Emilia Strong Sykes (born January 4, 1986) is an American politician serving as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for Ohio's 13th congressional district since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), D ...

, American politician *

Eric Sykes Eric Sykes (4 May 1923 – 4 July 2012) was an English radio, stage, television and film writer, comedian, actor and director whose performing career spanned more than 50 years. He frequently wrote for and performed with many other leading com ...

, comedic writer and actor * Eric A. Sykes, developer of the Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife *

Ernest Sykes (VC) Ernest Sykes VC (4 April 1885 – 3 August 1949) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. VC action Syk ...

, recipient of the Victoria Cross *

Ernest Ruthven Sykes Ernest Ruthven Sykes (1867-1954) was a malacologist from Great Britain.Coan E. V., Kabat A. R. & Petit R. E. (15 February 2009)''2,400 years of malacology, 6th ed.'', 830 pp. & 32 pp. nnex of Collations American Malacological Society He marrie ...

(1867–1954), malacologist from Great Britain *

Eugene O. Sykes Eugene Octave Sykes Jr. (July 16, 1876 – June 21, 1945) was a justice on the Mississippi Supreme Court. He served as the first Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission from 1934 to 1935. Early life Eugene Octave Sykes was born in Aber ...

(1876–1945), justice on the Mississippi Supreme Court *

Frederick Henry Sykes Frederick Henry Sykes (October 21, 1863 – October 14, 1917) was an American college president, born in Queensville, Canada West. He graduated from the University of Toronto in 1885, studied at Johns Hopkins University (1891–95), and aft ...

(1863–1917), Canadian-American educator and college president * Sir Frederick Hugh Sykes, British military officer and politician *

Gary Sykes Gary Sykes (born 13 February 1984) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 2006 to 2016. He held the British super-featherweight title twice between 2010 and 2014, and challenged for the Commonwealth super-featherweight and lig ...

, English Profesional boxer *

George Sykes George Sykes (October 9, 1822 – February 8, 1880) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general during the American Civil War. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1842, and served in numerous conflicts, ...

, U.S. Army general *

Gresham Sykes Gresham M'Cready Sykes (May 26, 1922 – October 29, 2010) was an American sociologist and criminologist. He earned a Bachelor of Arts at Princeton University and a Ph.D. at Northwestern University. He taught at Princeton, Dartmouth, and North ...

(1922–2010), American sociologist and criminologist *

Homer Sykes Homer Warwick Sykes (born January 1949) is a Canadian-born British documentary photographer whose career has included personal projects and landscape photography. Early life and education Sykes's father, also named Homer Warwick Sykes, was a Cana ...

, Canadian-born British photographer * Congressman

James Sykes (Continental Congress) James Sykes (1725 – April 4, 1792) was an American lawyer and politician from Dover, in Kent County, Delaware. He served in the Delaware General Assembly and was a Continental Congressman from Delaware. Early life and family Sykes was born ...

, lawyer and American politician * Governor

James Sykes (governor) James Sykes (March 27, 1761 – October 18, 1822) was an American physician and politician from Dover, in Kent County, Delaware. He was a member of the Federalist Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly and as List of governors of Dela ...

, physician and American politician *

John Sykes John James Sykes (29 July 1959 – December 2024) was an English guitarist and singer, best known as a member of Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy and Tygers of Pan Tang. He also fronted the hard rock group Blue Murder and released several solo albums. ...

(1959–2024), English singer and guitarist *

John Sykes (American football) John Sykes (May 13, 1949 – July 8, 2019) was an American professional American football, football running back. Sykes played college football at Morgan State University, where he broke several rushing records previously held by Pro Football Hal ...

(1949–2019), American football player * John Sykes (composer) (1909–1962), English composer and music teacher, born in India *

John Sykes (politician) John David Sykes (born 24 August 1956) was a British Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician. Parliamentary career Sykes contested Sheffield Hillsborough (UK Parliament constituency), Sheffield Hillsborough at the 1987 United Kingdom ge ...

, British politician * John H. Sykes Tampa Bay area businessman and founder of Sykes inc. *

Keifer Sykes Keifer Jerail Sykes (born December 30, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for Legia Warsaw of the Polish Basketball League (PLK). He played college basketball for the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay. Sykes is featured in the ...

(born 1993), American basketball player * Sir

Mark Sykes Colonel Sir Tatton Benvenuto Mark Sykes, 6th Baronet (16 March 1879 – 16 February 1919) was an English traveller, Conservative Party politician, and diplomatic advisor, particularly with regard to the Middle East at the time of the First ...

, British politician and diplomatic advisor *

Melanie Sykes Melanie Ann Sykes (born 1970) is an English former television and radio presenter. She is best known for co-hosting '' Today with Des and Mel'' with Des O'Connor and '' Let's Do Lunch'' with Gino D'Acampo. She also co-hosted ''Going Out with Ala ...

(born 1970), English television and radio presenter, and model *

Nathan Sykes Nathan James Sykes (born 18 April 1993) is an English singer, best known as a member of the boy band The Wanted. In 2013, Sykes appeared with his bandmates in the E! channel reality television series '' The Wanted Life''. After the band's hia ...

(born 1993), member of boy band

The Wanted The Wanted are a British-Irish boy band formed in 2009, and originally consisted of members Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, Jay McGuiness, Tom Parker, and Nathan Sykes. The group signed a worldwide contract to Universal Music, Island Reco ...

* Norman Sykes (1936–2009), English footballer *

Oliver Sykes Oliver Scott Sykes (born 20 November 1986) is a British musician who is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band Bring Me the Horizon. He also founded the apparel company Drop Dead Clothing, and created a graphic novel. Early ...

, frontman of

Bring Me the Horizon Bring Me the Horizon are a British Rock music, rock band, formed in Sheffield, England in 2004. The group currently consists of lead vocalist Oli Sykes, drummer Matt Nicholls, guitarist Lee Malia and bassist Matt Kean (musician), Matt Kean. T ...

Paul Sykes (boxer) Paul Sykes (23 May 1946 – 7 March 2007) was a British professional boxer and weightlifter. A substantial portion of Sykes' adulthood was spent inside prison, where he became notorious as one of the most difficult prisoners in the country. ...

(1946–2007), English heavyweight boxer of the 1970s and 1980s * Paul Sykes (businessman) (born 1943), English Eurosceptic businessman, and political donor *

Paul Sykes (rugby league) Paul Sykes (born 11 August 1981) is an English Professional Rugby League player who plays as a for Dewsbury Rams in the Betfred League 1. Sykes came through the ranks at Bradford Bulls making his debut in 1999. He left the Bulls in 2002 for ...

(born 1981), rugby league footballer of the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s *

Paul Sykes (singer) Paul Sykes (1937–1994), was an American folksinger, best known for live performances in the early 1960s at The Ice House, a folk music club in Pasadena, California, and as a member of folk trio The Randy Sparks Three. He also performed at T ...

, American folksinger of the 1960s * Sir

Percy Sykes Brigadier-General Sir Percy Molesworth Sykes, (28 February 1867 – 11 June 1945) was a British soldier, diplomat, and scholar with a considerable literary output. He wrote historical, geographical, and biographical works, as well as describin ...

, British soldier, geographer and travel writer *

Peter Sykes (director) Peter Sykes (June 17, 1939 – March 1, 2006) was an Australian television and film director who worked primarily in the United Kingdom. According to ''FilmInk'', " auteurist critics always seem to pass him by." Biography He was born in Melbourne ...

(1939–2006), Australian/British film director * Peter Sykes (chemist) (1923–2003), British chemist * Sir

Richard Sykes (biochemist) Sir Richard Brook Sykes (born 7 August 1942) is a British microbiologist, the chair of the Royal Institution, the UK Stem Cell Foundation, and the trustees at King Edward VII's Hospital, and Chancellor (education), chancellor of Brunel Universi ...

, businessman and university rector * Sir

Richard Sykes (diplomat) Sir Richard Adam Sykes, (8 May 1920 – 22 March 1979) was the British ambassador to the Netherlands, who was assassinated by the Provisional Irish Republican Army, IRA in The Hague in 1979. Early life Richard Sykes was born on 8 May 1920 to ...

, diplomat assassinated in 1979 *

Richard Sykes (rugby union) Richard Sykes (11 May 1839 – 31 May 1923) was a pioneering rugby player who helped found two major clubs and became a landowner in North Dakota, founding five towns there. He was the fourth son of Richard Sykes, owner of the Sykes Bleaching ...

, Rugby player and Dakota landowner * Rod Sykes (1929–2025), Canadian politician from Alberta *

Ronald Sykes Captain Ronald Sykes (1899-1977) was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories. World War I service Sykes joined the Royal Naval Air Service in April 1917. In September, he joined 9 Naval Squadron to fly a Sopwith Camel in Ro ...

(1899–1977), British aviator *

Stephen Sykes Stephen Whitefield Sykes (1 August 1939 – 24 September 2014) was a Church of England bishop and academic specialising in divinity. He was Van Mildert Professor of Divinity at Durham University from 1974 to 1985, and Regius Professor of Divini ...

(1939–2014), ecclesiologist *

Sykes family of Sledmere The Sykes family of Sledmere own Sledmere House in Yorkshire, England. Family history The Sykes family settled in Sykes Dyke near Carlisle, Cumbria, Carlisle in Cumberland during the Middle Ages. The earliest correspondence in the Sykes arch ...

Tatton Sykes (disambiguation) Tatton Sykes or Sir Tatton Sykes may refer to: People * Sir Tatton Sykes, 4th Baronet, (1772–1863), English landowner and stock breeder * Sir Tatton Sykes, 5th Baronet, (1826–1913), English landowner, racehorse breeder and eccentric Other ...

Thomas Sykes (Mississippi politician) Thomas Sykes (born in Georgia, United States) was an American politician. He was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives from Panola County in 1873. He was African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans ...

, African-American legislator in Mississippi during Reconstruction * Thomas A. Sykes, African-American legislator in North Carolina and Tennessee during Reconstruction *

Thomas Hardcastle Sykes Thomas Hardcastle Sykes (15 February 1833 – 25 April 1901) was an English bleacher and businessman and was High Sheriff of Cheshire. Sykes was born at Edgeley House Stockport, the third son of Richard Sykes, owner of the Sykes Bleaching Company, ...

, businessman *

Timothy Sykes Timothy Sykes is a penny stock trader and blogger who self-reported trading profits of $1.65 million from a $12,415 Bar mitzvah gift through day trading while in college. He runs a blog and subscription platform whose aim is to teach about how t ...

(born 1981), penny stock trader *

Tom Sykes Thomas Edward Sykes (born 19 August 1985 in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England) is a professional Motorcycle racing, motorcycle racer who first competed in World Superbike Championship during . For the 2022 season, Sykes rejoined his former ...

, British motorcycle racer *

Wanda Sykes Wanda Yvette Sykes (born March 7, 1964) is an American stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. She was first recognized for her work as a writer on ''The Chris Rock Show'', for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1999. In 2004, ''Entertainme ...

, comedian and actress *

William Sykes (businessman) William Sykes (1852–1910) was an English businessman. Sykes was just 23 when, against the advice of his father he married and then with his own and his new wife's savings purchased a saddler business in Horbury, England, in about 1874. He marrie ...

(1852–1910), English businessman * Colonel

William Henry Sykes Colonel William Henry Sykes, FRS (25 January 1790 – 16 June 1872) was an English naturalist who served with the British military in India and was specifically known for his work with the Indian Army as a politician, Indologist and ornitholog ...

, military officer, politician, and ornithologist *

William Robert Sykes William Robert Sykes (1840–1917) was a British engineer from London, known for his work in railway signalling and other safety devices. He is noted for the invention of the Sykes 'Lock and block' interlocking system of points and signals. Ca ...

, British railway signal engineer

Companies

Sykes Bleaching Company The Sykes Bleaching Company was a cotton bleaching business established in Edgeley, near Stockport in 1792 which grew to become one of the largest bleaching enterprises in the United Kingdom. Origins The bleaching business was established in 1792 ...

Sykes Enterprises Sykes Enterprises, Inc. (stylized as SYKES) was an American multinational business process outsourcing provider headquartered in Tampa, Florida. The company provided business process outsourcing (BPO) services, IT consulting, and IT-enabled serv ...

, Incorporated, a family of global companies delivering business process outsourcing services

Characters

* Bill Sykes, antagonist from the animated Disney film ''

Oliver & Company ''Oliver & Company'' is a 1988 American Animated film, animated musical film, musical adventure film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is inspired by the Charles Dickens novel ''Oliver Twist''. I ...

'' *Fredrick Sykes, one of the main antagonists of the 1993 action film '' The Fugitive'' * Mr. Sykes, a character from the film ''

Shark Tale ''Shark Tale'' is a 2004 American animated comedy film produced by DreamWorks. The film was directed by Vicky Jenson, Bibo Bergeron, and Rob Letterman, from a screenplay written by Letterman and Michael J. Wilson. The film features the vo ...

'', voiced by Martin Scorsese * Sgt. Michael "Psycho" Sykes, the main character in the game '' Crysis Warhead'', and a secondary character in ''

Crysis ''Crysis'' is a first-person shooter video game series created by Crytek. The series revolves around a group of military protagonists with " nanosuits", technologically advanced suits of armor that give them enhanced physical strength, speed, ...

'' *Reverend Sykes, a character from

Harper Lee Nelle Harper Lee (April 28, 1926 – February 19, 2016) was an American novelist whose 1960 novel ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and became a classic of modern American literature. She assisted her close friend Truman ...

's novel ''

To Kill a Mockingbird ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' is a 1960 Southern Gothic novel by American author Harper Lee. It became instantly successful after its release; in the United States, it is widely read in high schools and middle schools. ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' ...

'' * Robert "Pliers" Sykes, character in the game ''

Wing Commander IV ''Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom'' is the fourth main game in the ''Wing Commander'' science fiction space combat simulator video game series, produced by Origin Systems and released by Electronic Arts for the PC in 1996 and the Sony ...

Places

Sykes, Lancashire Bowland Forest High is a civil parish in the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England, covering some of the Forest of Bowland. It fell within the ancient boundaries of the West Riding of Yorkshire. According to the 2001 census, the parish ...

, England *

Sykesville, Maryland Sykesville is a small town in Howard and Carroll counties, Maryland, United States. The town lies west of Baltimore and north of Washington D.C. The population was 4,436 at the 2010 census. History Prior to European colonization, the area tha ...

, USA *

Forward Operating Base Sykes The United States Department of Defense continues to have a large number of temporary military bases in Iraq, most a type of forward operating base (FOB). Depending on their size or utility, the installations were called: camp, forward operatin ...

, a U.S. military base in Iraq *

Sykes Camp Sykes Camp is located from the Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park trailhead along the Pine Ridge Trail. There were seven campsites along both sides of the Big Sur River upstream and downstream from where the trail intersects the river. There was a p ...

, a campground in California

Other

* 4438 Sykes, an asteroid * Sykes (dog), a dog actor from Clifton, Oxfordshire, England * ''Sykes'' (TV series), a British sitcom that aired on BBC 1 from 1972 to 1979 *

Sykes baronets There have been four baronetcies created for persons with the surname Sykes, two in the Baronetage of Great Britain and two in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. Three of the creations are extant as of 2008. The Sykes Baronetcy, of Basild ...

, four separate baronetcies of Great Britain or the United Kingdom

People

Companies

Characters

Places

Other

See also