Wicklen

Recorded in a wide variety of spellings including Wekelan, Weekland, Wickeling, Wicklen, Wicklin, Wickling, and others, this is an English locational surname. It probably originates from a now 'lost' medieval villlage called 'Wickland' in East Sussex, or if not from some other unidentified place which translates as 'dairy farm land. The Olde English term 'wic' almost always indicated some sort of dairy and hence a pastoral farm consisting of grazing lands. The international airport of Gatwick means 'Goat farm,' which many people feel is quite appropriate, whilst Chiswick means the 'Cheese farm' although what the medieval difference was between a dairy farm and a cheese farm is unclear, since all dairy farms would have probably produced their own butter and cheese. Wickland village seems to have been 'cleared' in the 18th century in order to build Wickland Hall, a common if unpopular practice amongst land owners two centures and more ago. Examples of the surname recording in surviving registers of Greater London include Thomas Weekland at St Katherines by the Tower (of London) on February 23rd 1745, and Harriett Waklin at St Sepuchre church, in the city of London, on December 17th 1797.