Sikes comes from the Scottish word syke which means a small stream flowing from a bog. Its use as a surname indicated the place of residence of an ancestor of the family. The plural from Sykes or Sikes means the "son of Syke." The name is spelled either with a "y" or an "i", it seems to make no difference. It is one of the greatest of Yorkshire surnames.

The Sike/Syke family name has been around in official records since the 11th century. Richard del Sikes was found living in Yorkshire as early as 1298 and another in 1309 and 1332, now they could all be the same man and an ancestor of our Richard. There was also a Ralph in 1166, a Roger in 1212, a Robert in 1255 and a John in 1327. I have found no direct links yet from our Richard to any of the above named Sikes, but I continue to look.