For information on the Sykes in Drighlington go to Sykes in Drighlington

For information for Sykes in Adwalton go to Sykes in Adwalton

Please note: The following does not represent an intensive study of the Sykes in Birstall Parish. It is mainly a survey based on records I came across while researching Benjamin Sykes (c.1731-1817) and John Sykes (c. 1797-1851+) of Adwalton. The records were taken from both the Bishop's Transcripts on microfilm though LDS and from the Birstall Parish records from 1558-1724 as transcribed by the Yorkshire Archaeological Society (YAS).

The first record for Sykes in Birstall Parish was the marriage of John Sykes to Helen Boole November 3, 1581. There are no baptismal records in the parish for any children of John Sykes in the period following the marriage.

The first continuous records were the marriage and children of James Sykes and Isabell Leafe who married in 1611. James and Isabell Sykes lived in Liversedge in 1612 where they had several children between 1612 and 1622.

Sykes in Liversedge

James Sykes (nlt 1591-??) Liversedge

Baptism: No later than 1591
Marriage: James Sykes married Isabell Leafe in Birstall Parish in 1611
Children:

1. Elizabeth of James "Sickes" of L, April 5, 1612
2. John of James "Sickes" of L March 19, 1615
3. James of James "Sikes" of L October 12, 1617
   Death: James, the son of widow Sikes of Liversedge, was buried on May 9, 1641
4. William of James "Sike" of L February 27 1619/20
   Marriage: William married Mary Craven on February 13, 1643
5. Isabell circa 1622 (?)
   Marriage: Isabell Sykes married Jonas Slalles on July 19, 1642.

William Sykes (nlt 1608-??) Liversedge

Baptism: No later than 1608
Marriage: William Sykes married Frances Peele in Birstall parish on January 15, 1628
Children:
Death Frances Peele Sykes: Frances, the wife of William Sykes of Liversedge, was buried on September 9, 1628
Death of William Sykes: ?

George Sykes (NLT 1617-???) Liversedge

Baptism: No later than 1617
Marriage: George Sykes married Grace Jenkinson on November 29, 1637
Children:

1. An infant of George Sykes of Liversedge was buried on February 2, 1640
2. Mercy, the daughter of George Sykes of Liversedge, was baptized on June 6, 1641
   Marriage: Mercy Sykes married John Lee May 1, 1672

Thomas Sykes of Littletown (A Hamlet in the township of Liversedge) and Milnbrigge

Baptism: No later than 1626
Marriage: Thomas Sykes married Jane Leeminge in Birstall on November 10, 1646.
Children:

1. John Sykes
   Birth: John of Thomas Sikes of LT baptized August 8, 1647
   Marriage: John Sykes married Jane Wood September 25, 1672
   Death: Jane wife of John Sykes of Milne Brig buried January 9, 1672/73
   Death of John Sykes:
2. Thomas of Thomas Sykes of Milbrigge 11 February 1648/49
3. Jane of Thomas Sykes of LT baptized April 27, 1651
   Death: Jane of Thomas Sykes of Littletown buried June 13, 1651
4. Richard Sykes
   Birth: Richard of Thomas Sykes of Littletown baptized March 14, 1651/52
   Marriage: ???
   Children:
   1. John of Richard Sykes of LT May 4, 1684
   Death of Richard Sykes:
5. Infant of Thomas Sykes of Lt on May 31, 1653
6. Emmanuel Sykes
   Birth: Emmanuell of Thomas Sykes of Liversedge baptized May 1, 1654
   Marriage: Emmanuell Sykes married to Mary Borse (Beevers) in Hartshead parish in 1680 (YAS)
   Children:
   1. A crisome child of Emmanuell Sykes of H (Heckmondwike) buried January 17, 1690/91
   Death of Emmanuell Sykes: Emmanuel Sykes of H buried 29, May, 1714
7. Elizabeth of Thomas Sykes of Lt baptized on June 1, 1656
8. James of Thomas Sykes of Little L baptized on November 30, 1659.

James Sykes of Littletown (Little Liversedge)

Birth: No later than 1668. Could be the son of Thomas baptized in 1659
Marriage: James Sykes of Birstall Parish married Easter Barker of the parish of Mirfield 17 April, 1688 (YAS Appendix)
Children

1. John Sykes (1712-??) and ??
   Birth: John of James Sykes of Littletown March 10, 1688/89
   Marriage:
   Children:
   1. John of John Sykes of LT (Littletown) Mar 15 1712/13
   2. Elizabeth of John Sykes of Little L, October 23, 1715
   3. Jane of John Sykes of LT November 13, 1720
2. Elizabeth of James Sykes of Littletown December 30, 1691
3. James of James Sykes of Littletown January 17, 1694
4. Martha and
5. Mary of James Sykes of Littletown, July 20, 1698

James Sykes of Littletown

Baptism: "James Sykes of Little L baptized att years of maturity" Date ?

James Sykes of Liversedge and or Long Liversedge

Birth:
Marriage:
Children:

1. Richard of James Sykes of LT baptized October 15, 1711
   Death: Richard of James Sykes of LT buried February 6 1712/13
2. Samuel of James Sykes of L (Liversedge) baptized March 4, 1713/14
   Further Records: No marriage or baptism on children in Birstall Parish
3. Nathaniel of James Sykes of L (Liversedge) baptized December 28, 1718
   Death: Nathaniel son of James Sykes of Long L (Liversedge) buried September 15, 1719
4. Nathaniel of James Sykes of Long L buried February 12, 1720/21
5. James of James Sykes of Long L August 14, 1720
   Death: Another James born in 1729
6. John of James Sykes of Long L December 3, 1721
7. David of James Sykes of Hightown, 13 May 1724
   Marriage: David Sykes of Hightown married Elizabeth Hague 11 Feb 1745/6
   Children:
   1. Mary of David Sykes of Hightown, 25 December 1746
   2. Hannah of David Sykes of Hightown, 2 October 1748
   3. John of David Sykes of Hightown, 24 June 1750
   4. Samuel of David Sykes of Hightown, 11 June 1752
   5. James of David Sykes of Hightown, 25 December 1755
   6. David of David Sykes of Hightown, 22 June 1758
   6 year break
   7. Ann of David Sykes of Hightown, 23 Apr 1764
   8. Sarah of David Sykes of Hightown 25 December 1765
   9. Abigail of David Sykes of Hightown 6 March 1768
   10. John of David Sykes of Hightown 14 October 1770
   11. Betty of David Sykes of Hightown 18, June 1773
   12. Joseph of David Sykes of Hightown 25 February 1776
   Notes:
   • 30 years between the birth of Mary in 1746 and Joseph in 1776
   • David was the only Sykes to be having children in Hightown during this period
   • Other Sykes in Drighlington, Birkenshay, Heckmondwike, Great Gomersall, Bierley, and Spen
8. Elizabeth of James of Hightown 20 Feb 1725
9. James of James of Hightown 8 December 1728
   Death: James of James of Hightown Jan 2 1729

John Sykes of Littletown

Death: John Sykes of Lt was buried on April 4 1675

Other Sykes Records in Littletown

• James Sykes of L (Liversedge) married Sarah Lee July 12, 1713

Richard Sykes Littletown, Later Records

Birth: Unknown not listed in the Parish indexes, no later than 1776

Marriage: Richard Sykes married Pheby Waterhouse both of Littleton in Birstall parish 26 December 1796. (Birstall Parish, Bishops Transcripts)

Note: The parish record do not indicate any Sykes living in Liversedge or Littleton after 1724. However there were Sykes in Hightown also known as Great or Long Liversedge.

Children:

1. Hannah daughter of Richard Sykes and Pheby Littletown mason 15 October 1797 (Birstall Parish Bishops Transcripts)
2. Priscilla, 9 Nov 1800, Littletown mason (Bishop's transcripts)
3. Abraham, 2 October 1803 (Parish index)
4. John, 16 Nov 1806 (Parish index)
5. Lena, 2 Apr 1809 (Parish index)
6. Viola, 2 Feb 1812 (Parish index)
7. Caroline, 22 Dec 1816 (Parish index)
8. William, 25 Jun 1820 (Parish index)

Sykes in Heckmondwike

Baptism:
Marriage:
Children:

1. Mary of Thomas Sickes of Heckmondwike September 15, 1681
2. Martha of Thomas Sickes of Heckmondwike November 26, 1683
   Death: Martha d of Thomas Sykes of H buried October 3, 1684
3. Judith of Thomas Sickes of Heckmondwike December 22, 1686
4. Ester of Thomas Sykes of Heckmondwyke, May 2 1689

Sykes in Gomersal

Death: George Sykes of Little Gomersal buried March 30, 1690

Jonathan Sykes of Great Gomersal and Spen

Birth: No later than 1717. No baptism in Birstall Parish.
Marriage: Jonathan Sykes of Great Gomersal married Agnes North 13 July 1737
Children:

1. John of Jonathan Sykes of Spen 25, December 1739
2. Betty of Jonathan Sykes of GG 16 October 1743
3. Squire son of Jonathan Sykes of GG buried 11 January 1747
4. Michael, of Jonathan Sykes of GG, baptized October 7, 1753
5. Susanne, of Jonathan Sykes of GG, baptized May 16, 1757
6. Joseph, of Jonathan Sykes of GG, baptized September 9, 1760

William Sykes of Gomersal

Birth: No later than 1745. Possibly the son of Jonathan
Marriage: William Sykes of Great Gomersal married Mary Buckler of Robertown 8 December 1765. Both x'ed. Witness William Walker and the parish clerk.
Children:

1. James of William Sykes of GG 19, June 1766
2. Matty of William Sykes of Gomersal 3 April 1768
   Death: Martha the daughter of William Sykes of Gomersal was buried April 15, 1770.
3. Ann of William Sykes of GG 26 December 1769
4. William of William Sykes of GG 29 September 1771

Nathaniel Sykes of Gomersal

Birth: No later than 1700.
Marriage:
Children:

1. Sarah d of Nathaniel Sykes of LG (Little Gomersal) April 10, 1720
2. John s of Nathaniel Sykes of G (Gomersal) November 18, 1722
   Death: John of Nathaniel Sykes of Gomersal buried 6 February 1729/1730

1. Betty of Nathaniel Sykes of Gomersal 18 April 1731
2. Nathaniel of Nathaniel Sykes of Gomersal 18 March 1732

Note: Nathaniel was not a common name in the parish records. See Nathaniel Sykes sons of James Sykes of Liversedge above.

Sykes in Other Records

• James the son of Richard Sykes of Thornhill buried in Birstall Parish on December 19, 1621.
• Grace Sykes married Robert Liversedge January 20, 1629.
• Ralph Sykes married Ann Mosse June 3, 1635
• Elisabeth Sykes had a "bastard", William, by William Steede baptized on June 23, 1639. William Steed and Elizabeth Sykes were subsequently married on September 11, 1639. This could be the daughter of James of Liversedge baptized in 1612.
• George Sykes of Bretton to Elizabeth Jerdell of Little Gomersall on November 3, 1659 (1639).
• Jane Sykes to John Sutcliffe, November 11, 1663
• Elizabeth Sykes married William Brook April 6, 1676
• Mary Sykes married John Rylay August 30, 1682
• Martha the daughter of Thomas Sykes of Hunsworth was buried on October 3, 1684.
• Elizabeth Sykes to William Batt on July 13, 1689
• Thomas Sykes to Anne Heaton on October 27, 1701
• Ann Sykes to William Naylor of Tong on August 21, 1707
• Mary Sykes married John Knols of Dewsbury February 6. 1716/17
• James Sykes of Birstall and Jane Willans banns. Cert by John Wardle, curate of Birstall, Dewsbury 1 January 1718 (YAS Appendix)
• Mary Sykes married Caleb Crowther of G April 16, 1723
• Elizabeth Sykes married Thomas Newsome of LT June 5, 1720
• James Sykes Hightown Householder buried April 14, 1732