VICE

Vice is a surname of English origin, originally derived from the Middle English word vice, meaning “deputy” or “substitute”. The term has roots in the Latin vicarius and the Old English pre‑7th‑century word vica, both of which conveyed the notion of a second in command or a person holding a position of authority in the absence of a superior.

The name was first employed as a nickname for an individual who acted as a deputy for a higher‑ranking official. Over the centuries it evolved into a hereditary surname carried by families whose ancestors served in such capacities, and it is still common in England and the United States today.

In addition to its occupational origin, the surname Vice is also linked to place‑names in the British Isles. It may be locational, associated with villages such as Viza in Ashwater, Devon; Vyse Wood in Morthoe, Devon; or with Devizes in Wiltshire, formerly spelled The Devise, Vises and Vyse. These placenames derive from the Old French devise and Latin divisae, meaning boundary, suggesting that an important boundary once crossed these locations. Topographical surnames such as Vice were among the earliest created, as natural and man‑made features in the landscape provided easily recognisable distinguishing names in the small communities of the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest documented spellings is that of Robert atte Vise, who appears in the 1327 Subsidy Rolls of Sussex during the reign of King Edward I. John de la Vise is recorded in the 1330 place‑names of Devon and is a further early example of the surname in its local Welsh and English forms.

Variations of the name that are found in modern documents include Vice, Vise, Vyse, Vize, Fice, Vicee, Vices, Visser, Vyce, Visse, Visseaux, Voyce, de Vise, de Vyce, de Vyse, Wyce and Wyse. Such spelling diversity reflects the illiteracy of the medieval populace and the reliance on oral transmission of names.

The principal concentrations of the surname in England are in the south of the country, particularly in Kent, Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire. There is a strong hypothesis that the name originated in Devon, as the Devonshire variants of the name are familiar in that county; the name subsequently spread to other southern counties through migration and service.

In the United States, the surname is most common in the southern states. It occurs widely in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska. The distribution pattern reflects both the migration of English settlers from the south of England and the subsequent internal migration of families bearing the name within the American south.

Heraldic records grant the Vice family a coat of arms featuring a black buck’s head cabossed, flanked by a black cross on a silver shield. This imagery is often interpreted as a symbol of vigilance and noble lineage.

In summary, the surname Vice has a firmly grounded occupational origin linked to the role of deputy, a historical association with specific locales in Devon and Wiltshire, and a range of recognised spelling variations. Its persistence in both the United Kingdom and the United States reflects the enduring legacy of medieval naming practices and the migration patterns of the English diaspora.

Typical given names associated with the Vice surname

Male

• Adrian
• Alan
• Andrew
• David
• James
• John
• Jonathan
• Matthew
• Paul
• Peter
• Robert
• Segev

Female

• Amanda
• Christine
• Hannah
• Heather
• Janet
• Joan
• Jocelyn
• Michelle
• Patricia
• Sarah
• Tessa
• Tracy

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

How to communicate the surname Vice in...

Braille

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Morse

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Semaphore

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Famous people named Vice

• Ivor Vice - Gymnast (1929 to 2005)

Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.

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