How "Sjoeks" Became "Shooks" You might be interested in knowing how our family name changed from Sjoeks to Shooks. Tony Shooks told his son, Don, exactly how it all happened: "Grandfather, Jan Pieters Sjoeks, purchased the farm property where Don was born, about 1 1/2 miles east of the present day Shooks Farms on Bennett Hill Road in Central Lake Township. The land was all timber with no clearing at all. Grandfather hired a surveyor to outline the boundaries of his new purchase. He did not know where the land was, except about 2 1/2 to 3 miles from Central Lake, MI. The surveyor completed the survey and charged Grandfather a total sum of $2.00 for his full day's work. Grandfather then rode his horse from the land to Bellaire, MI, the county seat, to register the deed to the property at the Register of Deeds Office. The Register of Deeds asked grandfather what was his name. He told him John Peters Sjoeks. The Register wrote down 'John Peter Shooks.' Since grandfather spoke little or no English he asked the Register of Deeds how you say that name, 'Shooks.' Grandfather was told the name is 'Shooks' just as you told me! Grandfather left and rode his horse back to the land and told the family, we now have a new name, 'Shooks,' and it sounds pretty good to me since we now are all Americans!" The above information was related to Janet Shooks Dean via letter from Don Shooks, grandson of Jan Pieters Sjoeks and son of Anthony and Tillie (Postma) Shooks, 24 February 2000.