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![Show Contents]() Balk History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The Balk name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived at or near a bank or ridge. Further research showed the name was derived from the Old English word Balca which means dweller by the bank or ridge. 1 Early Origins of the Balk familyThe surname Balk was first found in Oxfordshire, where William Belch was first listed as a Templar in 1185. Later, William le Belch was listed as holding lands in Essex in 1295 and Robert Balch was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1328. 1 Kirby's Quest lists "Robert Balch, Somerset, 1 Edward III" (holding lands there during the first year's reign of Edward III.) 2 Sir Toby Belch is a character in William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Early History of the Balk familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Balk research. Another 164 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1185, 1295, 1327, 1332, 1604, 1659, 1669, 1670, 1735 and 1744 are included under the topic Early Balk History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Balk Spelling VariationsOnly recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Balk has undergone many spelling variations, including Balch, Balche, Belch, Belche, Ballch, Bellch, Ballche and many more. Early Notables of the Balk familyAnother 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Balk Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Balk RankingIn the United States, the name Balk is the 15,929th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3
 Balk migration to the United States | + |
To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Balk were among those contributors:
Balk Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Martin Balk, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1728 4
Balk Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Thomas Balk, who arrived in America in 1810 4
- Elis Balk, who arrived in America in 1845 4
- Francis Balk, aged 30, who landed in Boston, Mass in 1847 4
- John Michael Balk, who arrived in America in 1848 4
- Barbara Balk, who landed in America in 1854 4
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Contemporary Notables of the name Balk (post 1700) | + |
- Fairuza Alejandra Balk (b. 1974), American film actress
- Abraham Balk (b. 1925), former American fencer
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
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Balk migration to the United States 
