Balkyke History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Balkyke is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from a family once having lived in Hertfordshire. The name was taken from the market town of Baldock in Hertfordshire. This place name is of an unusual Arabic derivation. The town was named by the Knights Templar, who held a manor in the area in the 12th century, after the city of Baghdad, which was spelled Baldac in Old English. It means the city of Dat.

Early Origins of the Balkyke family

The surname Balkyke was first found in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.

One of the first records of the family was Ralph de Baldock (d. 1313), "Bishop of London and Lord Chancellor, whose early history is unknown, first appears in 1271 as holding the prebendal stall of Holborn, in which Robert Burnel, Edward I's great chancellor, had preceded him. Robert de Baldock (d. 1327), was Lord Chancellor, [and] first appears in the records as obtaining a grant of the royal rights over a manor in Surrey in 1287." 1

Early History of the Balkyke family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Balkyke research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1307, 1327, 1500, 1624 and 1691 are included under the topic Early Balkyke History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Balkyke Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Balkyke has been recorded under many different variations, including Baldock, Balldock, Balldcock, Baldcock and others.

Early Notables of the Balkyke family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir Robert Baldock (c.1624-1691), an English judge who claimed descent from Robert de Baldock, Lord Chancellor in Essex during King Edward's reign...
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Balkyke Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Balkyke family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Balkyke or a variant listed above: Dasey Baldock, who came to Virginia in 1638; Sarah Baldock, who arrived in Maryland in 1774; Richard Baldock, who settled in Rappahannock Virginia in 1747.

Citations +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print