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![Show Contents]() Borkk History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Germany
Nestled between the Rhine and Wesser rivers is the ancient German region of Westphalia. Westphalia, the home of the name Borkk. When hereditary surnames were adopted in this region, after the 12th century, names that were derived from localities were quite common. These "local" surnames originally denoted the proprietorship of the village or estate. When coupled with the German preposition von, which means from or of, local names can indicate that the initial bearer of the name was an aristocrat. However, in modern times, the use of the preposition has often long since been dropped from use. The Borkk family originally lived in or near one of the numerous places named Bork in Germany and in bordering Slav countries. Borkk is a topographic surname, a type of local surname that was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. The toponym Borkk is derived from the Old German word Burg, which meant castle or fortress. Early Origins of the Borkk familyThe surname Borkk was first found in Westphalia, where the name Borch was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout European history. The name would later emerge as a noble family with great influence, having many distinguished branches, and become noted for its involvement in social, economic and political affairs. Early History of the Borkk familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Borkk research. Another 74 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1617, 1681, 1707, 1747 and 1847 are included under the topic Early Borkk History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Borkk Spelling VariationsOne can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Borkk include Bork, Borck, Borcke, Borcker, Bork, Borkk, Borkke, Borch and many more. Early Notables of the Borkk familyAnother 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Borkk Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Borkk familyMany Germans emigrated across the Atlantic to seek better lives in North America. This great migration began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century. Resettlement was particularly attractive to those from Westphalia as a means of escape from poverty and religious persecution. For many Westphalian farmers, the chance to own one's own land was also a major incentive. The process of the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlements centered around Ontario and the Prairie provinces. Among them: Matthes Bork, age 40; who arrived with his wife and 6 children in America in 1709. Elizabeth Bork, age 20; also arrived in America in 1709; as did Heinrich Bork, age 50.
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