| ![Show Contents]() Baffin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of BaffinWhat does the name Baffin mean? In the western region of Britain, in the country of Wales, the surname Baffin originated as a nickname for a small or short man, derived from the Welsh word "bach," which means "little." Early Origins of the Baffin familyThe surname Baffin was first found in Denbighshire (Welsh: Sir Ddinbych), a historic county in Northeast Wales created by the Laws in Wales Act 1536, where they held a family seat from ancient times. Early History of the Baffin familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Baffin research. Another 176 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1391, 1450, 1545, 1600, 1612, 1615 and 1622 are included under the topic Early Baffin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Baffin Spelling VariationsAlthough there are comparatively few Welsh surnames, they have a great many spelling variations. Variations of Welsh names began almost immediately after their acceptance within Welsh society. In the Middle Ages, it was up to priests and the few other people that recorded names in official documents to decide how to spell the names that they heard. Variations that occurred because of improper recording increased dramatically as the names were later transliterated into English. The Brythonic Celtic language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, featured many highly inflected sounds that could not be properly captured by the English language. Spelling variations were, however, also carried out according to an individual's design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were all indicated by the particular variation of one's name. The spelling variations of the name Baffin have included Baugh, Bach, Bagh, Bawgh, Baughe, Bawghe and others. Early Notables of the Baffin family- William Baffin (d. 1622), was an English navigator and discoverer, most probably a native of London, but nothing is known of his early life. "The earliest mention of him is in 1612, as pilot of the Pa...
| Baffin migration to the United States | + |
Many Welsh joined the great migrations to North America in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Like their Scottish and Irish neighbors, many Welsh families left their homeland hoping to find hope and prosperity in a land that the English did not exercise a tight rule over. Those Welsh immigrants that successfully traveled to North America went on to make significant contributions to the rapid development of both Canada and the United States in terms of the settling of land and the establishment of industry. They also added to the rich cultural heritage of both countries. An examination into the immigration and passenger lists has discovered a number of people bearing the name Baffin:
Baffin Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- John Baffin, who landed in Maryland in 1665 1
Baffin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Gerard Baffin, aged 28, who arrived in Missouri in 1842 1
- Simon Baffin, aged 58, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1849 1
| Contemporary Notables of the name Baffin (post 1700) | + |
- William Baffin (1584-1622), British explorer
- 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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