Show ContentsBurkin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Burkin

What does the name Burkin mean?

The name Burkin is a habitational name from the civil parish of West Birkin in West Yorkshire. The parish still exists today but remains small with a population of 146 in 2001.

Early Origins of the Burkin family

The surname Burkin was first found in Yorkshire where one of the first records of the name was John de Birkin who held lands there in the time of King John.

Birkin is a parish, in the Lower division of the wapentake of Barkstone-Ash, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. 1

Barking is a large parish, and formerly a market-town, in the union of Romford, hundred of Becontree, South division of Essex. "The name of this place, formerly written Berking, is by some deduced from the Saxon words Beorce, a birch-tree, and Ing, a meadow; by others from Berg-Ing, signifying a fortification in the meadows, probably from an ancient intrenchment about a quarter of a mile on the road to Ilford, of which there are still considerable vestiges. The town derived its early importance from a very extensive and distinguished abbey, founded in 670, by Erkenwald, Bishop of London, for nuns of the Benedictine order, and dedicated to the Virgin Mary, which was governed by a long succession of abbesses. Soon after the Conquest, William retired to the town, till the completion of the Tower of London. " 1

There is a small parish named Barking in the union and hundred of Bosmere and Claydon, E. division of Suffolk. 1

Richard be Barking (d. 1246), was an early English judge who was for some years Prior of the Abbey of Westminster. 2

Early History of the Burkin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burkin research. Another 106 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1394, 1415, 1487, 1510, 1600, 1831, 1922 and 1953 are included under the topic Early Burkin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burkin Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Byrkin, Birkin, Byrken, Birkyn, Byrkyn, Birken and others.

Early Notables of the Burkin family

Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Burkin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Burkin migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Burkin Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • George Burkin, aged 40, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1874
  • Charlotte Burkin, aged 28, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1874
  • Esther Burkin, aged 9, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1874
  • Louisa Burkin, aged 6, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1874
  • Amy Burkin, aged 4, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1874

HMS Hood
  • Mr. Robert H Burkin (b. 1900), English Marine serving for the Royal Marine from Riverhead, Kent, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 3
  • Mr. William H. Burkin (1879-1912), British born Australian steward who was lost at see when the ship "SS Koombana" sank in a tropical cyclone on 20th March 1912


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  3. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm


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