The Gurkin surname is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Duarcáin.
Early Origins of the Gurkin family
The surname Gurkin was first found in north
Connacht (Irish: Connachta, (land of the) descendants of Conn), where they held a
family seat as Chiefs of their race. Irish history was greatly influenced by the
Norman invasion of 1172, and thereafter, the surnames of Irish Gaelic clanns and septs and many of the Norman families became almost indistinguishable. This family name was found later in
Sligo where seated and represented the first recorded reference to the name by Sineall, son of Cassan. They were descended through the MacNamara line from the O'Brien Kings of Ireland.
Early History of the Gurkin family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gurkin research.
Another 75 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gurkin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Gurkin Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Durkin, Durkan, Dorcan, McDurkin, McDorcan, McDurkan, Gurkin, McGurkin, O'Durkin, O'Durcan and many more.
Early Notables of the Gurkin family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Gurkin Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Gurkin family to the New World and Oceana
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Gurkin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Annie Gurkin, aged 25, who settled in America from Liverpool, in 1897
Gurkin Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- Jennie Gurkin, aged 46, who emigrated to the United States, in 1906
- William Gurkin, aged 56, who landed in America, in 1906
- Menache Gurkin, aged 47, who landed in America from Kamenetz, Russia, in 1907
- Peter Gurkin, aged 35, who landed in America, in 1920
- Philip Gurkin, aged 15, who emigrated to the United States, in 1920
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Contemporary Notables of the name Gurkin (post 1700)
- John A. Gurkin, American politician, Mayor of Norfolk, Virginia, 1938-40 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html - John Gurkin (1895-1976), English footballer
- Grigory Ivanovich Gurkin (1870-1937), Russian landscape painter
- Pavel Gurkin (1966-2008), Russian sport shooter at the 2008 Olympic Games