| ![Show Contents]() Lorkin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Lorkin surname is derived from a diminutive of the medieval given name Lawrence with the suffix "-kin." 1 Early Origins of the Lorkin familyThe surname Lorkin was first found in Sussex where one of the first records of the name was Adam Lartkyn who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls there in 1296. The same rolls also lists Thomas Lorekyn at about the same time. 2 Early History of the Lorkin familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lorkin research. Another 37 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1327, 1524, 1528, 1546, 1564, 1580, 1591, 1609 and 1619 are included under the topic Early Lorkin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Lorkin Spelling VariationsThe Middle Ages saw a great number of spelling variations for surnames common to the Irish landscape. One reason for these variations is the fact that surnames were not rigidly fixed by this period. The following variations for the name Lorkin were encountered in the archives: Larkin, Larkins, Larking, Lorkin, Lorking and many more. Early Notables of the Lorkin familyDistinguished members of the family include - Thomas Lorkin (c.1528-1591), an English churchman, academic and physician, Regius Professor of Physic at Cambridge from 1564
Migration of the Lorkin familyIn the 19th century, thousands of Irish left their English-occupied homeland for North America. Like most new world settlers, the Irish initially settled on the eastern shores of the continent but began to move westward with the promise of owning land. The height of this Irish migration came during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. With apparently nothing to lose, Irish people left on ships bound for North America and Australia. Unfortunately a great many of these passengers lost their lives - the only thing many had left - to disease, starvation, and accidents during the long and dangerous journey. Those who did safely arrive in "the land of opportunities" were often used for the hard labor of building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. The Irish were critical to the quick development of the infrastructure of the United States and Canada. Passenger and immigration lists indicate that members of the Lorkin family came to North America quite early: Elizabeth Larkin, who settled in Virginia in 1637; William Larkin settled in Boston in 1630; Denis, Edward, James, John, Michael, Patrick, Richard, Thomas and William Larkin, all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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