Find out how popular the last name Balkin is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Balkin.

Balkin, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Balkin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Balkin in America

Balkin is the 65964th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Balkin surname appeared 300 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Balkin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Balkin to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Balkin

The surname Balkin has its origins in England, with the earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English word "balca," meaning a ridge or a bank, suggesting that the original bearers of this name may have resided near a prominent ridge or bank of land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Balkin can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "William Balkin." This document, which was essentially a tax record, provides valuable insight into the distribution of surnames in medieval England.

Throughout the medieval period, the name Balkin underwent various spelling variations, such as Balkeyn, Balkyn, and Bawkyn, reflecting the phonetic nature of surname development during that time. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the scribes' interpretations of the name.

In the 16th century, the Balkin surname appeared in several historical records, including the Feet of Fines for Essex from 1534, which mentioned a John Balkin. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex from 1596 listed a William Balkin among the taxpayers.

One notable bearer of the Balkin surname was Richard Balkin (1573-1647), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Suffolk from 1634 until his death. Another figure of historical significance was Thomas Balkin (1625-1689), a merchant and alderman in the city of London during the latter half of the 17th century.

As the surname spread across England, it also found its way into various place names. For instance, Balkin Hill in Derbyshire and Balkin Lane in Staffordshire both likely derive their names from individuals bearing the Balkin surname who resided in or owned land in those areas.

Other notable individuals with the Balkin surname include John Balkin (1774-1856), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars, and Mary Balkin (1826-1901), a prominent philanthropist and advocate for women's rights in late 19th-century England.

While the surname Balkin may have evolved over time and spread across different regions, its origins can be traced back to the early medieval period in England, where it was likely associated with individuals residing near prominent ridges or banks of land.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Balkin

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Balkin.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Balkin was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Balkin has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Balkin was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Balkin, please contact us.

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