Jinks

This most interesting name, with the varients Jinkin(s) and Jinkinson, widespread in the West Midlands, is a patronymic form of "Jenk", that is "son of Jenk", indicated by the ending "-s". Jenk itself is a Middle English personal name originating as a back-formation from "Jenkin" with the removal of the Anglo-Norman-French diminutive suffix "-in". Jenkin itself is a diminutive of John, which derives from the Hebrew name "Yochanan" meaning "Jehovah has favoured (me with a son)", a popular name in Europe throughout the Christian Era. Jenkin appeared as a personal name in 1260: "Janekyn" de Sancto lohamme, in the Cartulary of Oseney Abbey, Oxford, and first appeared as a surname in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296 which mention one Richard Janekyn. Other later developments from Jenkin include Jinkin, Jinkins and Jinkinson. On December 5th 1639 Richard Jinks married Elizabeth Taunton at St. Margaret's, Westminster and on February 17th 1757, Alice Jinks and Job Reeder were married at St. Mary le Strand, Westminster. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Jone Jinkes, which was dated March 29th 1573, marriage to George Hall at St. Dunstan's, Stepney, London. during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.