Lovekin

This unusual and interesting name is of early medieval English origin, and is one of the patronymic forms of the diminutive variant of the surname "Love". The derivation of the name is from the medieval (Middle English) given name, Love, a development of the Old English pre 7th Century 'Lufu', a female personal name, or the masculine equivalent "Lufa", with the medieval diminutive suffix "-kin", and, in the case of patronymic forms, a final "s" to indicate a shortened form of "son of". The personal name appears as "Luuekin" in 1221 (Shropshire), and as "Lovekyn" in 1279 (Cambridgeshire), while the surname development includes: John Loukin (1279, Cornwall) and Robert Lufkyn (1524, Suffolk). The modern surname can be found as Lovekin, Lufkin, Lucken(s), Luckin(s), Lukin(s) and Lukyn. The marriage of Edward Lukins and Abigail Start was recorded on September 1st 1680 at St. James's, Duke's Place, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Osbert Lovekin, which was dated 1275, in the "Worcestershire Subsidy Rolls", during the reign of King Edward 1, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. 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.