Surname Bodkin - Meaning and Origin
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Bodkin: What does the surname Bodkin mean?
The last name Bodkin is derived from the Old English word bodecin, which means a type of dagger or lance. The word was first found in Middle English in the 13th century as a description of the weapon and by the 16th century ‘Bodkin’ was a surname. It is also associated with people who make hairpins from bone or ivory, a job once done by bodecin makers.
Originally found in Essex and Sussex in south-eastern England, the Bodkin name is most commonly associated with County Kerry in Ireland. It is thought to have arrived there when a branch of the Bodkin family migrated to Ireland in the 17th century.
Some famous Bodkins include actor Aaron Bodkin, composer Alexander Bodkin, and British politician A.J. Bodkin. The Bodkins of Ireland were merchants, ship owners, and traders who had great wealth and influence in the 19th century.
The Bodkin name symbolizes strength, ambition, and determination. It often denotes courage, intelligence, and perseverance, and people with the name Bodkin tend to be driven and consistent in their ambitions. Those who carry the name take pride in where it comes from, and often work hard to make their ancestors proud.
Order DNA origin analysisBodkin: Where does the name Bodkin come from?
The last name Bodkin is particularly common in the counties of Mayo and Galway in the province of Connacht in the Republic of Ireland. According to the Electoral Rolls from 2011 to 2014, more than 130 people bearing the Bodkin name were recorded as living in these two counties.
The Bodkin roots can be found as far back as the mid 1600s when one Thomas Bodkin was recorded as a sheriff in Galway. They had a particular influence in the South County and the neighbouring County of Clare on the west coast of Ireland. The family was connected to the powerful Browne family of the surrounding areas until the late 19th century.
The Bodkins continued to have an influence in Mayo and Galway after the 18th century, with many Bodkins listed in the directories of 1820s. The same kind of influence can also be seen in the city of Galway in the forms of relatively prominent businessmen and politicians.
The Bodkin name is still quite common around Galway City and the counties of Galway and Mayo but the name is most concentrated around the city of Galway where 41 Bodkins were recorded in the Electoral Rolls of 2011-2014. Their influence in the province of Connaught can be seen from Bohernree, about 45km northwest of Galway city and in Carraroe to the southeast.
In other parts of the world, the Bodkin surname is less reported. Due to Irish emmigrtion to America, some Bodkins have been reported there. There are also fewer Bodkins in Australia, Canada, and the UK.
Variations of the surname Bodkin
The surname Bodkin is an English-based toponymic name deriving from the word 'bodkin', meaning an implement used for piercing or threading material. Variants of this surname include Bodekin, Botkin, Beadkin, Beadkin, Budden, Bidden, Bodeki, and Budkin.
Bodkin is also a variant of the surnames Boden, Bodden, and Boise, all names deriving from the Old English ‘boounte’ meaning boundary. Variants of this name include Bodan, Bowden, Bodin, Bolden, Boldin and Bouldin.
The surname may also derive from the Welsh patronymic name Bodkin, a variation of the biblical given name Bodoco, meaning offering. Variants of this surname are Bodkin, Bodoken, Bodican, Bodican, and Bodkyn.
Bodkin may also be related to Bottin, a French Huguenot name, or Pedkin, an Irish patronymic name derived from the Gaelic Mac Pheadghain, meaning 'son of little Patrick'. Variants of this name are Bodkin, Peden, Pedkin, Pedden, Peten, and Petin.
In addition to these variants, the name is also sometimes found spelled "Botkin", "Botekin", "Baedkyn", and "Baitkin".
Famous people with the name Bodkin
- Dan Bodkin: UK film and TV producer and director
- Duncan Bodkin: Australian author
- Isa Bodkin: Canadian singer
- Lewis Bodkin: Welsh football player
- Martha Bodkin: American photographer
- Mickey Bodkin: English actor
- Oliver Bodkin: English cricketer
- Ralston Bodkin: UK writer and public speaker
- Robyn Bodkin: American fashion designer
- Siobhan Bodkin: Irish artist
- Terrence Bodkin: American actor
- Will Bodkin: English musician and film producer
- Zachary Bodkin: American painter and sculptor