Re: What kind of name is Judkins?
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In reply to:
What kind of name is Judkins?
9/21/01
Judkins:
A English, patronymic derived from Jud, a nickname for the Christian name Jordan 'flowing down,'which became a popular given name because so many pilgrims returned to England with holy water from the river Jordan which was used to baptize infants who then received the name.
The kin suffix was of Norman origin and was meant as a diminutive - Judkin would mean "little Jud", or son of Jud.The s was an Anglo-saxon way of accomplishing the same thing.Naming a kid Johns, indicated that he was little John, or son of John.Judkins is, in essence, a double diminutive.