This unusual and interesting surname is of early medieval English origin. It is one of the patronymic forms of the diminutive variant of the surname 'Love', a baptismal name of endearment and very popular in the pre Norman period. The derivation of the surname is 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 Shropshire in 1221, and as 'Lovekyn' in Cambridge in 1279. Early examples of the surname recordings include John Loukin and Robert Lukyn, both in the accounts of the Duchy of Cornwall in the year 1279, Robert Lufkyn of Suffolk in 1524. The modern surname is recorded as Lovekin, Lufkin, Lucken(s), Luckin(s), Lukin(s) and Lukyn. Examples of the surname recordings taken from early church registers include Widow Luffkyne, given as being a member of the Kings household, (King Henry V111), who married John Osbourne in London in 1546, and William Luckin, christened on July 9th 1600, at St. Dunstan's in the East, Stepney. On March 13th 1646 Ann Luckens was christened At St Brides church, Fleet Street, London, whilst on July 24th 1649, in the first year of the 'reign' of Oliver Cromwell, Sarah Lucken, the daughter of William Lucken, but also recorded as Luckin, was christened at St Olaves, Southwark, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Osbert Lovekin, which was dated 1275, The Worcestershire Subsidy Rolls, during the reign of King Edward 1, '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.

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