Boykin
An English-style surname likely built from “boy,” originally a nickname or diminutive form.
The #2,096 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 17,893 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Boykin is most plausibly a diminutive or affectionate form based on Middle English and Modern English "boy." In surname formation, the ending -kin often created a sense of “little” or “young,” so the name likely began as a nickname meaning something like “little boy” or “young lad.” The historical excerpts do not give a full derivation, but they group Boykin with other nickname-type surnames built from terms of endearment or youth.
History
The surname is found in American records early enough to be noted at Camden, South Carolina, in the 19th century. Its presence in surname lists alongside many nickname surnames suggests it was already established as a family name rather than a fresh descriptive label. In the United States, Boykin is especially associated with the South, though the deeper surname origin is likely English.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The surname was prominent enough to appear in 19th-century surname indexes and later to become associated with a South Carolina place-name and the Boykin Spaniel breed.
From the historical record
“Page 165. — For Busswell, read Buswell ; and, for Freundlich, read Friendlich. Mr. Lyker was a member of the New-York Assembly. Boykin is found at Camden, S.C. Page 167. — After Cling, add Kling. Page 170. — Before Olds, add Auld.”
— Suffolk Surnames (3rd ed.)