Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Barkerkin, Barkerkon 1278 Kendii,368

Etymology

Barkin, Barkin Beck, 1865 OS, Barkerkin , Barkerkon 1278 Kend ii, 368.Barkin Beck (which rises by Barkin Fell in Dent YW vi, 254) is the headwater of Barbon Beck. The first el. is ON  Bǫrkr (gen. Barkar ) or ME  barkere 'tanner'. The second is doubtless ME  kyne (NCy dial. kin ) 'a crack, fissure, chasm', here referring to the deep narrow ravine of upper Barbondale. This el. may be a Scandinavianised form of OE  cinu 'chasm, chine', but it could be ON  kinn 'cheek, slope, declivity', which occurs in Norw, Faroese, and Icel p.ns. (cf. NGIndl 60, C. Matras, FærN 171, Franzen, LaxdON 116 with references), and in Dan  Kynby (DaSN, N. Sjælland ii, 142), etc. The same word may occur in Kinn Road (i, 132) and possibly in Barkin, Cockin, Hardkin , Herdkyn and Rooking (i, 63, 142, ii, 190, 204, 224 infra ), but in these examples its significance is not clear from the topography, except in some such general sense as 'slope', which would favour ON  kinn .