Parkin Family of South Africa

Hi to all Parkin family and other vistors

This site is dedicated to those wanting to know more about the Parkin family in South Africa and also provide a forum for all descendants of John Parkin to share information about the family.

John Parkin, an 1820 settlers, was the first Parkin to set foot in South Africa, in Algoa Bay on 20th May 1820. He was accompanied by his wife Elizabeth Abraham (nee Howard) and his first four children, William, John, Jane and Robert. Initially settling on the farm designated by the British Government to the Parkin party, some 14km south west of Bathurst in the Eastern Cape, he moved into Port Elizabeth soon after and during the early years of the cities existence, quickly acquired a large portfolio of the Port Elizabeth real estate.

Today, not much (if any) of his original land remains in the Parkin name, with only a few items in the city remaining as an acknowledgement of his input into the beginnings of Port Elizabeth, namely Parkin Street in North End and a memorial plaque in a park in Stella ave Fernglen, close to where his original homestead was.

Marrying a second time, John Parkin's offspring could have made up a rugby team, all of 15 kids. Upon his death in 1856, his estate was never settled as a number of his children had moved on from Port Elizabeth and some thought to be dead. In the years that followed, some of his property was purchased from the estate by the government of the day for in order to build the Port Elizabeth Railway Station, where it still stands today. In the 1960's, a descendant of John Parkin, (N.P. Sellick) interested in determining who still had a claim to the estate, researched the Parkin genealogy in conjunction with the HSRC and wrote a book "John Parkin of Baakens River farm and his family, 1820 to 1970", which gave the basis for the family tree that can be found on another site.

The editor of this blog also manages this comprehensive Parkin family tree starting with John Parkin's parents in Exeter, Devon England which links to some of John's sibling's descendants still living in Exeter. It contains the names of over 3700 of William's descendants and their spouses. If you are a descendant of William Parkin born 1745 in Exeter, Devon England and would like to see how you fit into the tree and/or willing to share some details about your close family to add to the tree, please make contact through the details on this blog page.

Monday, March 16, 2026

2026-01-16T10:16:36.000Z

With Christmas holidays spent in the Eastern Cape close to the 1820 settler original settlements, I was fortunate to do some cycling along the dirt roads and paths through some of the historical 1820 settler settlements along the Kariega river. What a stunning area.

John Parkin's settler party was designated a piece of land they named Devonshire Farm along the northern parts of Kariega river. Today, this area is dominated by private reserves and in particular, the Rutherford owned farm 'Lands End Private Game Reserve' is in the middle of the original Parkin Party farm.

If any of you are ever in this area between the old Grahamstown and Kenton on Sea, drive past this area and take a look how difficult it must have been for those early settlers. And for those who can afford it, book a night or two in the Old Pumphouse at Lands End.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=17GESsC5XOJKa48Ebspi_epz8t_0&usp=sharing

2025-08-27T13:52:12.000Z

Hi Family,

A little mystery today that I am hoping someone could help resolve. In this screenshot is a family of South African Parkins who I cannot fit into the bigger tree.

It appears that Gert Petrus Johannes Parkin's father was one of the many Robert Parkins in the family with unknown birth date, but possibly between say between 1880 and 1891. Robert was married to Christina Johanna (unknown maiden name). This makes it possibly 3 different Roberts, but with no real source information supporting this link.

It is possible that many of Gert Petrus Johannes Parkin's children are all still alive, specifically those highlighted in the photo? If anyone knows of any of the names in the shot, please would you assist by making contact to see if this mystery can be resolved.

2025-09-01T15:19:59.000Z

In 1952, the South African Government of the day instituted a public holiday called Settler's Day, in recognition of the 1820 settlers, to be celebrated on the first Monday of September. The last time this was officially a day off was in 1979.

I found this post today, the Monday 1 September 2025, celebrating our heritage as descendants of the 1820 Settlers which I thought I should share.

2025-08-18T08:35:17.000Z

Hi Parkin family,

I was wondering if any Parkin family members would be happy to share old family photos of ancestors to be used in the family tree. If you would like to share, please post in the comments, or send the photos in a message. Please provide the names of those in the photo with birth dates for easier identification. Look forward to hearing from you.

2025-08-08T19:41:56.000Z

Hi Family,

Wow.

Thank you for the amazing response to the last post. So many of you shared details of your close family and the Parkin tree has grown substantially. Not only from South African Parkin family, but also another branch of one of John Parkin's siblings, descendants of his oldest sister Harriet from the UK.

So another link to Willliam Parkin b 1745 descendants in the UK. And then a very interesting and welcome contact with the Springfield Ohio USA descendants of John Parkin who are 3rd generation US citizens. We are always looking to add additional descendants of John Parkin or his siblings to the family tree.

So please do not hesitate to respond to the posts.

2025-07-16T07:40:19.000Z

Hi Parkin Family,

Since the last posting about some history of the Parkin Family in Exeter, specifically about John's nephew, Francis who started the F Parkin and Sons foundry, there has been great progress in tracking living descendants of Francis Parkin, some of whom are still living in Exeter or born there and now living elsewhere in the world. I was able to make contact with some of the family, had lovely conversation with them and shared information about the different sides of the family and able to update the family tree with many new names. Without naming those that assisted, thank you for all the info.

It is always rewarding in the research in genealogy to be able to expand the tree. In another recent discovery, information showed that one of John Parkin's great grandson, Anthony William Parkin b1881, had migrated to the USA, married Freda Crane in USA and settled in Springfield Ohio. With some digging, living relatives were found to still be resident in Springfield and other Ohio cities and contact made and information shared regarding the extended family.

Some of the family have been following this page for years and managed quietly to slip under the radar. In more recent years, I am certain that many more of John's descendants have left these shores for "greener" pastures.

We know of some have settled in Uruguay and others in Australia etc. But those descendants of John Parkin will always have and indelible link to Southern Africa.

Certainly there are other followers of this page with links to John Parkin who quietly go about their business. Would love to hear more about your close family and add you to the tree. DM this page if you would like to share or have access to a more recent family tree descendants of William Parkin (b1745) tree.

Sunday, January 8, 2017

Excerpts from "John Parkin of Baakens River Farm and his Family" by NP Sellick, Publishes by Human Science Research Council, 1978

The Parkins From Overseas

"The name Parkin is derived from Peterkin or Perkin - old English diminutives for the Christian name, Peter. Like other names that developed from Christian names it was adopted by different persons in different parts of England from about 1 100 onwards. Early examples of the name occur in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk and Stafford which in 1327 list the name of Parkyn.

In Yorkshire and elsewhere there are Parkin families with Armorial Bearings and the earliest of these dates from I589 in London and has earlier provenance. No Devonshire Parkin was entitled to Armorial Bearings. In that county, the Parkins were fairly numerous when the name first appears in the indices of wills proved in the Courts of Exeter which begin in the early 16th century. The earliest entry is that of Joan Parkyn in 1539 and the name is spelt in eight different ways but by 1800 the commonest spelling is Parkin or Parkyn. Forty three Parkin wills are listed from 1550 to 1 800 but unfortunately the destruction by bombing of the Exeter records in 1942 makes it difficult to obtain further information of these Devonshire Parkins; all that can be said definitely is that the name Parkin was established in the Exeter and South Devon region from the second half of the 16th century and that the persons who bore it were yeomen farmers, craftsmen and traders of sufficient means to enable them to bequeath property by testament. Starting with the information that John Parkin was born in Topsham on 2 August 1787, search was made for his baptism in the Topsham Parish Register without success and extensive examination of all available records of wills, births and marriages in which relevant entries might be expected has thrown no definite light on the family of Parkins which left Devonshire for the Cape in 1820.”