This very rare name is locational and derives from the Village of Starbeck, near Harrogate in Yorkshire, formerly spelt 'Starbok'. This original spelling which appears in the 1086 Domesday Book, indicates a Norse-Viking pre 9th Century origin 'Stor-Bokki', literally 'Great River'. This description would have referred to the River Wharfe, formerly a major navigable river in that area, and very much larger than today. Oddly enough there does not appear to be a surname 'Starbeck' all original recordings being as for Starbock. Later recordings include those of Mary Stabuck, the daughter of William and Mary Starbuck, christened at St Dunstans in the East, Stepney on April 19th 1632, whilst on May 29th 1636 Isabell Starbucke, the daughter of George, was christened at St Giles Cripplegate, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robertus Starbok, which was dated 1379, in the Poll Tax rolls of the county of Yorkshire, during the reign of King Richard 11, known as 'Richard of Bordeaux', 1377 - 1399. 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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