This interesting and quite unusual name is of English locational origin, from Barthorpe in Yorkshire, which was recorded as "Barchetorp" and "Barchertorp" in the Domesday Book of 1086, while it was called "Barkerthrop" in the Feet of Fines in 1232. The place gets its name from the Old Scandinavian word "barkarthorp", which translates as the farm, settlement (thorp) of "Borkr", an Old Norse personal name from "barkar", of uncertain etymology. Locational surnames were developed when former inhabitants of a place moved to another area, usually to seek work, and were best identified by the name of their birthplace. The surname first appears in records in the early 13th Century (see below), and other early recordings include: William de Barkentorp, who was recorded in the Assize Court Rolls of Yorkshire in 1219; one Walter Berthrop was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire; and the Assize Court Rolls of Essex mention a William Baltrip in 1351. One Bartholomew Balthroppe was listed in Denham Parish Registers, in Suffolk, in 1586. Jonathan Barthrope was recorded in Yorkshire in 1673 according to the Descriptive Catalogue of the Sheffield Public Library Reference. Recordings from London Church Registers include the marriage of Aaron Baltrop and Elizabeth Stanbury on April 8th 1809, at St. Luke's, Old Street. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William de Baretorp, which was dated 1200, in the "Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire", during the reign of King John, known as "Lackland", 1199 - 1216. 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.