Origin of Baldock

I thought you might like to know the origin of the name BALDOCK. It goes back to 1150 when the Knight's Templars founded the town of Baldock. I quote from "A Day for St. Mary's" published in 1984: "The town first appeared by being associated with the Knights Templar, for it was they who literally built the town. Some say it was first called 'Baudac' or 'Baudoc' and that this was a Norman-French form of Baghdad, a place which would have been familiar in the Templar days. Salmon (a Hertfordshire historian) in 1721 says the name is from 'Bagdet' or Baldack' near Babylon, which was in the possession of the Knights Templar until 100 yrs after the founding of Baldock."

"The Templars soon set about building a Church (eventually becoming St. Mary's) after receiving the gift of land and this would have been about 1150. (The gift of land was from Gilbert, Earl of Pembroke, the then feudal lord, who granted the Templars some 120 acres of land from the Manor of Weston.)"

Sweet! That is a verry interesting history there mid.
I have no idea about mine. Where did you find this info? If it was some sort of geneology site I might like to give it a spin...

It was just me searchin the origin of my last name. I lady I met through a new media gathering told me I should. Actually her family name is traced back to that area also. "Bennett" Which is cool.