Botkins last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Botkins is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Botkins.

Meaning of Botkins

An English surname originating from a place name meaning "dwellers by the bot or shelter".

Botkins, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Botkins surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Botkins in America

Botkins is the 46725th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Botkins surname appeared 455 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Botkins.

We can also compare 2010 data for Botkins to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

20102000Change (%)
Rank46725441035.77%
Count455460-1.09%
Proportion per 100k0.150.17-12.50%

The history of the last name Botkins

The surname Botkins has its roots in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from a specific place or geographic feature. One possible source is the parish of Bodkin in Somerset, England, which was recorded as "Botekyn" in the 13th century.

Another theory suggests that the name Botkins may have derived from the Old English word "bodkin," which referred to a small, sharp instrument used for making holes or piercing. This could imply that the surname may have been an occupational name for someone who made or used bodkins, possibly a tailor or seamstress.

Early records of the name Botkins can be found in various historical documents and manuscripts. One notable reference is in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where the name "Johannes Botekyn" is listed.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Botkins was William Bodkin, who was born in Oxfordshire, England, around 1520. He was a prominent merchant and landowner during the Tudor period.

In the 17th century, a family of Botkins settled in Virginia, United States, after emigrating from England. One of their descendants, Levi Botkins (1747-1824), was a soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War.

Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Bodkin (1887-1961), an Irish politician and judge who served as Governor-General of Ireland from 1959 to 1962.

Thomas Bodkin (1623-1696), an English architect and surveyor, was responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Royal College of Physicians and parts of the Old Bailey.

In the field of literature, Maximilian Botkins (1901-1978) was an American novelist and short story writer known for his works set in the American West.

Lastly, Pamela Botkins (born 1937) is a British actress and singer who has appeared in numerous theatrical productions and television shows throughout her career.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Botkins

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Botkins.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Botkins was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only94.51%430
Non-Hispanic Black Only1.32%6
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races1.54%7
Hispanic Origin1.98%9

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Botkins has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

20102000Change (%)
White94.51%97.83%-3.45%
Black1.32%(S)%(S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander(S)%0.00%(S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native(S)%0.00%(S)%
Two or More Races1.54%(S)%(S)%
Hispanic1.98%1.09%57.98%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Botkins was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Botkins, please contact us.

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