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

Dakin, 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 Dakin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dakin in America

Dakin is the 16376th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dakin surname appeared 1,758 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Dakin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dakin 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.

The history of the last name Dakin

The surname Dakin is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "dæge", meaning a servant or dairy worker. It emerged in the 12th century as an occupational surname, referring to individuals who worked with dairy products or were employed in households as servants or dairymaids.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Dachinus" and "Dackinus". This suggests that the name was already in use before the Norman Conquest of 1066, and was likely brought to England by Anglo-Saxon settlers centuries earlier.

Historically, the name Dakin was most prevalent in the counties of Lancashire, Cheshire, and Yorkshire, where dairy farming and cattle rearing were significant industries. The name's concentration in these areas reflects its occupational origins and the importance of dairy production in the local economies.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as "Daikyn", "Daykin", and "Daikin", reflecting the phonetic variations and regional accents of the time. These variations gradually solidified into the more standardized spelling of "Dakin" by the 16th century.

One notable historical figure bearing the name was Sir Henry Dakin (c. 1480-1552), a prominent merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers in London. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1537 and was knighted by King Henry VIII.

Another significant individual was Robert Dakin (1573-1638), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge, from 1619 until his death. He was known for his scholarly works and contributions to the University of Cambridge.

In the literary realm, Eleanor Dakin (1879-1952) was a British author and playwright who wrote several novels and plays in the early 20th century. Her most notable work was the novel "The Blossom and the Fruit", published in 1924.

William Dakin (1835-1903) was a British architect and designer who played a significant role in the Arts and Crafts movement. He designed numerous buildings and interiors, including several churches and private residences in the UK.

Lastly, John Dakin (1806-1865) was a notable English cricketer who played for Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club in the mid-19th century. He was known for his skill as a right-arm fast bowler and is remembered as one of the early pioneers of the sport.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dakin

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

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 Dakin was:

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 Dakin has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Dakin was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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