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

Dawkins, 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 Dawkins surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dawkins in America

Dawkins is the 2363rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dawkins surname appeared 15,431 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Dawkins.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dawkins 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 Dawkins

The surname Dawkins is of English origin, deriving from the Old English personal name "Deowine" or "Deor-wine", which translates to "dear friend" or "beloved friend". The name dates back to the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain, around the 5th to 11th centuries.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Dawkins can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared as "Deuuine", reflecting the spelling variations common in medieval times.

In the 13th century, the surname Dawkins began to emerge as a more established form, often associated with the place name "Dawkins" in Shropshire, England. This place name likely derived from the Old English "Deor-wine" and the suffix "-ingis", indicating a settlement or estate belonging to someone named Deor-wine.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the surname Dawkins was John Dawkins, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275. Another notable figure was Sir William Dawkins (c. 1460 - 1521), who served as a Member of Parliament for Worcestershire and was involved in the Wars of the Roses.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Dawkins family gained prominence in various parts of England, particularly in Shropshire, Worcestershire, and Staffordshire. Notable individuals from this period include Richard Dawkins (1557 - 1622), a wealthy merchant and landowner in Shropshire, and Walter Dawkins (1597 - 1669), a clergyman and author of religious works.

In the 18th century, Henry Dawkins (1728 - 1814) was a notable English antiquarian and collector of ancient manuscripts and artifacts. He played a significant role in preserving historical records and furthering the study of antiquities.

Moving into the 19th century, Sir Clinton Edward Dawkins (1859 - 1905) was a British diplomat and explorer who conducted extensive archaeological work in Cyprus and Greece, contributing greatly to the understanding of ancient civilizations in the region.

Throughout history, the Dawkins surname has been associated with various notable figures across various fields, including academia, literature, and science. One of the most prominent bearers of the name in modern times is Richard Dawkins (born 1941), the renowned evolutionary biologist, author, and outspoken advocate for atheism and scientific education.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dawkins

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

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

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

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