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

Dockins, 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 Dockins surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dockins in America

Dockins is the 14447th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dockins surname appeared 2,068 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 Dockins.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dockins 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 Dockins

The surname Dockins originates from England, where it first emerged in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "doccing," which means "to cut" or "to dock." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who worked as a docker or a shipbuilder, responsible for docking or trimming the sails and rigging of ships.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Dockins can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, dated 1187, where a certain Roger Dockyns is mentioned. This document serves as a valuable historical reference, indicating the presence of the name in the region during that time period.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Dockyn, Dockeryn, and Dokyn, reflecting the regional variations and phonetic adaptations common in those times. One notable individual from this era was John Dockyn, a landowner from Somerset, who was documented in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327.

During the 15th century, the name Dockins gained further prominence, with several notable figures emerging. One such individual was William Dockyns, a merchant from Bristol, who was actively involved in trade with the Netherlands and Flanders. His name appears in the Bristol Port Books of 1467.

In the 16th century, the Dockins family established themselves in the county of Hertfordshire, where they owned substantial landholdings. Robert Dockins, born in 1538, was a prominent member of this family and served as a magistrate in the local community.

Another notable figure was Thomas Dockins, born in 1612 in Oxfordshire. He was a renowned scholar and author, having published several works on theology and philosophy during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, the Dockins surname gained recognition through the exploits of Captain John Dockins, a naval officer who served in the British Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War. He was commended for his bravery and leadership in the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759.

The 19th century saw the emergence of George Dockins, a renowned architect from London, who was responsible for designing several iconic buildings, including the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel. He was born in 1827 and his works left a lasting legacy on the architectural landscape of the city.

Throughout its history, the surname Dockins has been associated with various place names and locations within England, such as Docking in Norfolk, Dockenfield in Hampshire, and Ducklington in Oxfordshire. These place names likely share a common root with the surname, further reinforcing its origins and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dockins

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

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

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

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