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

Eakins, 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 Eakins surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Eakins in America

Eakins is the 10416th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Eakins surname appeared 3,090 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 Eakins.

We can also compare 2010 data for Eakins 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 Eakins

The surname Eakins is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "eac," meaning "oak," and was initially a topographic name given to families residing near an oak tree or grove.

One of the earliest recorded references to the Eakins surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, which mentions a William de Acton, whose name likely evolved into Eakins over time.

During the medieval period, the Eakins name was prevalent in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Derbyshire. It is possible that the name was associated with specific place names, such as Eakring in Nottinghamshire or Eckington in Worcestershire.

In the 16th century, the Eakins surname appeared in various historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1545, which listed a John Eakins as a taxpayer. Another notable reference is found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Nottingham, which document the baptism of Thomas Eakins in 1578.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have carried the Eakins surname. One of the earliest was William Eakins (c. 1590-1673), an English clergyman who served as the Rector of St. Andrew's Church in Holborn, London.

Another influential figure was Thomas Eakins (1844-1916), an American realist painter, photographer, sculptor, and fine arts instructor. He is renowned for his precise brushwork and adherence to the traditions of the Renaissance masters. Eakins' works, such as "The Gross Clinic" and "The Swimming Hole," are considered masterpieces of American art.

In the realm of sports, David Eakins (1923-2001) was a Canadian ice hockey player who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League during the 1940s and 1950s.

The Eakins surname has also been associated with the field of education. John Eakins (1787-1873) was a notable Scottish-born teacher and educational writer who contributed significantly to the development of education in Upper Canada (now Ontario, Canada).

Finally, Alston Eakins (1935-2016) was an American artist and sculptor known for his abstract and geometric works. His sculptures can be found in various public spaces and museums across the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Eakins

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!