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

Elderkin, 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 Elderkin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Elderkin in America

Elderkin is the 30477th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Elderkin surname appeared 766 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 Elderkin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Elderkin 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 Elderkin

The surname Elderkin is of English origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "aeld" meaning old and "kyn" meaning kin or family, essentially translating to "elder kin" or "older family". This suggests the name was originally used to distinguish an elder branch of a family from a younger one.

Elderkin is believed to have first appeared in the county of Norfolk, England, where the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval records and charters from the 1100s. Similar early spellings include Aelderkyn, Elderkyn, and Elderkynne.

In the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are no direct references to the Elderkin name. However, the surname likely originated from a similar Old English root word around this time period.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Elderkin surname was William Elderkin, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1198. Another early bearer was John Elderkin, whose name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275.

During the 13th century, the name was also found in various locations across Norfolk, including in the village of Cawston, where a Henry Elderkin was recorded as a landowner in 1287.

In the 16th century, the Elderkin family had established a presence in the village of Bungay, Suffolk, where they were prominent landowners and merchants. Notable individuals from this branch include Thomas Elderkin (1525-1592), a wealthy wool merchant, and his son Robert Elderkin (1560-1624), who served as a magistrate and justice of the peace.

Another prominent figure was Sir Walter Elderkin (1570-1648), a member of parliament and supporter of the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War. He was knighted by Oliver Cromwell in 1645 for his services.

Over the centuries, the Elderkin name has also been found in various other parts of England, including London, Yorkshire, and Lincolnshire. Some other notable bearers include the author and playwright Richard Elderkin (1720-1782) and the renowned botanist and explorer John Elderkin (1795-1867), who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in Australia and New Zealand.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Elderkin

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

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

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

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