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

Elkin, 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 Elkin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Elkin in America

Elkin is the 9125th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Elkin surname appeared 3,578 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 Elkin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Elkin 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 Elkin

The surname ELKIN originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to be a diminutive form of the Old English name Elchin, meaning "elk" or "elk-kin". The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century, with references found in tax rolls and parish records from various counties in England.

One of the earliest documented examples of the ELKIN surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Berkshire, a census-like survey conducted in 1273. The record lists a William Elkyn residing in the village of Shrivenham. Another early reference is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex, a tax record from 1296, which mentions a John Elkyn living in the town of Horsham.

The name ELKIN is also believed to have derived from certain place names in England, such as Elkin Green in Cheshire and Elkinton in Warwickshire. These place names likely originated from Old English words related to elk or elk hunting grounds.

In the 14th century, the ELKIN surname appeared in various legal and ecclesiastical records, including the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1326, which mentioned a Robert Elkyn. The name was also found in the Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which recorded a William Elkyn in Bedfordshire.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname ELKIN. One example is John Elkin (1644-1719), an English merchant and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Richmond in Yorkshire. Another is Richard Elkin (1719-1786), a British surveyor and cartographer known for his detailed maps of the West Indies.

In the 19th century, James Elkin (1824-1892) was a prominent Scottish architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in Glasgow, including the Glasgow Art Club and the Western Club. Additionally, William Elkin (1865-1945) was a British soldier and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Derbyshire from 1918 to 1922.

Another significant figure with the ELKIN surname was Henry Elkin (1876-1957), an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Elkin Furniture Company in Philadelphia. He was known for his generous contributions to various educational and cultural institutions in the city.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Elkin

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

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

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

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