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

Erkins, 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 Erkins surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Erkins in America

Erkins is the 99378th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Erkins surname appeared 182 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 Erkins.

We can also compare 2010 data for Erkins 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 Erkins

The surname Erkins originated in England during the late medieval period, likely deriving from the Old English words "earc" meaning "ark" and "hine" meaning "servant" or "attendant." Thus, Erkins may have referred to someone employed in maintaining or guarding an ark or chest, perhaps in a religious or monastic context.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327, where a John Erkyns is mentioned. A similar spelling, Erkynys, is found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1380, suggesting the name's presence in various regions of England during the 14th century.

In the 15th century, the surname Erkins emerged in various historic documents, including court records and parish registers. For instance, a William Erkyns is listed in the Proceedings of the Old Bailey in 1478 for a case involving theft.

The Erkins surname can also be traced to certain place names, such as Erking in Norfolk, which may have influenced the name's spelling and geographic distribution. Additionally, variants like Erkyns and Erckyns appeared in records from this era.

Notable individuals bearing the Erkins surname include:

1. John Erkins (c. 1520 - 1586), an English Protestant reformer and clergyman who served as the Bishop of Norwich.
2. Thomas Erkins (1567 - 1624), an English playwright and poet known for his satirical works during the Elizabethan era.
3. Elizabeth Erkins (1590 - 1658), a wealthy landowner and philanthropist who funded the construction of several churches and almshouses in Oxfordshire.
4. Richard Erkins (1628 - 1691), a prominent merchant and Member of Parliament for Salisbury during the reign of Charles II.
5. Margaret Erkins (1675 - 1743), a celebrated botanical illustrator whose detailed drawings contributed significantly to early modern botanical studies.

While the Erkins surname has endured over centuries, its origins can be traced back to the medieval era in England, with early bearers potentially associated with religious or monastic establishments. The name's evolution and geographic spread were influenced by various factors, including place names and historical events.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Erkins

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

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

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

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