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

Jenks, 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 Jenks surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jenks in America

Jenks is the 4782nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jenks surname appeared 7,396 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Jenks.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jenks 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 Jenks

The surname Jenks has its origins in the medieval English language and is derived from the personal name Jenkin, a diminutive form of the name John. The name likely emerged in the 12th or 13th century as a descriptive nickname for someone who bore a resemblance to or held the characteristics of a famous John.

The earliest recorded instances of the name are found in Yorkshire, England, where the spelling variations of Jenks, Jencks, Jinks, and Jenkes appeared in tax rolls and parish records from the late 13th century onwards. It's possible that the name is also connected to the Old English words "genge" meaning "company" or "jenc" meaning "trick or stratagem," suggesting it may have been an occupational surname for a jester or entertainer.

One of the earliest documented references to the surname is in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297, which lists a Willelmus Jenks as a taxpayer. The Jenks surname is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, with the spelling "Jenches" appearing in Norfolk, indicating the name's longevity in England.

Historically, the Jenks surname has been associated with several notable individuals, including Sir Joseph Jenks (1599-1683), a renowned ironmaster and inventor from England who introduced various improvements to the manufacturing of iron and brass. Another early bearer of the name was John Jenks (1588-1659), an English Puritan clergyman who emigrated to America and served as a pastor in Roxbury, Massachusetts.

Other notable individuals with the Jenks surname include Richard Jenks (1654-1708), an English-born American colonial settler and landowner in Rhode Island, and Benjamin Jenks (1756-1828), an American farmer and soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. Additionally, Francis Jenks (1590-1665) was an early English settler in Massachusetts and one of the founders of the town of Sandwich.

The Jenks name has remained prevalent in various regions of England, particularly in Yorkshire, Lancashire, and the West Midlands, as well as in parts of the United States, Canada, and other English-speaking countries. While the name has evolved in spelling and regional variations over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the medieval English era, reflecting the linguistic and cultural heritage of the British Isles.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jenks

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

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

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

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