Makin
Derived from a place name meaning "a settlement" in Old English, likely referring to the village of Machen, Wales.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,948 Americans carry the last name Makin. That puts it at #12,255 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.86 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 116,267 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Makin surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
2.9K
1 in 116,267
Census rank
#12,255
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,538 bearers of the surname Makin in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.86 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12255th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Makin, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (7.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Makin
The surname Makin originated in the area of Mackinaw in northern Michigan, which was named after the indigenous Obijwe word "michillimakinang" meaning "place of giant turtles." The name is believed to have derived from this place name during the early 18th century when French fur traders and settlers began arriving in the region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Makin surname can be found in the 1790 census records of Quebec, where a Jacques Makin is listed as residing in the parish of Saint-Eustache. It is likely that Jacques was a French Canadian whose ancestors adopted the surname after arriving in the Mackinaw region from France.
Another early record of the name comes from the 1810 baptismal records of the Catholic Church in Detroit, where a child named Marie-Anne Makin was baptized. This suggests that the Makin family had spread from the Mackinaw region to the nearby settlements of what was then the Michigan Territory.
In the 19th century, the Makin surname began appearing in various parts of the United States and Canada as families migrated westward. One notable bearer of the name was John Makin (1819-1892), a pioneer settler in Iowa who established the town of Makinville in 1855.
Another prominent individual with the Makin surname was William Makin (1845-1923), a British politician and businessman who served as a Member of Parliament for the Wallasey constituency from 1900 to 1906.
Other historical figures with the Makin surname include:
1. Robert Makin (1648-1718), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.
2. Bathsheba Makin (1608-1675), an English writer and early advocate for women's education.
3. Thomas Makin (1766-1836), an American Revolutionary War soldier from Virginia.
4. James Makin (1823-1890), a Scottish-born Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
5. Alfred Makin (1870-1953), an Australian politician who served as a Member of Parliament and Minister for Customs in the 1920s.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Makin
Among Census respondents with the surname Makin, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (7.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Makin bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Makin surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White76.3%
- Hispanic or Latino7.5%
- Asian and Pacific Islander7.3%
- Black or African American5.8%
- Two or more races2.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Makin surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,255 | #12,255 | 0.0% |
| Count | 2,538 | 2,538 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.86 | 0.86 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Makin bearers went from 2,538 to 2,538 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #12,255 to #12,255.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Makin
FAQ
Makin surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Makin?
The surname Makin holds position #12,255 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 2,948 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.86 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Makin surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Makin, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (7.3%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.