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

Parkin, 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 Parkin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Parkin in America

Parkin is the 8241st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Parkin surname appeared 4,022 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 Parkin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Parkin 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 Parkin

The surname Parkin is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "pearroc," which means a small enclosed area or enclosure, typically used for keeping animals. The name is closely associated with the county of Yorkshire, where it first appeared in the 13th century.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Parkin can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, where it is listed as "Perkyn." This spelling variation suggests that the name may have initially been a diminutive form of the personal name "Perk" or "Perkin," which was a nickname for Peter.

In the 16th century, the name Parkin began to appear in various historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1545, where it was spelled as "Parkyng." This spelling variation reflects the influence of the Old English word "pearroc" on the name's evolution.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Parkin was John Parkin (1567-1644), an English clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Bunbury in Cheshire. Another notable figure was Captain John Parkin (1609-1677), an English explorer and navigator who played a significant role in the exploration of the Pacific Ocean.

In the 18th century, the Parkin name appeared in the records of the village of Thorp Arch in Yorkshire, where it was associated with a local family of landowners. One of the most prominent members of this family was William Parkin (1741-1817), a successful merchant and landowner who served as the High Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1796.

Another notable individual with the surname Parkin was Sir John Parkin (1789-1865), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament for Southampton.

In the 19th century, the surname Parkin became more widely dispersed across England, with notable individuals such as George Robert Parkin (1846-1922), a Canadian historian and educator who served as the first secretary of the Rhodes Trust.

Throughout its history, the surname Parkin has been associated with various place names in Yorkshire, such as Parkin Lane, Parkin Cross, and Parkin Rakes, further reinforcing its connection to the region and its origins as a locative surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Parkin

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

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

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

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