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

Perkins, 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 Perkins surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Perkins in America

Perkins is the 223rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Perkins surname appeared 131,440 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 45 people would have the surname Perkins.

We can also compare 2010 data for Perkins 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 Perkins

The surname Perkins is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "perken" or "parken," which means "little park" or "enclosed area." The name first appeared in England during the 12th century, indicating that the original bearers of this name were likely involved in maintaining or overseeing parks or enclosed lands.

The earliest recorded instance of the Perkins surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Perchin" or "Perchyn," suggesting that it was initially a nickname or descriptive surname.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Perkins was John Perkins, born around 1200 in Oxfordshire, England. He was a landowner and farmer who held significant property in the region.

During the 13th century, the surname Perkins began to spread across various parts of England, often associated with place names such as Perkins Hill in Worcestershire and Perkins Manor in Hertfordshire. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and enclosed or park-like areas.

A notable bearer of the Perkins surname was Thomas Perkins (1615-1686), an English landowner and Member of Parliament who played a significant role in the Restoration of the English monarchy under Charles II.

Another famous individual with the Perkins surname was Jacob Perkins (1766-1849), an American inventor and engineer known for his contributions to the development of the steam engine and refrigeration technology.

In the literary world, Mary Perkins Bradbury (1837-1917) was a prominent American author and educator, best known for her novels and short stories depicting life in New England during the 19th century.

The name Perkins has also been associated with notable figures in the field of education, such as James A. Perkins (1911-1998), who served as the president of Cornell University from 1951 to 1963, and played a pivotal role in the university's growth and development.

Throughout history, the Perkins surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, politicians, inventors, authors, and educators, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Perkins

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

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

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

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