2000
#13,226
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.78
Rare Last name
Richins
An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "rich pasture" or "area abounding in rushes."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,045 Americans carry the last name Richins. That puts it at #11,356 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.89 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 112,563 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Richins surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Richins with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.0K
1 in 112,563
Census rank
#11,356
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,655 bearers of the surname Richins in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.89 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11356th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Richins, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Richins
The surname RICHINS originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words 'ric' meaning rich or powerful, and 'hine' meaning servant or retainer. This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who was a servant or attendant of a wealthy individual or noble.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1208, which mentions a Robert Richus. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also list a William Rychyn in Oxfordshire. These early spellings indicate the name's evolution over time.
The RICHINS name appears to have been particularly prevalent in the counties of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Northamptonshire. It is possible that the name may have originated from a place name that no longer exists or has been lost to history.
In the 14th century, a notable individual named John Richins was recorded as a member of the Guild of Weavers in the city of Oxford. This suggests that the RICHINS family may have been involved in the textile trade during this period.
Another notable figure bearing this surname was Thomas Richins, who was born in 1586 in Buckinghamshire. He served as a member of the English Parliament during the reign of King Charles I and was known for his support of the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War.
In the 17th century, a man named William Richins was born in Oxfordshire in 1612. He was a prominent landowner and served as a Justice of the Peace in his local community.
During the 18th century, a woman named Elizabeth Richins, born in 1743 in Northamptonshire, gained recognition for her work as a midwife and herbalist. She was known for her extensive knowledge of traditional remedies and helped deliver countless babies in her local area.
Another individual of note was John Richins, born in 1789 in Buckinghamshire. He was a successful farmer and landowner, and his family played a significant role in the agricultural development of the region during the 19th century.
While the RICHINS surname may have originated from humble beginnings as servants or attendants, it is clear that over the centuries, individuals bearing this name have made their mark in various fields, from politics and law to agriculture and medicine.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Richins
Among Census respondents with the surname Richins, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Richins bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Richins surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.5% · 2,455
- Two or more races2.9% · 77
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 74
- Black or African American1.1% · 29
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 12
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Richins
Richins appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#12,101
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,575
+458 bearers (+21.6%)
Per 100,000 0.87
Rank movement Up 1,125 places
2020
#11,356
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,655
+80 bearers (+3.1%)
Per 100,000 0.89
Rank movement Up 745 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,226 | 2,117 | 0.78 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,101 | 2,575 | 0.87 | +458 bearers (+21.6%) | Up 1,125 places |
| 2020 | #11,356 | 2,655 | 0.89 | +80 bearers (+3.1%) | Up 745 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Richins surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,101 | #11,356 | 6.2% |
| Count | 2,575 | 2,655 | 3.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.87 | 0.89 | 2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Richins bearers went from 2,575 to 2,655 (+3.1% change). The surname moved up 745 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,101 to #11,356.
FAQ
Richins surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Richins?
Name Census estimates that about 3,045 living Americans carry the surname Richins. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 112,563 residents.
How common is Richins?
Richins ranks #11,356 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.89 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,655 people with the surname Richins. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,045), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.89 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.89 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Richins.
Has Richins become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Richins went from 2,575 recorded bearers to 2,655. That is an increase of 80 (+3.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #12,101 to #11,356.
What does the Census say about the background of Richins?
Among Census respondents with the surname Richins, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (2.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Richins in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.5% (2,455 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Richins appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.5%), Two or More Races (2.9%), Hispanic (2.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Richins (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Richins mean?
An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "rich pasture" or "area abounding in rushes." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Richins (0.89 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Richins?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.