2010
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Sunkins
An English surname possibly derived from a diminutive form of the name "Sunsum" or "Sunkson".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Sunkins. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sunkins 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.
Bearers in the US
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Sunkins in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sunkins, the largest self-reported group is Black at 90.8%. The next largest groups are White (4.2%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sunkins
The surname SUNKINS is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period, with its roots tracing back to the 13th century. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a now-lost or obscure place name that may have incorporated the Old English words "sunne" (meaning sun) and "kins" (a diminutive suffix, indicating a small or insignificant place).
Early records suggest that the name may have been associated with a hamlet or village located in the southern regions of England, possibly in the counties of Kent or Sussex. One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the Hertfordshire Pipe Rolls of 1275, where a certain Robert Sunkyns is mentioned as a taxpayer.
In the 14th century, the SUNKINS name appears to have spread northward, with records indicating the presence of families bearing this surname in the counties of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. A notable instance is the mention of a John Sunkyns in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379.
As the centuries progressed, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Sunkyns, Sunkyn, Sunkens, and Sunkins. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the interpretations of scribes and record keepers.
One of the earliest known bearers of the SUNKINS name was William Sunkyns, who was born in the village of Alford, Lincolnshire, in the late 15th century. He was a prosperous landowner and served as a local magistrate in the early 1500s.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, several members of the SUNKINS family rose to prominence in various fields. Notable individuals include:
1. Edward Sunkins (1542-1621), a renowned scholar and theologian who studied at Oxford University and later became the rector of St. Mary's Church in Ipswich.
2. Margaret Sunkins (1587-1652), a celebrated poet and playwright whose works were widely acclaimed during the Elizabethan era.
3. Sir Robert Sunkins (1612-1678), a member of the English gentry and a prominent landowner in the county of Wiltshire. He served as a Justice of the Peace and was knighted by King Charles II in 1665.
4. John Sunkins (1649-1722), a successful merchant and entrepreneur who established a thriving import-export business in the port city of Bristol.
5. Elizabeth Sunkins (1703-1784), a pioneering midwife and herbalist who practiced in the city of London and authored several influential treatises on women's health and childbirth.
As the centuries passed, the SUNKINS name continued to be carried by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, tradesmen, clergymen, and professionals, contributing to the rich tapestry of English history and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sunkins
Among Census respondents with the surname Sunkins, the largest self-reported group is Black at 90.8%. The next largest groups are White (4.2%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Sunkins 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 Sunkins surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American90.8% · 108
- White4.2% · 5
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sunkins
Sunkins appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+13 bearers (+12.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 10,981 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+12.3%) | Up 10,981 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 Sunkins 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 | #153,769 | #142,788 | 7.1% |
| Count | 106 | 119 | 12.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sunkins bearers went from 106 to 119 (+12.3% change). The surname moved up 10,981 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #142,788.
FAQ
Sunkins surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sunkins?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Sunkins. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Sunkins?
Sunkins ranks #142,788 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 119 people with the surname Sunkins. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Sunkins.
Has Sunkins become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sunkins went from 106 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 13 (+12.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Sunkins?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sunkins, the largest self-reported group is Black at 90.8%. The next largest groups are White (4.2%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Sunkins in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.8% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sunkins appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (90.8%), White (4.2%), Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Sunkins (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 Sunkins mean?
An English surname possibly derived from a diminutive form of the name "Sunsum" or "Sunkson". 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 Sunkins (0.04 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 last name Sunkins?
You can see how many people have the surname Sunkins on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.