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

Upkins, 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 Upkins surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Upkins in America

Upkins is the 135593rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Upkins surname appeared 124 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Upkins.

We can also compare 2010 data for Upkins 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 Upkins

The surname Upkins is an English name that traces its origins back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in East Anglia, where it was likely derived from the Old English word "upp", meaning "up" or "upper", and the suffix "-kin", which was a diminutive form used to signify a smaller or lesser version of something.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Upkins name can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, where a certain John Upkins was baptized in 1587. This suggests that the Upkins family had already been established in the region by that time.

During the 17th century, the Upkins name appeared in various legal documents and records across East Anglia. Notable individuals from this period include William Upkins, a landowner from Thetford, Norfolk, who was involved in a property dispute in 1642, and Thomas Upkins, a farmer from Ipswich, Suffolk, who was mentioned in the town's tax records in 1671.

As the centuries passed, the Upkins name spread beyond its East Anglian roots, with members of the family migrating to other parts of England and even venturing overseas to the American colonies. One notable figure from the 18th century was John Upkins (1712-1789), a merchant from London who made his fortune in the transatlantic trade and became a prominent figure in the city's business circles.

In the 19th century, the Upkins name gained further prominence with the rise of the industrialist and philanthropist, James Upkins (1824-1902). Born in Manchester, Upkins made his wealth in the textile industry and used his fortune to establish several schools and hospitals in the city, earning him widespread recognition and respect.

Another significant figure from this era was the writer and poet, Emily Upkins (1848-1920), whose works explored themes of nature and the English countryside. Her best-known collection, "Songs of the Meadow", was published in 1892 and received critical acclaim.

As the 20th century dawned, the Upkins name continued to be represented across various fields, with individuals such as the artist William Upkins (1879-1945), whose landscapes and portraits captured the beauty of the English countryside, and the mathematician and academic, Margaret Upkins (1902-1988), who made significant contributions to the field of number theory.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Upkins

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

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

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

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