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

Watkins, 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 Watkins surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Watkins in America

Watkins is the 240th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Watkins surname appeared 127,083 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 43 people would have the surname Watkins.

We can also compare 2010 data for Watkins 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 Watkins

The surname WATKINS is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English words "waet", meaning "wet" or "marsh", and "hync", referring to a corner or remote place. It originated in England, particularly in the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Herefordshire, during the medieval period.

The name WATKINS is believed to have initially referred to individuals residing near a wet or marshy area, perhaps in a secluded or remote location. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century, with entries in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire mentioning individuals with the surname spelled as "Watekyn" and "Watkyn".

In the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror, several place names containing variations of the word "wet" or "waet" are documented, such as "Watecumbe" in Somerset and "Wateley" in Shropshire, indicating the possible origins of the WATKINS surname.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John Watkins (c. 1350-1422), a Welsh landowner and Member of Parliament for Breconshire. Another notable figure was Thomas Watkins (c. 1558-1634), a Welsh clergyman and author who served as the Bishop of St. David's.

In the 16th century, the name WATKINS gained prominence in Gloucestershire, with the Watkins family of Woodchester Park being a prominent landowning family in the area. Sir Robert Watkins (1577-1631), a member of this family, served as a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to King James I.

During the English Civil War, Colonel John Watkins (1602-1649) was a notable Royalist commander who fought for King Charles I. He was captured and executed by Parliamentarian forces after the Battle of Colchester in 1648.

In the realm of literature, David Watkins (1925-2008) was a Welsh author and playwright, best known for his novel "The Hurst Dancer" and his plays exploring Welsh culture and identity.

These are just a few examples of individuals bearing the surname WATKINS throughout history, demonstrating its enduring presence and significance across various spheres, from politics and religion to literature and military service.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Watkins

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

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

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

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