NameCensus.

UK surname

Adkins

An English surname derived from the given name Adam, meaning "son of Adam."

In the 1881 census there were 1,951 people recorded with the Adkins surname, ranking it #2,243 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,207, ranked #2,938, down from #2,243 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Kings Norton and Cropredy. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Daventry, South Northamptonshire and Cherwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Adkins is 2,402 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.1%.

1881 census count

1,951

Ranked #2,243

Modern count

2,207

2016, ranked #2,938

Peak year

1998

2,402 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Adkins had 1,951 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,243 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,207 in 2016, ranked #2,938.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,351 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Adkins surname distribution map

The map shows where the Adkins surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Adkins surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Adkins over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 1,429 #2,010
1861 historical 1,411 #2,025
1881 historical 1,951 #2,243
1891 historical 1,881 #2,446
1901 historical 2,232 #2,420
1911 historical 2,351 #2,175
1997 modern 2,291 #2,713
1998 modern 2,402 #2,701
1999 modern 2,376 #2,749
2000 modern 2,367 #2,739
2001 modern 2,293 #2,762
2002 modern 2,313 #2,790
2003 modern 2,284 #2,769
2004 modern 2,286 #2,765
2005 modern 2,245 #2,779
2006 modern 2,254 #2,768
2007 modern 2,251 #2,796
2008 modern 2,275 #2,794
2009 modern 2,333 #2,798
2010 modern 2,380 #2,809
2011 modern 2,290 #2,868
2012 modern 2,213 #2,906
2013 modern 2,225 #2,932
2014 modern 2,246 #2,927
2015 modern 2,223 #2,921
2016 modern 2,207 #2,938

Geography

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Where Adkins' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Kings Norton, Cropredy and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Daventry, South Northamptonshire, Cherwell, East Lindsey and Stratford-on-Avon. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 1
2 Kings Norton Worcestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Cropredy Oxfordshire
5 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Daventry 010 Daventry
2 South Northamptonshire 006 South Northamptonshire
3 Cherwell 001 Cherwell
4 East Lindsey 006 East Lindsey
5 Stratford-on-Avon 004 Stratford-on-Avon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Adkins

These lists show first names that appear often with the Adkins surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Adkins

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Adkins, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Adkins surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Adkins household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Adkins is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Adkins is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Adkins falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Adkins is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Adkins, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Adkins

The surname Adkins is of English origin and dates back to the late 12th century. It is an patronymic surname derived from the personal name Adam, which means "son of Adam." The name Adam comes from the Hebrew word "adamah," meaning "earth" or "red clay."

Adkins is a variant spelling of the surname Atkins, which was more common in the early medieval period. The earliest recorded instances of the Adkins surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, where it appears as "Adekyn."

In the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, the name is recorded as "Adekyn de Bradewelle," indicating that the bearer was from the village of Bradwell. The Adkins surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Worcestershire, Oxfordshire, and Gloucestershire during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Adkins surname was John Adkins, who was born around 1490 in Fyfield, Wiltshire. He was a prominent landowner and served as a Justice of the Peace in the county.

Another notable figure was Sir Robert Adkins (1585-1665), a wealthy merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1647. He was a staunch Royalist during the English Civil War and was knighted by King Charles I in 1641.

In the 17th century, the Adkins family established themselves in the American colonies. Thomas Adkins (1610-1678) was one of the first settlers in Virginia, arriving in the colony around 1635. He became a prosperous planter and landowner in York County.

During the Revolutionary War, Captain John Adkins (1733-1809) fought in the Virginia militia and participated in several battles against the British forces. He later received a land grant for his military service.

Another notable figure was Sarah Adkins (1829-1910), a pioneering educator and social activist from Ohio. She founded several schools for African American children and worked tirelessly to promote equal education opportunities during the post-Civil War era.

Throughout history, the Adkins surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Adkins Green in Buckinghamshire and Adkins Farm in Gloucestershire, reflecting the family's roots and influence in these regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Adkins families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Adkins surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Warwickshire leads with 419 Adkins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.73x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 419 8.73x
Middlesex 255 1.34x
Northamptonshire 199 11.12x
Staffordshire 189 2.94x
Surrey 171 1.84x
Oxfordshire 135 11.49x
Worcestershire 61 2.46x
Kent 54 0.83x
Buckinghamshire 53 4.61x
Essex 52 1.38x
Yorkshire 41 0.22x
Leicestershire 40 1.90x
Derbyshire 39 1.31x
Bedfordshire 38 3.86x
Lancashire 36 0.16x
Sussex 24 0.75x
Hertfordshire 20 1.53x
Devon 19 0.48x
Hampshire 15 0.38x
Berkshire 13 0.91x
Wiltshire 11 0.65x
Cambridgeshire 9 0.75x
Cheshire 9 0.21x
Norfolk 7 0.24x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.27x
Suffolk 7 0.30x
Gloucestershire 6 0.16x
Glamorgan 5 0.15x
Somerset 4 0.13x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.79x
Cornwall 2 0.09x
Lincolnshire 2 0.07x
Cumberland 1 0.06x
Dorset 1 0.08x
Flintshire 1 0.20x
Royal Navy 1 0.44x
Rutland 1 0.72x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 66 Adkins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.00x.

Place Total Index
Aston 66 5.00x
Birmingham 62 3.88x
Walsall Foreign 53 15.98x
Islington London 37 2.01x
Coventry Holy Trinity 35 24.43x
Cropredy 34 955.06x
Kings Norton 31 13.92x
Coventry St Michael 30 19.47x
Yardley Gobion 27 703.13x
Harborne 26 12.63x
Lambeth 26 1.57x
Kingston On Thames 25 11.23x
St Pancras London 24 1.57x
Stratford On Avon 23 86.43x
Warwick St Mary 23 55.22x
Southwark St George Martyr 22 5.75x
Edgbaston 20 13.45x
West Bromwich 20 5.44x
Leighton Buzzard 19 44.84x
Hammersmith London 18 3.84x
Kensington London 18 1.70x
Silverstone 18 238.41x
Frimley 16 60.61x
Hackney London 16 1.50x
St George Hanover Square 16 4.77x
Battersea 15 2.14x
Bourton 15 461.54x
Stoke Upon Trent 15 2.20x
Ashwell 14 136.05x
Banbury 14 59.50x
Alvechurch 13 122.99x
Derby St Werburgh 13 7.56x
Southcoates 13 12.42x
Wellingborough 13 14.45x
Bocking 12 53.14x
Croydon 12 2.33x
West Derby 12 1.82x
Bloxham 11 95.49x
Cubbington 11 172.14x
Enstone 11 152.99x
Neithrop 11 27.86x
Newington 11 1.57x
Shardlow 11 194.69x
St George In East London 11 6.15x
Stoneleigh 11 138.19x
Swalcliffe Sibford Gower 11 391.46x
Warkworth 11 68.32x
Yealmpton 11 180.92x
Great Houghton 10 465.12x
Kenilworth 10 36.98x
St Marylebone London 10 0.98x
Braintree 9 26.69x
Clerkenwell London 9 2.00x
Derby St Alkmund 9 10.08x
East Farndon 9 620.69x
Eaton Bray 9 90.54x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 9 17.13x
Hornsey 9 3.74x
Wicken 9 338.35x
Wolverhampton 9 1.82x
Birling 8 138.89x
Brackley St Peter 8 65.20x
Cowley 8 21.82x
Everton 8 1.11x
Lutterworth 8 62.26x
North Frodingham 8 180.18x
Stoke Newington London 8 5.40x
Stretton On Dunsmore 8 182.23x
Syresham 8 153.55x
Willesden 8 4.46x
Bilton 7 63.29x
Bletchley 7 208.96x
Buckingham 7 29.93x
Camberwell 7 0.58x
Greens Norton 7 123.24x
Hanwell 7 424.24x
Leckhampstead 7 344.83x
Mitcham 7 11.95x
Nottingham St Mary 7 1.06x
Walsall Borough 7 14.04x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Adkins surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 123
Elizabeth 84
Sarah 77
Ann 34
Eliza 33
Emma 33
Jane 33
Ellen 32
Martha 26
Annie 25
Emily 21
Charlotte 20
Alice 19
Hannah 17
Lucy 15
Ada 13
Florence 13
Clara 12
Edith 12
Maria 12
Fanny 11
Anne 10
Harriet 10
Harriett 10
Margaret 10
Caroline 9
Frances 9
Rebecca 9
Catherine 8
Esther 8
Louisa 7
Rose 7
Sophia 7
Susan 7
Eleanor 6
Julia 6
Matilda 6
Rosa 6
Selina 6
Agnes 5
Amy 5
Ethel 5
Gertrude 5
Helen 5
Mabel 5
Maud 5
Rhoda 5
Kate 4
Lydia 4
Leah 3

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Adkins surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 119
John 96
George 74
James 67
Thomas 64
Charles 46
Henry 44
Joseph 43
Arthur 32
Frederick 29
Alfred 26
Albert 19
Richard 19
Edward 18
Samuel 16
Walter 16
Harry 14
Fredrick 10
Fredk. 9
Herbert 9
Francis 8
Robert 8
Benjamin 7
Ernest 6
Frank 6
Percy 6
Stephen 6
Thos. 6
Chas. 5
David 5
Fred 5
Geo. 5
Jesse 5
Ashley 4
Josiah 4
Mark 4
Wm. 4
Alexander 3
Edgar 3
Edwin 3
Isaac 3
Martin 3
Ambrose 2
Daniel 2
Earnest 2
Fred. 2
Jonathan 2
Joshua 2
Lythall 2
Sydney 2

FAQ

Adkins surname: questions and answers

How common was the Adkins surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,951 people were recorded with the Adkins surname. That placed it at #2,243 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Adkins surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,207 in 2016. That gives Adkins a modern rank of #2,938.

What does the Adkins surname mean?

An English surname derived from the given name Adam, meaning "son of Adam."

What does the Adkins map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Adkins bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.