NameCensus.

UK surname

Atkin

Derived from Middle English meaning "son of Atkin", a diminutive of the given name Adam.

In the 1881 census there were 3,994 people recorded with the Atkin surname, ranking it #1,136 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,371, ranked #1,252, down from #1,136 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stapleford, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Boston (incl. Boston allotments). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire, East Riding of Yorkshire and North East Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Atkin is 5,618 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.5%.

1881 census count

3,994

Ranked #1,136

Modern count

5,371

2016, ranked #1,252

Peak year

1998

5,618 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Atkin had 3,994 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,136 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,371 in 2016, ranked #1,252.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,506 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Atkin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Atkin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Atkin 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 2,646 #1,119
1861 historical 2,395 #1,226
1881 historical 3,994 #1,136
1891 historical 4,114 #1,166
1901 historical 4,778 #1,184
1911 historical 5,506 #947
1997 modern 5,379 #1,211
1998 modern 5,618 #1,206
1999 modern 5,617 #1,217
2000 modern 5,562 #1,225
2001 modern 5,435 #1,224
2002 modern 5,542 #1,226
2003 modern 5,362 #1,238
2004 modern 5,388 #1,234
2005 modern 5,267 #1,239
2006 modern 5,254 #1,242
2007 modern 5,291 #1,240
2008 modern 5,310 #1,246
2009 modern 5,438 #1,247
2010 modern 5,501 #1,260
2011 modern 5,445 #1,256
2012 modern 5,340 #1,253
2013 modern 5,414 #1,258
2014 modern 5,458 #1,252
2015 modern 5,404 #1,251
2016 modern 5,371 #1,252

Geography

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Where Atkins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stapleford, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Boston (incl. Boston allotments), Nottingham St Mary and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, North East Lincolnshire and Bassetlaw. 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 Stapleford Derbyshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Boston (incl. Boston allotments) Lincolnshire
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 002 North Lincolnshire
2 North Lincolnshire 001 North Lincolnshire
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 010 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 North East Lincolnshire 001 North East Lincolnshire
5 Bassetlaw 015 Bassetlaw

Forenames

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First names often paired with Atkin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Atkin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Atkin, 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 Atkin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Atkin 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Atkin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Atkin is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Atkin falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Atkin 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 Atkin, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Atkin

The surname Atkin has its origins in England, traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English personal name Ada or Adam, with the diminutive suffix "-kin" added, meaning "little." Therefore, Atkin essentially means "little Adam" or "son of Adam."

One of the earliest known instances of the name Atkin can be found in the Curia Regis Rolls of Yorkshire from 1212, which mentions a person named William Adekyn. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 also recorded individuals named Adekin and Atekyn in various counties of England.

During the Middle Ages, the name was often associated with places like Atkin's Green in Staffordshire, Atkin's Farm in Gloucestershire, and Atkin's Ley in Worcestershire. These place names likely originated from individuals with the surname Atkin who owned or resided in those locations.

In the 14th century, the Atkin surname appeared in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a man named John Attekin was recorded in 1379. The name also appeared in the Poll Tax returns of Howdenshire in 1379, where Richard Atekyn was listed.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Atkin include:

1. Robert Atkin (c. 1590 - c. 1655), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Master of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. 2. Edmund Atkin (1701 - 1776), an English surveyor and architect who designed several buildings in London, including the Church of St. George in the East. 3. John Atkin (1736 - 1811), an English clergyman and mathematician, known for his work on spherical trigonometry. 4. Sarah Atkin (1827 - 1911), an English watercolor painter and illustrator, renowned for her depictions of rural life and landscapes. 5. Joseph Atkin (1837 - 1910), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in Manchester, including the Royal Exchange Theatre.

The Atkin surname has been present in various parts of England for centuries, with concentrations in counties like Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Staffordshire. While its origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, the name has continued to be used by families throughout the centuries, contributing to the rich tapestry of English surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Atkin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Atkin 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. Yorkshire leads with 880 Atkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.27x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 880 2.27x
Lincolnshire 814 13.04x
Nottinghamshire 476 9.05x
Lancashire 344 0.74x
Derbyshire 284 4.65x
Northumberland 174 3.00x
Middlesex 151 0.39x
Durham 136 1.17x
Cheshire 118 1.37x
Cambridgeshire 109 4.41x
Staffordshire 103 0.78x
Leicestershire 64 1.48x
Surrey 57 0.30x
Warwickshire 32 0.33x
Suffolk 28 0.59x
Kent 23 0.17x
Essex 19 0.25x
Norfolk 17 0.28x
Cumberland 14 0.42x
Devon 13 0.16x
Northamptonshire 13 0.35x
Sussex 12 0.18x
Hampshire 11 0.14x
Cornwall 10 0.23x
Gloucestershire 10 0.13x
Worcestershire 10 0.20x
Isle of Man 9 1.24x
Bedfordshire 8 0.40x
Glamorgan 7 0.10x
Shropshire 6 0.18x
Somerset 6 0.10x
Ayrshire 5 0.17x
Dorset 5 0.20x
Berkshire 4 0.14x
Hertfordshire 4 0.15x
Stirlingshire 4 0.28x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.39x
Monmouthshire 3 0.11x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.06x
Banffshire 2 0.25x
Midlothian 2 0.04x
Westmorland 2 0.23x
Angus 1 0.03x
Brecknockshire 1 0.13x
Channel Islands 1 0.09x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.18x
Lanarkshire 1 0.01x
Nairnshire 1 0.84x
Rutland 1 0.35x
Wiltshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 146 Atkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.73x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 146 10.73x
Stapleford 109 255.03x
Sheffield 72 5.85x
Holy Trinity 64 6.88x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 58 53.79x
Boston 55 29.04x
Ecclesall Bierlow 50 6.35x
Basford 48 19.79x
Leeds 45 2.06x
Brightside Bierlow 44 5.80x
Great Grimsby 40 10.10x
Louth 39 27.26x
Corbridge 37 173.95x
Snenton 37 17.90x
Handsworth 35 34.22x
Nether Hallam 31 5.92x
Sheepshed 30 50.57x
Garston 29 21.21x
Sculcoates 29 4.73x
Oldham 28 1.87x
Metheringham 26 104.25x
Norton 25 49.63x
Westoe 25 3.80x
Elswick 24 5.18x
Clee With Weelsby 23 16.83x
Radford 23 8.60x
Toxteth Park 23 1.47x
Glossop Dale 22 7.69x
Salford 22 1.61x
St Andrewthe Less 21 7.43x
Bradford 20 2.14x
Leven 20 176.06x
Alfreton 19 10.23x
Byker 19 6.62x
Hackney London 19 0.87x
Islington London 18 0.48x
Macclesfield 18 4.70x
Burton Upon Trent 17 5.51x
Heaton Norris 17 6.45x
Manchester 17 0.82x
Market Rasen 17 48.72x
St Pancras London 17 0.54x
West Ham 17 1.00x
Colwich 16 51.09x
Humberstone 16 453.26x
Nocton 16 190.93x
York St Nicholas In 16 73.50x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 15 4.16x
Spalding 15 12.11x
Stockton On Tees 15 2.68x
Swinton In Rotherham 15 14.66x
Unstone 15 62.42x
Alford 14 36.19x
Bishopwearmouth 14 1.40x
Bramcote 14 139.30x
Darlington 14 3.12x
Eckington 14 9.43x
Hexham 14 15.57x
Lenton 14 11.30x
Longbenton 14 5.69x
Ripley 14 18.53x
Wombwell 14 12.41x
Algarkirk 13 187.05x
Everton 13 0.88x
Fosdyke 13 203.44x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 13 2.58x
Hoole 13 39.90x
Runcorn 13 6.54x
St Swithin Lincoln 13 13.25x
Wickenby 13 360.11x
Wyberton 13 150.64x
Bridlington 12 13.55x
Brighton 12 0.90x
Chorlton On Medlock 12 1.63x
Doncaster 12 4.25x
Gateshead 12 1.38x
Great Bolton 12 1.96x
Mansfield 12 6.59x
Newcastle On Tyne St 12 3.99x
Rawmarsh 12 8.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 265
Sarah 168
Elizabeth 154
Ann 90
Jane 77
Eliza 74
Annie 62
Emma 61
Alice 56
Margaret 44
Hannah 43
Ellen 41
Emily 33
Fanny 29
Martha 29
Harriet 27
Ada 25
Charlotte 25
Edith 25
Frances 24
Maria 22
Kate 21
Harriett 20
Louisa 19
Lucy 19
Catherine 18
Florence 18
Rebecca 18
Agnes 17
Clara 17
Susan 17
Anne 15
Isabella 15
Caroline 13
Jessie 13
Rose 13
Betsy 12
Susannah 12
Gertrude 9
Minnie 9
Sophia 9
Amelia 8
Esther 8
Eleanor 7
Julia 7
Dinah 6
Janet 6
Lizzie 6
Lydia 6
Selina 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 269
John 258
George 151
Thomas 142
James 112
Joseph 84
Charles 76
Henry 74
Robert 51
Samuel 48
Edward 43
Arthur 33
Harry 32
Walter 28
Frederick 27
Albert 26
Richard 26
Herbert 25
Alfred 24
Ernest 16
Frank 16
David 14
Fred 13
Isaac 12
Wm. 11
Edwin 9
Thos. 9
Francis 8
Tom 8
Amos 7
Fredrick 7
Geo. 7
Benjamin 5
Fredk. 5
Jas. 5
Allen 4
Chas. 4
Daniel 4
Edmund 4
Matthew 4
Peter 4
Willie 4
Cecil 3
Christopher 3
Horace 3
Jesse 3
Jno. 3
Percy 3
Sam 3
Spencer 3

FAQ

Atkin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Atkin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,994 people were recorded with the Atkin surname. That placed it at #1,136 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Atkin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,371 in 2016. That gives Atkin a modern rank of #1,252.

What does the Atkin surname mean?

Derived from Middle English meaning "son of Atkin", a diminutive of the given name Adam.

What does the Atkin map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Atkin 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.