NameCensus.

UK surname

Atkins

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

In the 1881 census there were 11,186 people recorded with the Atkins surname, ranking it #382 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 15,784, ranked #399, down from #382 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and St Mary Islington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Somerset, West Somerset and Three Rivers.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Atkins is 16,596 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.1%.

1881 census count

11,186

Ranked #382

Modern count

15,784

2016, ranked #399

Peak year

1999

16,596 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Atkins had 11,186 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #382 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 15,784 in 2016, ranked #399.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 15,561 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Atkins surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Atkins surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Atkins 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 6,776 #412
1861 historical 6,486 #432
1881 historical 11,186 #382
1891 historical 11,506 #389
1901 historical 14,274 #368
1911 historical 15,561 #311
1997 modern 15,905 #381
1998 modern 16,456 #383
1999 modern 16,596 #383
2000 modern 16,446 #385
2001 modern 16,027 #385
2002 modern 16,255 #387
2003 modern 15,884 #386
2004 modern 15,830 #387
2005 modern 15,471 #390
2006 modern 15,397 #392
2007 modern 15,530 #392
2008 modern 15,573 #393
2009 modern 15,952 #394
2010 modern 16,222 #397
2011 modern 16,007 #394
2012 modern 15,628 #400
2013 modern 16,034 #399
2014 modern 16,102 #399
2015 modern 15,936 #399
2016 modern 15,784 #399

Geography

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Where Atkins' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, St Mary Islington 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 South Somerset, West Somerset, Three Rivers and South Oxfordshire. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Somerset 001 South Somerset
2 West Somerset 005 West Somerset
3 West Somerset 001 West Somerset
4 Three Rivers 001 Three Rivers
5 South Oxfordshire 012 South Oxfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Atkins

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Atkins

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

Atkins 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

Atkins falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Atkins

The surname Atkins is an English name that originated in the early medieval period. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English words "atte kine," meaning "at the cow shed." The name likely referred to a cowherder or someone who worked with cattle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Atkins appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Adechinus" and "Adekinus." This suggests that the name was present in England shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

In the 13th century, the name was recorded as "Atekyn" and "Atkyn" in various documents, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273 and the Subsidy Rolls of 1327. These early spellings reflect the evolution of the name from its Old English origins.

Notable individuals with the surname Atkins include Sir Thomas Atkins (c. 1545-1639), an English Member of Parliament and Lord Mayor of London in 1644. Another prominent bearer of the name was Reverend Henry Atkins (1644-1692), an English clergyman and author of several religious works.

In the 18th century, the name Atkins was associated with the Atkins family of Firville, a notable English gentry family. One of their members, Sir Jonathan Atkins (1720-1794), served as Governor of the British Leeward Islands from 1770 to 1776.

Moving into the 19th century, we find John Atkins (1813-1900), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Holborn Restaurant and the Royal College of Organists.

Another significant figure with the Atkins surname was Sir Robert Atkins (1838-1910), an English judge and legal scholar who served as Lord Justice of Appeal and authored several influential legal texts.

Throughout history, variations of the name Atkins have been found in various places across England, such as Atkynson, Atkyns, and Atkinson. These variations often reflected regional dialects and orthographic preferences.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Atkins families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Atkins 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. Middlesex leads with 1,889 Atkins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.72x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,889 1.72x
Warwickshire 972 3.52x
Surrey 923 1.73x
Kent 886 2.37x
Staffordshire 664 1.80x
Lancashire 489 0.38x
Leicestershire 448 3.69x
Buckinghamshire 400 6.04x
Yorkshire 361 0.33x
Norfolk 346 2.05x
Hertfordshire 311 4.12x
Hampshire 302 1.34x
Somerset 265 1.50x
Worcestershire 237 1.66x
Essex 223 1.03x
Northamptonshire 203 1.97x
Sussex 179 0.97x
Glamorgan 177 0.93x
Berkshire 166 2.02x
Dorset 162 2.25x
Devon 157 0.69x
Gloucestershire 152 0.71x
Derbyshire 150 0.87x
Suffolk 147 1.10x
Oxfordshire 135 2.00x
Durham 85 0.26x
Nottinghamshire 85 0.58x
Wiltshire 79 0.82x
Monmouthshire 76 0.96x
Lincolnshire 69 0.39x
Bedfordshire 58 1.02x
Herefordshire 53 1.18x
Cheshire 52 0.22x
Cambridgeshire 50 0.72x
Huntingdonshire 39 1.79x
Shropshire 36 0.38x
Cornwall 35 0.28x
Rutland 23 2.86x
Denbighshire 22 0.53x
Channel Islands 19 0.59x
Northumberland 19 0.12x
Royal Navy 14 1.07x
Midlothian 9 0.06x
Carmarthenshire 7 0.15x
Isle of Man 7 0.34x
Westmorland 7 0.29x
East Lothian 6 0.41x
Cumberland 5 0.05x
Flintshire 5 0.17x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.09x
Lanarkshire 4 0.01x
Ayrshire 3 0.04x
Argyllshire 2 0.07x
Brecknockshire 2 0.09x
Fife 2 0.03x
Wigtownshire 2 0.14x
Anglesey 1 0.05x
Angus 1 0.01x
Buteshire 1 0.15x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.04x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.03x
Perthshire 1 0.02x
Roxburghshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 244 Atkins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.30x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 244 2.30x
Aston 218 2.87x
Birmingham 195 2.12x
St Pancras London 159 1.80x
Leicester St Margaret 140 4.73x
Hackney London 134 2.18x
Lambeth 129 1.35x
Camberwell 111 1.59x
Battersea 103 2.55x
Coventry Holy Trinity 95 11.51x
Portsea 90 2.04x
Shoreditch London 90 1.89x
Bethnal Green London 84 1.76x
Deptford St Paul 75 2.60x
Paddington London 75 1.86x
Leicester St Mary 73 7.44x
Lewisham 70 3.51x
Bermondsey 68 2.08x
St Marylebone London 68 1.16x
Burntwood Edial 63 26.67x
Kensington London 63 1.03x
Hammersmith London 61 2.26x
Manchester 61 1.04x
Coventry St Michael 60 6.76x
Mile End Old Town London 57 2.44x
Newington 57 1.41x
Bromley London 56 2.32x
Clerkenwell London 54 2.09x
West Ham 52 1.09x
Abbots Langley 51 45.46x
St Luke London 50 2.85x
Watford 48 8.20x
Wycombe 48 9.72x
St George Hanover Square 47 2.43x
Walton On Thames 47 19.17x
Brighton 44 1.18x
Merstham 44 129.91x
Upton Cum Chalvey 44 16.67x
Fulham London 43 2.71x
Liverpool 42 0.53x
Stoke Upon Trent 41 1.05x
Harrow 40 23.89x
Ealing 39 3.98x
Poplar London 39 1.89x
Rickmansworth 37 17.79x
Salford 37 0.97x
Walsall Foreign 37 1.94x
Caterham 36 15.26x
Chelsea London 36 1.09x
Aylesbury 35 11.92x
Hinckley 35 12.15x
Nottingham St Mary 35 0.92x
Reading St Giles 35 4.34x
Bedminster 34 2.05x
Foleshill 34 11.70x
West Bromwich 34 1.61x
Bromley 33 5.79x
Chesham 33 13.52x
Great Yarmouth 33 2.36x
Twickenham 33 7.02x
Greenwich 32 1.83x
Tottenham 32 1.83x
Hornsey 31 2.24x
Willenhall 31 4.48x
Clapham 30 2.19x
Rowley Regis 30 2.91x
Tipton 30 2.65x
Wednesfield 30 5.51x
West Derby 30 0.79x
Leamington Priors 29 4.27x
Maidstone 29 2.60x
Oldbury 29 4.12x
Luton 28 2.85x
Sheffield 28 0.81x
Claines 27 6.88x
Minster In Sheppey 27 4.36x
Nuneaton 27 8.43x
Atherstone 26 18.42x
Cannock 26 4.03x
Wolverhampton 26 0.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 676
Elizabeth 419
Sarah 398
Eliza 227
Ann 225
Emma 210
Jane 204
Alice 176
Ellen 167
Annie 153
Emily 149
Hannah 93
Martha 91
Harriet 84
Louisa 77
Caroline 76
Charlotte 71
Florence 70
Edith 68
Maria 68
Fanny 66
Clara 64
Margaret 64
Rose 64
Ada 58
Kate 57
Lucy 53
Susan 53
Catherine 52
Frances 49
Harriett 47
Anne 37
Sophia 36
Amelia 34
Agnes 33
Amy 32
Rebecca 32
Matilda 30
Minnie 28
Anna 24
Gertrude 24
Lydia 24
Susannah 24
Elizth. 23
Ethel 23
Isabella 23
Julia 22
Esther 20
Laura 20
Maud 20

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 750
John 521
George 437
James 364
Thomas 348
Henry 254
Charles 246
Joseph 190
Alfred 145
Arthur 141
Edward 130
Robert 129
Frederick 107
Samuel 94
Albert 83
Walter 80
Richard 76
Harry 71
Ernest 48
Frank 38
Herbert 38
David 36
Benjamin 35
Edwin 34
Francis 33
Wm. 31
Daniel 27
Fred 22
Fredk. 19
Percy 19
Thos. 19
Fredrick 18
Isaac 16
Stephen 16
Geo. 15
Tom 15
Josiah 14
Mark 14
Chas. 13
Edmund 13
Sidney 13
Philip 12
Joshua 11
Michael 11
Abraham 9
Harold 9
Job 9
Lewis 9
Sydney 9
Alexander 8

FAQ

Atkins surname: questions and answers

How common was the Atkins surname in 1881?

In 1881, 11,186 people were recorded with the Atkins surname. That placed it at #382 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Atkins surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 15,784 in 2016. That gives Atkins a modern rank of #399.

What does the Atkins surname mean?

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

What does the Atkins map show?

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