NameCensus.

UK surname

Elkins

From the Old English "Ealhhun," referring to someone who lived near a temple or church.

In the 1881 census there were 1,159 people recorded with the Elkins surname, ranking it #3,459 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,603, ranked #3,878, down from #3,459 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Trowbridge, London parishes and Sturminster Newton Castle. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Test Valley, Bristol and Neath Port Talbot.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Elkins is 1,799 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.3%.

1881 census count

1,159

Ranked #3,459

Modern count

1,603

2016, ranked #3,878

Peak year

1999

1,799 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Elkins had 1,159 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,459 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,603 in 2016, ranked #3,878.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,678 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Elkins surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Elkins surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Elkins 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 696 #3,746
1861 historical 754 #3,625
1881 historical 1,159 #3,459
1891 historical 1,314 #3,306
1901 historical 1,449 #3,513
1911 historical 1,678 #2,917
1997 modern 1,721 #3,463
1998 modern 1,770 #3,503
1999 modern 1,799 #3,477
2000 modern 1,726 #3,595
2001 modern 1,673 #3,625
2002 modern 1,707 #3,639
2003 modern 1,666 #3,645
2004 modern 1,653 #3,669
2005 modern 1,608 #3,722
2006 modern 1,603 #3,726
2007 modern 1,607 #3,755
2008 modern 1,614 #3,768
2009 modern 1,646 #3,792
2010 modern 1,680 #3,800
2011 modern 1,673 #3,768
2012 modern 1,640 #3,754
2013 modern 1,642 #3,826
2014 modern 1,659 #3,812
2015 modern 1,617 #3,867
2016 modern 1,603 #3,878

Geography

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Where Elkins' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Trowbridge, London parishes, Sturminster Newton Castle and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Test Valley, Bristol, Neath Port Talbot, Waverley and Winchester. 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 Trowbridge Wiltshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Sturminster Newton Castle Dorset
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Test Valley 012 Test Valley
2 Bristol 002 Bristol, City of
3 Neath Port Talbot 002 Neath Port Talbot
4 Waverley 009 Waverley
5 Winchester 008 Winchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Elkins

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Elkins

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Elkins, 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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Elkins surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Elkins household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Elkins is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Elkins is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Elkins falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Elkins

The surname Elkins has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "el," meaning "ell" (a unit of measurement), and "ing," a common surname suffix indicating "people" or "belonging to." Thus, the name may have initially referred to people who lived or worked near a specific ell-measured area or landmark.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Elkins can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the late 12th century, where a person named Adam Elkin is listed. This suggests that the name was already in use by that time.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as Elkyns, Elkyng, and Elkyn, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common during that era. Some of these early spellings may have been influenced by the Old French word "elkin," meaning "little ell."

The Elkins surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir John Elkins (c. 1390-1456), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament for Guildford during the reign of Henry VI.

In the 16th century, William Elkins (c. 1530-1590) was a prominent English clergyman and theologian who served as the Archdeacon of Norfolk.

During the American colonial era, Reverend Gerard Elkins (1640-1718) was a Puritan minister who immigrated from England to Massachusetts and played a significant role in the establishment of the town of Brookfield.

In the 19th century, Stephen Benton Elkins (1841-1923) was a prominent American lawyer, politician, and businessman who served as the Secretary of War under President Benjamin Harrison and later as a United States Senator from West Virginia.

Another notable figure was Ephraim Elkins (1872-1942), a celebrated American baseball player who played for several Major League teams, including the Philadelphia Athletics and the St. Louis Browns, between 1898 and 1909.

While the Elkins surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, as a result of migration and settlement patterns.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Elkins families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Elkins 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. Wiltshire leads with 280 Elkins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.86x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 280 27.86x
Hampshire 190 8.16x
Middlesex 172 1.51x
Surrey 129 2.33x
Dorset 79 10.59x
Buckinghamshire 33 4.80x
Gloucestershire 33 1.48x
Somerset 31 1.69x
Lincolnshire 25 1.38x
Monmouthshire 25 3.04x
Hertfordshire 21 2.68x
Lancashire 19 0.14x
Staffordshire 19 0.50x
Berkshire 13 1.52x
Kent 13 0.34x
Northamptonshire 13 1.22x
Yorkshire 13 0.12x
Warwickshire 12 0.42x
Essex 9 0.40x
Devon 8 0.34x
Denbighshire 6 1.40x
Channel Islands 5 1.48x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.83x
Sussex 3 0.16x
Northumberland 2 0.12x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.13x
Royal Navy 2 1.48x
Durham 1 0.03x
Glamorgan 1 0.05x
Oxfordshire 1 0.14x
Rutland 1 1.20x
Worcestershire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westbury in Wiltshire leads with 78 Elkins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 332.48x.

Place Total Index
Westbury 78 332.48x
Sturminster 53 733.06x
Trowbridge 43 96.80x
Whiteparish 43 1004.67x
Farnham 37 85.93x
Lambeth 35 3.53x
Bishopstone 24 501.04x
Ealing 19 18.71x
West Wycombe 19 203.86x
Aberystruth 17 23.47x
St Marylebone London 17 2.80x
Binsted 16 180.18x
Southampton All Sts 16 40.03x
Hemel Hempstead 15 42.51x
Islington London 15 1.36x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 13 6.19x
Chilcomb 13 1092.44x
St Giles In Fields London 13 23.32x
Downton 12 91.25x
Great Grimsby 12 10.40x
Hammersmith London 12 4.29x
Twyford 12 215.44x
St Pancras London 11 1.20x
Bristol St Michael 10 52.33x
Chelsea London 10 2.92x
Guildford St Nicholas 10 102.25x
Kingswinford 10 7.18x
Aston 9 1.14x
Britford 9 135.54x
Frome 9 20.57x
Fulham London 9 5.46x
Harborne 9 7.32x
Kensington London 9 1.42x
Plaitford 9 1323.53x
Portsmouth 9 16.78x
Reading St Giles 9 10.75x
St Michael Winchester 9 189.47x
Warminster 9 40.87x
Carisbrooke 8 24.74x
Hampstead London 8 4.52x
Meon Stoke 8 434.78x
Rodbourne Cheney 8 103.09x
Thornton In Bradford 8 21.34x
Alverstoke 7 8.30x
Bromley London 7 2.80x
Chalfont St Peter 7 123.67x
Christchurch 7 27.55x
Nunton With Bodenham 7 608.70x
Pendlebury 7 24.59x
Richmond 7 9.02x
Ryde 7 13.99x
Shoreditch London 7 1.42x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 7 47.52x
Westminster St John 7 5.06x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.22x
Great Bedwin 6 84.03x
Holdenhurst 6 9.82x
Hursley 6 111.11x
Leyton 6 15.53x
Marnhull 6 110.50x
Paddington London 6 1.44x
Seale 6 169.01x
Shaftesbury St James 6 154.24x
Spittlegate 6 23.88x
Walcot 6 6.16x
Westminster St James 6 5.14x
Yelvertoft 6 306.12x
Abbots Langley 5 42.96x
Barton Stacey 5 231.48x
Elkington 5 1515.15x
Gresford 5 122.55x
Kingsclere 5 46.99x
Newington 5 1.19x
Northwood 5 15.07x
Owslebury 5 151.52x
Portsea 5 1.10x
Southampton St Mary 5 3.41x
St Helier 5 4.56x
St Peter Cheesehill 5 151.98x
West Grimstead 5 537.63x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 59
George 57
James 42
Henry 38
John 32
Charles 27
Thomas 24
Joseph 19
Alfred 17
Frank 15
Frederick 14
Edward 13
Robert 13
Walter 12
Arthur 10
Albert 8
Sidney 8
Ernest 6
Herbert 6
Samuel 6
Edwin 5
Harry 5
Richard 5
David 4
Luke 4
Stephen 4
Chas. 3
Edmund 3
Eli 3
Isaac 3
Thos. 3
Andrew 2
Earnest 2
Ezekiel 2
Frances 2
Francis 2
Fredk. 2
Jacob 2
Jeremiah 2
Mark 2
Percy 2
Sydney 2
Wm. 2
Benjamin 1
Brook 1
C. 1
Enos 1
Ephraim 1
Ezra 1
Wm.Ed. 1

FAQ

Elkins surname: questions and answers

How common was the Elkins surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,159 people were recorded with the Elkins surname. That placed it at #3,459 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Elkins surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,603 in 2016. That gives Elkins a modern rank of #3,878.

What does the Elkins surname mean?

From the Old English "Ealhhun," referring to someone who lived near a temple or church.

What does the Elkins map show?

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