NameCensus.

UK surname

Hankins

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "son of Hankin" or "son of Hancock."

In the 1881 census there were 571 people recorded with the Hankins surname, ranking it #6,089 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 784, ranked #7,037, down from #6,089 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Clapton and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Northamptonshire, Wakefield and Daventry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hankins is 1,002 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.3%.

1881 census count

571

Ranked #6,089

Modern count

784

2016, ranked #7,037

Peak year

1891

1,002 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hankins had 571 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,089 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 784 in 2016, ranked #7,037.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,002 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hankins surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hankins surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Hankins 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 454 #5,427
1861 historical 840 #3,285
1881 historical 571 #6,089
1891 historical 1,002 #4,139
1901 historical 858 #5,324
1911 historical 987 #4,588
1997 modern 842 #6,288
1998 modern 854 #6,411
1999 modern 876 #6,336
2000 modern 841 #6,517
2001 modern 832 #6,453
2002 modern 848 #6,466
2003 modern 823 #6,497
2004 modern 825 #6,503
2005 modern 807 #6,572
2006 modern 794 #6,671
2007 modern 780 #6,830
2008 modern 777 #6,920
2009 modern 799 #6,900
2010 modern 799 #7,035
2011 modern 771 #7,161
2012 modern 771 #7,073
2013 modern 777 #7,142
2014 modern 788 #7,094
2015 modern 781 #7,071
2016 modern 784 #7,037

Geography

Back to top

Where Hankins' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Clapton, St Pancras and Newent. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Northamptonshire, Wakefield, Daventry, Stroud and Cornwall. 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 Clapton Northamptonshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Newent Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Northamptonshire 003 East Northamptonshire
2 Wakefield 027 Wakefield
3 Daventry 002 Daventry
4 Stroud 010 Stroud
5 Cornwall 043 Cornwall

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Hankins

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Hankins

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

Hankins is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hankins 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 Hankins 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 Hankins, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hankins

The surname Hankins is of English origin, derived from the medieval given name "Hankin" or "Hanekyn," which were diminutive forms of the name John. The name first appeared in the 13th century and was initially concentrated in the counties of Cheshire and Lancashire in northwest England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Cheshire Pipe Rolls of 1260, where a "Hanekinus de Baguley" is mentioned. This indicates that the name was already in use in the region during the Middle Ages.

By the 14th century, the surname had begun to spread to other parts of England, with various spellings such as Hankyns, Hankyn, and Hankin appearing in historical records. In the 1379 Poll Tax Returns for Yorkshire, a certain "Johannes Hankyn" is listed.

The name Hankins is also associated with several place names in England, such as Hankin in Lancashire and Hankin Farm in Cheshire. These locations likely derived their names from early bearers of the surname who resided there.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Hankins include:

1. Thomas Hankins (c. 1567 - 1616), an English clergyman and writer who authored several religious works. 2. John Hankins (1615 - 1687), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament for Taunton during the reign of Charles II. 3. William Hankins (1725 - 1808), a British Army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and later became a Member of Parliament. 4. Henry Hankins (1786 - 1857), an English painter known for his landscapes and portraiture. 5. Charles Hankins (1840 - 1916), a British engineer and inventor who patented several improvements in steam engine design.

While the surname Hankins is not among the most common in England, it has a long and rich history, with bearers of the name playing various roles in religious, political, military, and artistic spheres over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Hankins families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hankins 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 88 Hankins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.58x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 88 1.58x
Surrey 81 2.98x
Northamptonshire 43 8.21x
Huntingdonshire 38 34.36x
Gloucestershire 30 2.75x
Hampshire 29 2.54x
Lancashire 28 0.42x
Staffordshire 25 1.33x
Cornwall 23 3.65x
Herefordshire 21 9.19x
Worcestershire 21 2.89x
Yorkshire 17 0.31x
Glamorgan 16 1.65x
Kent 16 0.84x
Lincolnshire 14 1.57x
Buckinghamshire 12 3.56x
Oxfordshire 11 3.20x
Brecknockshire 8 7.18x
Cambridgeshire 8 2.27x
Warwickshire 8 0.57x
Hertfordshire 6 1.56x
Norfolk 6 0.70x
Leicestershire 5 0.81x
Somerset 4 0.45x
Sussex 4 0.43x
Berkshire 3 0.72x
Essex 3 0.27x
Bedfordshire 1 0.35x
Devon 1 0.09x
Monmouthshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 22 Hankins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.91x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 22 4.91x
Stapleton 13 62.74x
Shoreditch London 12 4.97x
Woolwich 12 17.09x
Crondall 11 179.45x
Fletton 11 311.61x
Kenwyn 11 66.71x
Lambeth 11 2.26x
Chawton 10 1111.11x
Old Weston 10 1612.90x
Rowley Regis 10 19.08x
Seale 10 574.71x
Cheltenham 9 10.68x
Islington London 9 1.67x
Ledbury 9 114.80x
Aston 8 2.07x
Leatherhead 8 117.65x
Little Witley 8 1951.22x
Manea 8 358.74x
Merthyr Tydfil 8 8.58x
Shalford 8 266.67x
Spalding 8 45.27x
Warmington 8 610.69x
York St Cuthbert 8 158.42x
Datchet 7 304.35x
Elton 7 451.61x
Kensington London 7 2.26x
Llanelly 7 52.51x
Llanwonno 7 20.09x
Mylor 7 165.48x
Wapping London 7 164.71x
Hackney London 6 1.92x
Huyton With Roby 6 77.52x
Milton Under Wychwood 6 377.36x
Pershore Holy Cross 6 128.76x
Salford 6 3.09x
Stoke Doyle 6 2608.70x
Wonersh 6 176.99x
Almeley 5 434.78x
Barnwell St Andrew 5 1020.41x
Bowling 5 9.15x
Clapham 5 7.18x
Harborne 5 8.30x
Kingston On Thames 5 7.67x
Leicester St Margaret 5 3.32x
Portsea 5 2.23x
St George Hanover Square 5 5.09x
Truro St Mary 5 94.34x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 2.77x
Barton Upon Irwell 4 8.04x
Glatton 4 377.36x
Guildford Holy Trinity 4 77.37x
Havercroft Cum Cold 4 421.05x
Irchester 4 123.08x
Kirkby Cum Osgodby 4 563.38x
Lilford Cum Wigsthorpe 4 1333.33x
Newent 4 72.07x
Newington 4 1.94x
Shadwell London 4 25.66x
Stoke 4 31.23x
Stony Stratford West 4 172.41x
Thorpe Achurch 4 1481.48x
Toxteth Park 4 1.79x
Upwell 4 100.25x
Watford 4 13.44x
Yarkhill 4 476.19x
Eye 3 120.00x
Guildford St Nicholas 3 62.50x
Hailey 3 123.97x
Hanley Castle 3 68.97x
Holt 3 652.17x
Pembridge 3 119.05x
Pirbright 3 217.39x
Spaldwick 3 441.18x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 1.50x
Wanstead 3 15.58x
Woodford 3 103.09x
Hammersmith London 2 1.46x
Hampstead London 2 2.31x
Oundle 2 34.13x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 33
Mary 22
Sarah 16
Ellen 13
Eliza 10
Alice 9
Ann 9
Jane 8
Charlotte 7
Emily 7
Emma 6
Maria 6
Annie 5
Caroline 5
Florence 5
Hannah 5
Kate 5
Ada 4
Helen 4
Rebecca 4
Susan 4
Amelia 3
Anne 3
Clara 3
Esther 3
Fanny 3
Harriett 3
Margaret 3
Martha 3
Rose 3
Bertha 2
Catherine 2
Harriet 2
Julia 2
Laura 2
Lilian 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Maud 2
Nellie 2
Rachel 2
Rosina 2
Sophia 2
Stella 2
Anna 1
Elizebeth 1
Ethel 1
Eugine 1
Eva 1
Katie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 41
George 32
John 27
Thomas 21
Charles 16
Henry 16
James 15
Joseph 12
Alfred 9
Edward 9
Richard 9
Frederick 8
Harry 6
Frank 5
Herbert 5
Albert 4
Arthur 4
Benjamin 4
Stephen 4
Jeremiah 3
Ambrose 2
David 2
Isaac 2
Jas. 2
Mark 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Allen 1
Daniel 1
Earnest 1
Edwin 1
Elijaha 1
Erasmus 1
Gibson 1
Hebert 1
Henery 1
Jacob 1
Jermiah 1
Martha 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Monk 1
Robert 1
Rupert 1
Thoms 1
Tom 1
Warwick 1
Willie 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hankins surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hankins surname in 1881?

In 1881, 571 people were recorded with the Hankins surname. That placed it at #6,089 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hankins surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 784 in 2016. That gives Hankins a modern rank of #7,037.

What does the Hankins surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "son of Hankin" or "son of Hancock."

What does the Hankins map show?

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