NameCensus.

UK surname

Hopkin

A surname derived from the medieval term "hop" meaning small hill and "kin" meaning dweller.

In the 1881 census there were 2,318 people recorded with the Hopkin surname, ranking it #1,919 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,580, ranked #3,925, down from #1,919 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Llanguick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Neath Port Talbot, Swansea and The Vale of Glamorgan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hopkin is 3,151 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 31.8%.

1881 census count

2,318

Ranked #1,919

Modern count

1,580

2016, ranked #3,925

Peak year

1851

3,151 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hopkin had 2,318 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,919 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,580 in 2016, ranked #3,925.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,151 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hopkin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hopkin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hopkin 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 3,151 #919
1861 historical 2,727 #1,077
1881 historical 2,318 #1,919
1891 historical 2,378 #1,977
1901 historical 2,313 #2,350
1911 historical 1,998 #2,486
1997 modern 1,530 #3,843
1998 modern 1,608 #3,826
1999 modern 1,630 #3,803
2000 modern 1,677 #3,687
2001 modern 1,624 #3,721
2002 modern 1,661 #3,716
2003 modern 1,664 #3,650
2004 modern 1,657 #3,658
2005 modern 1,623 #3,686
2006 modern 1,641 #3,658
2007 modern 1,653 #3,662
2008 modern 1,626 #3,741
2009 modern 1,620 #3,840
2010 modern 1,668 #3,823
2011 modern 1,662 #3,791
2012 modern 1,608 #3,832
2013 modern 1,647 #3,812
2014 modern 1,635 #3,867
2015 modern 1,604 #3,895
2016 modern 1,580 #3,925

Geography

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Where Hopkins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Llanguick, Llangafelach and Llanelly. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Neath Port Talbot, Swansea, The Vale of Glamorgan and Rhondda Cynon Taf. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Llanguick Glamorganshire
4 Llangafelach Glamorganshire
5 Llanelly Carmarthenshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Neath Port Talbot 020 Neath Port Talbot
2 Neath Port Talbot 004 Neath Port Talbot
3 Swansea 002 Swansea
4 The Vale of Glamorgan 001 Vale of Glamorgan
5 Rhondda Cynon Taf 031 Rhondda Cynon Taf

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hopkin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hopkin

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

Hopkin 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

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

Meaning and origin of Hopkin

The surname Hopkin originated in Wales, derived from the Welsh personal name "Hopkin" which itself is a patronymic form of the given name "Hob". This name is a diminutive of the Norman French name "Robert". The earliest recorded spelling in Wales dates back to the late 13th century.

In its early years, the surname was found primarily in the counties of Glamorgan, Monmouthshire, and Breconshire in southern Wales. Some of the earliest recorded examples include John ap Hopkin in 1309 in Glamorgan and David ap Hopkin in 1391 in Breconshire.

The Hopkin surname has its roots in several place names in Wales such as Hopkin's Green in Radnorshire and Hopkin's Town in Monmouthshire. These place names likely originated from early bearers of the Hopkin surname who settled in these areas.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname was Reverend Evan Hopkin (c.1620-1711), a Welsh clergyman and author who published several religious works in the late 17th century. Another prominent figure was William Hopkin (1772-1853), a Welsh architect and surveyor who designed various buildings in Monmouthshire and Glamorgan.

The surname also has some historical references in England, including in the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1662 which recorded a John Hopkin in Gloucestershire. In the 17th century, the Hopkin surname appeared in various parish records across southern England, likely due to migration from Wales.

Other notable individuals with the Hopkin surname include John Hopkin (1585-1668), an English Puritan minister and author, and Matthew Hopkin (1621-1688), a Welsh lawyer and Member of Parliament for Monmouthshire during the reign of King Charles II.

Over the centuries, the Hopkin surname has seen various spellings such as Hopkin, Hopkins, Hopkyns, and Hopkyn, reflecting the diverse regional dialects and pronunciations across Wales and England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hopkin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hopkin 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. Glamorgan leads with 1,044 Hopkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.54x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 1,044 26.54x
Nottinghamshire 203 6.67x
Yorkshire 186 0.83x
Cambridgeshire 94 6.57x
Lancashire 71 0.26x
Lincolnshire 69 1.91x
Middlesex 64 0.28x
Staffordshire 62 0.81x
Ayrshire 59 3.49x
Carmarthenshire 59 6.20x
Derbyshire 48 1.36x
Brecknockshire 44 9.74x
Norfolk 32 0.92x
Lanarkshire 29 0.40x
Surrey 28 0.25x
Monmouthshire 27 1.65x
Leicestershire 20 0.80x
Dunbartonshire 16 2.64x
Warwickshire 16 0.28x
Essex 14 0.31x
Durham 13 0.19x
Gloucestershire 12 0.27x
Kent 12 0.16x
Renfrewshire 12 0.69x
Stirlingshire 12 1.44x
Hertfordshire 8 0.51x
Montgomeryshire 7 1.35x
Suffolk 7 0.25x
Cheshire 6 0.12x
Fife 6 0.45x
Huntingdonshire 6 1.34x
Sussex 6 0.16x
Aberdeenshire 5 0.24x
Hampshire 5 0.11x
Bedfordshire 3 0.26x
Cumberland 3 0.15x
Buteshire 1 0.73x
Cardiganshire 1 0.18x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.54x
Devon 1 0.02x
Northumberland 1 0.03x
Shropshire 1 0.05x
Somerset 1 0.03x
Wiltshire 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. Newton Nottage in Glamorgan leads with 74 Hopkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 685.19x.

Place Total Index
Newton Nottage 74 685.19x
Rhyndwyclydach 68 249.18x
Mawr 54 652.17x
Llansamlet Lower 53 148.83x
Llanguick 40 56.76x
Cwmdu 39 81.39x
Cilybebill 38 253.16x
Ystradyfodwg 38 11.01x
Llantwit Major 36 469.36x
Ynisymond 35 1070.34x
Nottingham St Mary 30 3.81x
Clase 29 19.83x
Downham 27 177.63x
St Athan 27 915.25x
Llanelly 26 12.12x
Stoke Upon Trent 26 3.22x
Great Grimsby 25 10.90x
Llansamlet Higher 25 85.18x
Penmark 24 646.90x
Pyle 24 331.03x
Sheffield 24 3.37x
Newcastle Higher 21 78.62x
St Brides Major 21 399.24x
Aberdare 20 7.41x
Colwinstone 20 1219.51x
Brightside Bierlow 19 4.33x
Llangeinor 19 82.04x
Basford 18 12.83x
Dylais Higher 18 273.97x
Greasley 18 26.20x
Llanblethian 17 303.57x
Aberavon 16 44.20x
Batley 16 7.52x
Kirkintilloch 16 19.40x
Lower Ystradgynlais 16 57.41x
Torworth 16 930.23x
Wolstanton 16 6.91x
Burslem 15 6.87x
Sculcoates 15 4.23x
Tythegston Higher 15 125.63x
Eastwood 14 51.41x
Glasgow 14 1.08x
Hunslet 14 4.01x
Llysworney 14 1129.03x
Oldham 14 1.62x
Craigie 13 278.97x
Nottingham St Nicholas 13 31.35x
Radford 13 8.40x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 12 19.23x
Kilmarnock 12 5.96x
Kilwinning 12 21.98x
Llangynwyd Higher 12 63.53x
Michaelstone Super Avon 12 28.18x
Snenton 12 10.03x
St Marylebone London 12 0.99x
Swansea Higher 12 29.29x
Bettws 11 81.12x
Cottenham 11 57.83x
Eglwysilan 11 16.12x
Llandyfodwg 11 49.33x
Llantrisant 11 11.09x
Margam 11 25.07x
New Monkland 11 5.09x
Ashby De La Zouch 10 17.22x
Emneth 10 129.20x
Handsworth 10 16.90x
Llandilo Fawr 10 23.56x
Manthorpe Cum Little 10 36.21x
St Brides Minor 10 140.85x
West Greenock 10 3.18x
Elm 9 64.24x
Keelby 9 157.07x
Linthorpe 9 6.74x
Llanfabon 9 43.75x
Llangennech 9 59.02x
Llanspyddid 9 207.85x
St John Near Swansea 9 18.50x
Upper Broughton 9 354.33x
Upper Ystradgynlais 9 241.29x
West Ham 9 0.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 186
Elizabeth 86
Ann 69
Sarah 48
Margaret 47
Hannah 44
Catherine 42
Jane 37
Eliza 24
Emma 24
Annie 20
Ellen 18
Anne 17
Emily 17
Maria 17
Rachel 17
Alice 14
Louisa 14
Martha 13
Ada 11
Harriet 10
Jennet 10
Charlotte 9
Kate 9
Lucy 9
Margret 9
Minnie 9
Gwenllian 7
Fanny 6
Clara 5
Eleanor 5
Esther 5
Harriett 5
Lydia 5
Margt. 5
Rebecca 5
Susannah 5
Caroline 4
Cathrine 4
Edith 4
Florence 4
Julia 4
Sophia 4
Agnes 3
Frances 3
Grace 3
Joanna 3
Maggie 3
Phoebe 3
Selina 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 177
John 140
Thomas 95
David 80
George 35
Edward 31
Evan 28
James 27
Richard 27
Henry 25
Hopkin 25
Joseph 20
Charles 19
Rees 17
Wm. 16
Daniel 14
Jenkin 14
Walter 14
Robert 13
Arthur 12
Edwin 12
Herbert 12
Samuel 12
Alfred 11
Morgan 10
Albert 8
Benjamin 7
Edmund 6
Griffith 6
Lewis 6
Elisha 5
Frank 5
Frederick 5
Harry 5
Isaac 5
Noah 5
Thos. 5
Watkin 5
Ernest 4
Abraham 3
Ebenezer 3
Enoch 3
Flanders 3
Francis 3
Howell 3
Hugh 3
Philip 3
Sidney 3
Edmond 2
Phillip 2

FAQ

Hopkin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hopkin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,318 people were recorded with the Hopkin surname. That placed it at #1,919 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hopkin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,580 in 2016. That gives Hopkin a modern rank of #3,925.

What does the Hopkin surname mean?

A surname derived from the medieval term "hop" meaning small hill and "kin" meaning dweller.

What does the Hopkin map show?

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