NameCensus.

UK surname

Hunkin

A surname potentially derived from a diminutive form of the given name "Hunkin".

In the 1881 census there were 272 people recorded with the Hunkin surname, ranking it #10,409 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 380, ranked #12,346, down from #10,409 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mevagissey, Petrockstow and St Austell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hunkin is 428 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.7%.

1881 census count

272

Ranked #10,409

Modern count

380

2016, ranked #12,346

Peak year

1999

428 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hunkin had 272 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,409 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 380 in 2016, ranked #12,346.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 384 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hunkin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hunkin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hunkin 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 152 #12,786
1861 historical 119 #18,393
1881 historical 272 #10,409
1891 historical 322 #10,507
1901 historical 359 #10,242
1911 historical 384 #9,571
1997 modern 402 #10,974
1998 modern 410 #11,143
1999 modern 428 #10,898
2000 modern 417 #11,068
2001 modern 401 #11,214
2002 modern 405 #11,335
2003 modern 403 #11,210
2004 modern 408 #11,117
2005 modern 407 #11,041
2006 modern 393 #11,398
2007 modern 385 #11,698
2008 modern 388 #11,745
2009 modern 383 #12,125
2010 modern 393 #12,157
2011 modern 374 #12,464
2012 modern 361 #12,647
2013 modern 383 #12,314
2014 modern 381 #12,426
2015 modern 381 #12,345
2016 modern 380 #12,346

Geography

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Where Hunkins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mevagissey, Petrockstow, St Austell, St Hilary and Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to 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 Mevagissey Cornwall
2 Petrockstow Devon
3 St Austell Cornwall
4 St Hilary Cornwall
5 Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 041 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 030 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 017 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 039 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 036 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hunkin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hunkin

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Hunkin is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hunkin is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hunkin falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hunkin

The surname HUNKIN is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval era in the 12th and 13th centuries. It is believed to have originated in the southwestern regions of England, particularly in the counties of Devon and Cornwall.

The name HUNKIN is derived from the Old English personal name "Hunca," which itself is a diminutive form of the name "Hunna." These names were initially given as nicknames, likely referring to someone with a hunchback or a stooped posture.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name HUNKIN can be found in the Feet of Fines for Devon from the year 1242, where a certain Robertus Hunkin is listed. This official legal document provides evidence of the surname's early use in the region.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms, such as Hunkyn, Hunkin, and Hunkyn, reflecting the variations in spelling common during that time period. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and the individual scribe's interpretation.

The Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landholders in England, includes an entry for a William Hunkyn from Devon, suggesting the name's presence in the area during the latter part of the 13th century.

Notable individuals bearing the surname HUNKIN throughout history include:

1. Roger Hunkin (c. 1500 - c. 1570), an English landowner and member of the gentry from Devon. 2. John Hunkin (1637 - 1704), a English merchant and trader who established trade routes with the West Indies. 3. Thomas Hunkin (1782 - 1858), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and rose to the rank of Rear Admiral. 4. William Hunkin (1812 - 1876), a renowned English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas. 5. Evelyn Hunkin (1892 - 1967), a British painter and illustrator known for her watercolor landscapes and portraits.

The surname HUNKIN has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Hunkin's Farm in Devon and Hunkin's Bridge in Cornwall, further emphasizing its deep roots in the southwestern regions of the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hunkin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hunkin 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. Cornwall leads with 182 Hunkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.21x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 182 54.21x
Devon 49 7.94x
Channel Islands 32 36.42x
Glamorgan 18 3.49x
Kent 6 0.59x
Lancashire 5 0.14x
Middlesex 4 0.13x
Hampshire 3 0.49x
Cardiganshire 1 1.38x
Dorset 1 0.51x
Gloucestershire 1 0.17x
Oxfordshire 1 0.55x
Shropshire 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mevagissey in Cornwall leads with 125 Hunkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 5605.38x.

Place Total Index
Mevagissey 125 5605.38x
St Peter Port 32 196.80x
Neath 17 161.75x
St Austell 13 113.24x
Petrockstow 12 2307.69x
St Hilary Marazion 12 1318.68x
Liskeard 9 160.14x
Bradford 7 1842.11x
Hatherleigh 7 454.55x
St Clement 7 200.00x
Lostwithel 6 631.58x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 10.52x
Beaworthy 4 1333.33x
Down St Mary 4 1212.12x
Dover St Mary Virgin 3 30.64x
Halwell 3 441.18x
Herne 3 66.96x
Kirkdale 3 5.07x
Lymington 3 67.11x
Madron 3 110.70x
Northlew 3 389.61x
Hammersmith London 2 2.74x
Litherland 2 27.17x
St Just In Penwith 2 30.72x
Stoke Damerel 2 4.63x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.78x
Blaenhonddan 1 41.67x
Clifton 1 3.40x
Condover 1 55.56x
Falmouth 1 8.42x
Lampeterpont Stephen 1 81.97x
Lansallos 1 136.99x
Longfleet 1 44.44x
Madron Penzance 1 8.19x
Modbury 1 63.29x
Oxford St Ebbe 1 18.55x
Paddington London 1 0.92x
Perranuthnoe 1 108.70x
Plymstock 1 30.96x
St Ewe 1 98.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 23
John 17
Samuel 14
Thomas 10
Henry 7
James 7
Richard 7
Charles 5
Joseph 5
Frederick 4
George 4
Edmund 3
Edwin 3
Matthew 3
Peter 3
Walter 3
Alfred 2
Francis 2
Sampson 2
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edward 1
Efrad 1
Enoch 1
Herbert 1
J.S. 1
Johanna 1
Josiah 1
K. 1
Lewis 1
Malcolm 1
Marmaduke 1
Martin 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Reginald 1
Saml. 1
Stanley 1
Stephen 1
T.W. 1
Wm.A.N. 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Hunkin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hunkin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 272 people were recorded with the Hunkin surname. That placed it at #10,409 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hunkin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 380 in 2016. That gives Hunkin a modern rank of #12,346.

What does the Hunkin surname mean?

A surname potentially derived from a diminutive form of the given name "Hunkin".

What does the Hunkin map show?

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