NameCensus.

UK surname

Jinks

A nickname-derived surname referring to a lively, mischievous person or a person with a distinctive gait.

In the 1881 census there were 1,255 people recorded with the Jinks surname, ranking it #3,241 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,880, ranked #3,382, down from #3,241 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Wednesbury and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sandwell, East Cambridgeshire and Darlington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jinks is 1,992 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.8%.

1881 census count

1,255

Ranked #3,241

Modern count

1,880

2016, ranked #3,382

Peak year

1998

1,992 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jinks had 1,255 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,241 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,880 in 2016, ranked #3,382.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,951 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Jinks surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jinks surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jinks 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 715 #3,659
1861 historical 590 #4,480
1881 historical 1,255 #3,241
1891 historical 1,328 #3,276
1901 historical 1,831 #2,873
1911 historical 1,951 #2,543
1997 modern 1,876 #3,213
1998 modern 1,992 #3,167
1999 modern 1,992 #3,186
2000 modern 1,942 #3,241
2001 modern 1,934 #3,191
2002 modern 1,936 #3,259
2003 modern 1,881 #3,266
2004 modern 1,880 #3,272
2005 modern 1,853 #3,278
2006 modern 1,891 #3,242
2007 modern 1,870 #3,297
2008 modern 1,856 #3,337
2009 modern 1,897 #3,347
2010 modern 1,915 #3,395
2011 modern 1,896 #3,386
2012 modern 1,888 #3,343
2013 modern 1,939 #3,325
2014 modern 1,933 #3,350
2015 modern 1,886 #3,383
2016 modern 1,880 #3,382

Geography

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Where Jinks' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Wednesbury, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sandwell, East Cambridgeshire, Darlington, Doncaster and Barrow-in-Furness. 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 3
2 Wednesbury Staffordshire
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sandwell 004 Sandwell
2 East Cambridgeshire 006 East Cambridgeshire
3 Darlington 006 Darlington
4 Doncaster 012 Doncaster
5 Barrow-in-Furness 001 Barrow-in-Furness

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jinks

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jinks

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

Jinks 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

Jinks falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Jinks

The surname Jinks has its roots in England, tracing back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "jenkin," which was a diminutive form of the name John. Over time, this nickname evolved into the surname Jinks.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Jinks surname can be found in the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1674, which listed a Thomas Jinks residing in Oxfordshire, England. Additionally, in the Parish Registers of Stratfield Saye, Hampshire, a record from 1613 mentions a William Jinks.

The Jinks surname has also been linked to various place names across England. For instance, the village of Jink's Green in Buckinghamshire may have derived its name from a family or individual bearing the Jinks surname.

Notable individuals with the surname Jinks include Edward Jinks (1570-1638), an English minister and author who published several works on theology and religious matters. Another noteworthy figure was Francis Jinks (1688-1773), a renowned architect from Worcestershire, who designed several prominent buildings in the region.

In the literary world, Henrietta Jinks (1795-1857) was a prolific writer and poet from Kent, known for her collection of poems titled "Wildflowers of Thought." Additionally, William Jinks (1826-1901) was a respected painter and illustrator from Cornwall, recognized for his depictions of rural life and landscapes.

The Jinks surname has also been associated with historical figures from different eras. One such individual was John Jinks (1543-1617), a merchant and landowner from Somerset, who played a significant role in the local economy during the Elizabethan era.

While the origins of the Jinks surname can be traced back to England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and other English-speaking countries. However, this report focuses solely on the historical roots and notable individuals associated with this surname in its country of origin.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jinks families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jinks 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. Staffordshire leads with 190 Jinks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.60x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 190 4.60x
Warwickshire 167 5.41x
Cheshire 119 4.41x
Northamptonshire 113 9.82x
Worcestershire 91 5.70x
Lancashire 90 0.62x
Middlesex 65 0.53x
Yorkshire 60 0.49x
Huntingdonshire 55 22.64x
Sussex 40 1.94x
Surrey 28 0.47x
Lincolnshire 25 1.28x
Devon 21 0.82x
Herefordshire 21 4.19x
Renfrewshire 21 2.22x
Shropshire 16 1.51x
Leicestershire 15 1.11x
Midlothian 15 0.92x
Nottinghamshire 14 0.85x
Cambridgeshire 11 1.42x
Derbyshire 8 0.42x
Durham 8 0.22x
Hertfordshire 8 0.95x
Kent 8 0.19x
Gloucestershire 6 0.25x
Lanarkshire 6 0.15x
Suffolk 6 0.40x
Clackmannanshire 5 4.95x
Essex 5 0.21x
Flintshire 4 1.22x
Norfolk 4 0.21x
Denbighshire 2 0.43x
Hampshire 2 0.08x
Royal Navy 2 1.37x
Cornwall 1 0.07x
Cumberland 1 0.09x
Northumberland 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. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 81 Jinks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.54x.

Place Total Index
Aston 81 9.54x
Birmingham 73 7.10x
Oldham 36 7.68x
West Bromwich 29 12.27x
Peterborough 28 33.61x
Marple 21 113.27x
Kingswinford 17 11.34x
Tipton 17 13.45x
Farcett 16 535.12x
Morborn 16 4444.44x
Upton On Severn 16 152.96x
Stoke Damerel 15 8.42x
Wednesbury 15 14.54x
Harborne 14 10.58x
Hastings St Mary 14 27.27x
Newcastle Under Lyme 14 19.16x
Stoke Upon Trent 14 3.20x
Little Weldon 13 684.21x
Sandbach 13 56.45x
Thornaby 13 28.70x
Bollington In 12 49.92x
Inchinnan 12 560.75x
Croydon 11 3.32x
Evesham St Lawrence 10 117.79x
Folksworth 10 1176.47x
Hugglescote 10 50.13x
Kings Norton 10 6.98x
Newborough 10 340.14x
Polebrook 10 529.10x
South Leith 10 5.42x
Stoke Prior 10 101.52x
Abbey 9 6.22x
Chester St Michael 9 283.02x
Codsall 9 153.32x
Farnsfield 9 205.95x
Monks Coppenhall 9 8.83x
Moulton 9 95.64x
Sedgley 9 5.87x
Whittlesey St Mary St 9 33.26x
Betchton 8 231.21x
Darlaston 8 14.02x
Great Weldon 8 640.00x
Liverpool 8 0.91x
Northfield 8 26.39x
Selby 8 31.58x
St George In East London 8 6.95x
Benefield 7 353.54x
Chadderton 7 9.86x
Everton 7 1.51x
Hampstead London 7 3.67x
Kettering 7 15.04x
Kidderminster Borough 7 7.49x
Lambeth 7 0.66x
Rowley Regis 7 6.08x
St Pancras London 7 0.71x
Tudhoe 7 21.98x
Watford 7 10.71x
Wolverley 7 49.93x
Worcester Blockhouse 7 79.82x
Altrincham 6 12.72x
Bridgemere 6 1071.43x
Cradley 6 81.74x
Deene 6 645.16x
Drayton Bassett 6 320.86x
East Grinstead 6 20.56x
Govan 6 0.61x
Grinshill 6 416.67x
Madley 6 169.97x
Methley 6 35.15x
Newchurch 6 5.05x
Stockport 6 4.32x
Weston 6 169.49x
Wettenhall 6 666.67x
Derby St Alkmund 5 8.71x
East Hardwick 5 526.32x
Evesham All Sts 5 67.11x
Hastings St Leonards 5 16.49x
Heaton Norris 5 6.05x
Mile End Old Town London 5 1.92x
Walsall Foreign 5 2.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 88
Sarah 60
Elizabeth 49
Eliza 33
Emma 29
Ann 27
Jane 19
Alice 15
Annie 15
Emily 13
Ellen 12
Fanny 11
Louisa 11
Martha 9
Anne 8
Frances 7
Hannah 7
Harriet 7
Lucy 7
Caroline 6
Clara 6
Sophia 6
Betsy 5
Catherine 5
Charlotte 5
Rose 5
Susannah 5
Amy 4
Florence 4
Isabella 4
Kate 4
Margaret 4
Matilda 4
Rebecca 4
Elizth. 3
Minnie 3
Rosa 3
Ruth 3
Susan 3
Agnes 2
Bridget 2
Edith 2
Elizh.S. 2
Esther 2
Francis 2
Julia 2
Lizzie 2
Maud 2
Nellie 2
Phoebe 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 88
John 71
Thomas 65
George 48
James 37
Charles 32
Joseph 22
Edward 19
Samuel 18
Henry 17
Robert 17
Arthur 13
Alfred 12
Richard 12
Frederick 11
Benjamin 10
Albert 8
Herbert 8
Ernest 7
David 5
Edwin 5
Frank 5
Thos. 5
Walter 5
Harry 4
Isaac 4
Wm. 4
Aaron 2
Christopher 2
Francis 2
Fredrick 2
Michael 2
Robt. 2
Titus 2
Absolom 1
Arther 1
Chas. 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Geo.F.B. 1
Geo.W. 1
Geog. 1
Jomes 1
Joshh. 1
Laurence 1
Lewin 1
Louis 1
Luen 1
Mark 1
Wm.Thos. 1

FAQ

Jinks surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jinks surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,255 people were recorded with the Jinks surname. That placed it at #3,241 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jinks surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,880 in 2016. That gives Jinks a modern rank of #3,382.

What does the Jinks surname mean?

A nickname-derived surname referring to a lively, mischievous person or a person with a distinctive gait.

What does the Jinks map show?

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