NameCensus.

UK surname

Makins

An English surname derived from the occupation of a baker or maker of bread.

In the 1881 census there were 306 people recorded with the Makins surname, ranking it #9,586 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 182, ranked #20,890, down from #9,586 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Whissonsett, London parishes and Sawley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Breckland, Amber Valley and Basingstoke and Deane.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Makins is 318 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 40.5%.

1881 census count

306

Ranked #9,586

Modern count

182

2016, ranked #20,890

Peak year

1911

318 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Makins had 306 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,586 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 182 in 2016, ranked #20,890.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 318 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Makins surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Makins surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Makins 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 192 #10,756
1861 historical 202 #11,906
1881 historical 306 #9,586
1891 historical 291 #11,388
1901 historical 307 #11,472
1911 historical 318 #10,988
1997 modern 220 #16,607
1998 modern 220 #17,074
1999 modern 203 #18,081
2000 modern 206 #17,880
2001 modern 205 #17,683
2002 modern 208 #17,848
2003 modern 205 #17,851
2004 modern 185 #19,114
2005 modern 184 #19,117
2006 modern 191 #18,825
2007 modern 190 #19,088
2008 modern 189 #19,315
2009 modern 192 #19,527
2010 modern 195 #19,762
2011 modern 197 #19,483
2012 modern 179 #20,679
2013 modern 186 #20,502
2014 modern 178 #21,259
2015 modern 180 #20,997
2016 modern 182 #20,890

Geography

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Where Makins' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Whissonsett, London parishes, Sawley, Willesden and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Breckland, Amber Valley, Basingstoke and Deane, Stevenage and Nuneaton and Bedworth. 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 Whissonsett Norfolk
2 London parishes London 1
3 Sawley Derbyshire
4 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Breckland 002 Breckland
2 Amber Valley 017 Amber Valley
3 Basingstoke and Deane 005 Basingstoke and Deane
4 Stevenage 011 Stevenage
5 Nuneaton and Bedworth 018 Nuneaton and Bedworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Makins

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Makins

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Makins surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Makins household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Makins 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

Makins is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Makins falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Makins

The surname Makins is of English origin, deriving from the medieval occupational name 'Malkin', which referred to a maker or seller of malt. This name can be traced back to the 12th century in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Derbyshire.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Makins dates back to the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1208, where a certain Richard Malkin is mentioned. Over time, the spelling evolved to Makins, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and documentation.

One notable historical figure bearing this surname was John Makins (1633-1672), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Christ's College, Cambridge. His name appears in various university records and publications from the 17th century.

Another individual of note was Sir Christopher Makins (1832-1900), a British diplomat and civil servant who served as the British Minister to the United States from 1888 to 1892. He played a crucial role in negotiating the Bering Sea Arbitration, resolving a dispute between Britain and the United States over seal hunting rights.

In the realm of literature, Thomas Makins (1597-1667) was an English poet and translator, best known for his translation of Lucan's "Pharsalia" from Latin into English verse. His work was published in 1649 and remains a notable contribution to English literary history.

The name Makins can also be found in various historical records, such as parish registers, tax rolls, and court documents, indicating its widespread presence across different regions of England throughout the centuries.

One intriguing connection is the possible link between the surname Makins and the place name Makinsyke, a small hamlet in the parish of Ecclesfield, Yorkshire. This place name is believed to derive from the Old English personal name 'Malca' or 'Maloc', suggesting a potential connection between the surname and this specific location.

Overall, the surname Makins has a rich history deeply rooted in the occupational traditions of medieval England, with references spanning various fields, including academia, diplomacy, and literature, leaving an indelible mark on the annals of English history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Makins families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Makins 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 61 Makins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.04x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 61 2.04x
Norfolk 38 8.28x
Lancashire 27 0.76x
Lincolnshire 27 5.66x
Surrey 26 1.79x
Suffolk 25 6.88x
Yorkshire 18 0.61x
Kent 16 1.57x
Nottinghamshire 15 3.73x
Northumberland 13 2.93x
Sussex 11 2.19x
Renfrewshire 7 3.03x
Berkshire 5 2.23x
Rutland 5 22.81x
Essex 3 0.51x
Northamptonshire 3 1.07x
Cheshire 1 0.15x
Durham 1 0.11x
Gloucestershire 1 0.17x
Hertfordshire 1 0.49x
Leicestershire 1 0.30x
Warwickshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whissonsett in Norfolk leads with 17 Makins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2741.94x.

Place Total Index
Whissonsett 17 2741.94x
Islington London 15 5.18x
Bury St Edmunds St James 12 123.58x
Salford 10 9.60x
Kensington London 9 5.42x
Lambeth 8 3.07x
St Peters 8 169.85x
Cathcart 7 55.96x
Chattisham 7 3043.48x
Newton In Makerfield 7 64.52x
Saxthorpe 7 2058.82x
Shoreditch London 7 5.41x
Spittlegate 7 106.06x
West Hoathly 7 443.04x
York St Giles In 7 250.90x
Clerkenwell London 6 8.52x
Westminster St 6 54.55x
Berwick Upon Tweed 5 53.14x
Camberwell 5 2.62x
Ecclesall Bierlow 5 8.31x
Great Casterton 5 1515.15x
Hendon 5 46.55x
Necton 5 617.28x
Reading St Mary 5 27.86x
Tweedmouth 5 90.25x
Walton On Thames 5 74.85x
Westminster St James 5 16.30x
Brampton 4 4000.00x
Everton 4 597.01x
Hove 4 18.12x
Hunworth 4 1818.18x
Manchester 4 2.51x
Battisford 3 681.82x
Gamston 3 1153.85x
Heeley 3 33.37x
Newington 3 2.72x
Sevenoaks 3 36.32x
Torksey 3 1875.00x
Toxteth Park 3 2.50x
West Drayton 3 3750.00x
Aldham 2 833.33x
Carburton 2 1000.00x
Clapham 2 5.36x
Great Hale 2 277.78x
Greenwich 2 4.21x
Heigham 2 8.12x
Kettering 2 17.61x
Newark Upon Trent 2 13.83x
Shadwell London 2 23.95x
Shoreswood 2 769.23x
St Nicholas Lincoln 2 43.86x
Stock 2 317.46x
Streatham 2 9.03x
Willesden 2 7.11x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 1 9.31x
Battersea 1 0.91x
Beeston 1 21.65x
Branston 1 68.49x
Brant Broughton 1 144.93x
Bristol St James In 1 11.61x
Broxbourne 1 24.51x
Castleton 1 2.83x
Chelsea London 1 1.11x
Chirton 1 9.95x
Doncaster 1 4.63x
East Dereham 1 17.24x
East Rudham 1 123.46x
Great Grimsby 1 3.30x
Hackney London 1 0.60x
Hunningham 1 370.37x
Margate St John Baptist 1 5.36x
Mile End Old Town 1 2.12x
Ramsgate 1 6.02x
Shouldham Thorpe 1 357.14x
St Pancras London 1 0.42x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 1 14.90x
Sturton Bransby 1 151.52x
West Tilbury 1 277.78x
Willoughton 1 188.68x
Woolpit 1 94.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Elizabeth 13
Sarah 10
Ann 6
Annie 6
Harriet 6
Jane 5
Eliza 4
Gertrude 4
Kate 4
Caroline 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Martha 3
Alice 2
Charlotte 2
Constance 2
Edith 2
Edna 2
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Esther 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Julia 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Agness 1
Amy 1
Anna 1
Audrey 1
Barbra 1
Beatrice 1
Catherine 1
Charlott 1
Elizh. 1
Ella 1
Emmerline 1
Evelyn 1
Frances 1
Georganna 1
Helen 1
Isabel 1
Jessie 1
Johanna 1
Josephine 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Veronica 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 17
William 14
George 11
Thomas 10
James 9
Joseph 9
Charles 7
Edward 7
Robert 7
Henry 5
Arthur 4
Walter 3
Alfred 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Fredk. 2
Harry 2
Percy 2
Richard 2
Wm. 2
Adam 1
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Alger 1
Bartel 1
Basil 1
Chas. 1
Chas.E. 1
Clifford 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Geoffrey 1
Goode 1
Harington 1
Harold 1
Horace 1
Jeremiah 1
Oscar 1
Owen 1
Pattrick 1
Paul 1
Roberts 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Williams 1
Wm.D. 1

FAQ

Makins surname: questions and answers

How common was the Makins surname in 1881?

In 1881, 306 people were recorded with the Makins surname. That placed it at #9,586 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Makins surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 182 in 2016. That gives Makins a modern rank of #20,890.

What does the Makins surname mean?

An English surname derived from the occupation of a baker or maker of bread.

What does the Makins map show?

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