NameCensus.

UK surname

Matkin

A variant spelling of the English surname Matkin, derived from a diminutive form of the personal name Matthew.

In the 1881 census there were 169 people recorded with the Matkin surname, ranking it #14,324 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 396, ranked #11,967, up from #14,324 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Burton-on-Trent, London parishes and Kirk Ireton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derbyshire Dales, Amber Valley and Newark and Sherwood.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Matkin is 439 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 134.3%.

1881 census count

169

Ranked #14,324

Modern count

396

2016, ranked #11,967

Peak year

1999

439 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Matkin had 169 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,324 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 396 in 2016, ranked #11,967.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 369 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Matkin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Matkin surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Matkin 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 147 #13,084
1861 historical 117 #18,635
1881 historical 169 #14,324
1891 historical 240 #13,123
1901 historical 356 #10,305
1911 historical 369 #9,867
1997 modern 420 #10,608
1998 modern 434 #10,694
1999 modern 439 #10,673
2000 modern 426 #10,878
2001 modern 407 #11,079
2002 modern 427 #10,900
2003 modern 420 #10,862
2004 modern 416 #10,963
2005 modern 410 #10,979
2006 modern 395 #11,364
2007 modern 380 #11,820
2008 modern 378 #11,993
2009 modern 386 #12,044
2010 modern 404 #11,902
2011 modern 401 #11,843
2012 modern 389 #11,963
2013 modern 401 #11,890
2014 modern 404 #11,906
2015 modern 392 #12,092
2016 modern 396 #11,967

Geography

Back to top

Where Matkins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Burton-on-Trent, London parishes, Kirk Ireton, Oakham, Leigh Field Forest and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derbyshire Dales, Amber Valley, Newark and Sherwood and East Staffordshire. 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 Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Kirk Ireton Derbyshire
4 Oakham, Leigh Field Forest Rutland
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derbyshire Dales 007 Derbyshire Dales
2 Amber Valley 007 Amber Valley
3 Derbyshire Dales 008 Derbyshire Dales
4 Newark and Sherwood 006 Newark and Sherwood
5 East Staffordshire 010 East Staffordshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Matkin

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Matkin

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

Matkin is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Matkin falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Matkin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Matkin, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Matkin

The surname Matkin has its origins in England, with the earliest records dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "mat," meaning "mate" or "companion," and the diminutive suffix "-kin," suggesting a friendly or affectionate term.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1190, where a person named Roger Matkin is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use in northern England during this period.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a William Matkin. The Suffolk Feet of Fines from 1310 also references a John Matkin, indicating the spread of the name across different regions of England.

The Matkin surname may have originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who was known as a friendly or sociable person, or it could have been an occupational name for someone who worked as a companion or assistant.

During the 14th century, the name is documented in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a Hugh Matkin is listed. The Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379 also mention a John Matkin.

One notable individual with the Matkin surname was Richard Matkin, born around 1610 in Nottinghamshire. He was a prominent Puritan minister who served as the vicar of St. Mary's Church in Nottingham during the English Civil War period.

Another historical figure was Sir John Matkin, born in 1655 in Lincolnshire. He was a successful merchant and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1717.

In the 18th century, the name appears in various parish records, including those of St. Martin's in Birmingham, where a Thomas Matkin was baptized in 1725.

The Matkin surname has also been associated with place names, such as Matkin Lane in Nottinghamshire and Matkin Farm in Derbyshire, further solidifying its English origins.

Other notable individuals with the Matkin surname include William Matkin, a wealthy landowner in Yorkshire born in 1770, and Robert Matkin, a prominent architect in London during the late 19th century, responsible for designing several notable buildings in the city.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Matkin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Matkin 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. Derbyshire leads with 40 Matkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.50x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 40 15.50x
Lincolnshire 35 13.28x
Staffordshire 22 3.95x
Middlesex 19 1.15x
Lancashire 12 0.61x
Surrey 11 1.37x
Leicestershire 9 4.92x
Durham 4 0.82x
Northamptonshire 3 1.93x
Warwickshire 3 0.72x
Yorkshire 3 0.18x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.90x
Wiltshire 2 1.37x
Cheshire 1 0.27x
Devon 1 0.29x
Kent 1 0.18x
Royal Navy 1 5.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Burton Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 16 Matkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 122.89x.

Place Total Index
Burton Upon Trent 16 122.89x
Winshill 11 666.67x
Kirk Ireton 10 3703.70x
Manchester 9 10.23x
St Peterin Eastgate 9 1097.56x
Hammersmith London 7 17.24x
Leicester St Margaret 7 15.71x
Bakewell 6 425.53x
Harlaxton 6 2727.27x
Penge 6 56.98x
St Nicholas Lincoln 6 238.10x
Chelsea London 5 10.06x
Claylane 5 139.28x
Derby St Werburgh 5 33.56x
Lambeth 5 3.48x
Bishopwearmouth 4 9.50x
Burton Extra 4 125.39x
New Sleaford 4 236.69x
Birmingham 3 2.17x
Stamford Baron St Martin 3 361.45x
Welton 3 789.47x
Everton 2 3.21x
Fovant 2 625.00x
Grantham 2 58.14x
Nether Seal 2 625.00x
St Marylebone London 2 2.27x
Stoke Newington London 2 15.58x
Barrowby 1 217.39x
Birkenhead 1 3.45x
Calton 1 714.29x
Caythorpe 1 196.08x
Chiswick 1 11.10x
Edenham 1 312.50x
Hanbury 1 333.33x
Hessle In Sculcoates 1 69.44x
Hythe St Leonard 1 50.25x
Kensington London 1 1.09x
Market Deeping 1 147.06x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.74x
Offcote Underwood 1 370.37x
Paignton 1 38.31x
Scredington 1 526.32x
Settrington 1 322.58x
Sheffield 1 1.92x
Southwell 1 61.73x
St Paul Covent Garden 1 60.61x
Taddington 1 434.78x
West Derby 1 1.75x
Wirksworth 1 42.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 15
Joseph 9
John 7
George 6
Thomas 5
James 4
Charles 3
Robert 3
Daniel 2
Henry 2
Isaac 2
Alfred 1
Chas. 1
Cornelius 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Geo 1
Geo. 1
Jonathan 1
Jose.Sp. 1
Lem 1
Lewis 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Sarah 1
Walter 1
Wm.H.G. 1

FAQ

Matkin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Matkin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 169 people were recorded with the Matkin surname. That placed it at #14,324 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Matkin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 396 in 2016. That gives Matkin a modern rank of #11,967.

What does the Matkin surname mean?

A variant spelling of the English surname Matkin, derived from a diminutive form of the personal name Matthew.

What does the Matkin map show?

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