NameCensus.

UK surname

Parkin

An English occupational surname for someone who worked in or was associated with a park or enclosure.

In the 1881 census there were 8,063 people recorded with the Parkin surname, ranking it #517 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 12,610, ranked #513, up from #517 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gateshead, Alfreton and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham and Amber Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Parkin is 13,090 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.4%.

1881 census count

8,063

Ranked #517

Modern count

12,610

2016, ranked #513

Peak year

2000

13,090 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Parkin had 8,063 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #517 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 12,610 in 2016, ranked #513.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 12,201 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Parkin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Parkin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Parkin 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 5,141 #538
1861 historical 5,259 #535
1881 historical 8,063 #517
1891 historical 8,870 #498
1901 historical 10,690 #488
1911 historical 12,201 #402
1997 modern 12,870 #471
1998 modern 13,060 #485
1999 modern 13,085 #489
2000 modern 13,090 #485
2001 modern 12,765 #486
2002 modern 13,007 #487
2003 modern 12,584 #491
2004 modern 12,555 #493
2005 modern 12,293 #497
2006 modern 12,297 #499
2007 modern 12,347 #500
2008 modern 12,389 #505
2009 modern 12,680 #507
2010 modern 12,914 #508
2011 modern 12,755 #506
2012 modern 12,612 #498
2013 modern 12,845 #503
2014 modern 12,942 #502
2015 modern 12,745 #509
2016 modern 12,610 #513

Geography

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Where Parkins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gateshead, Alfreton, Sheffield, Denby,Horsley (Kilbourne) and Rotherham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham and Amber Valley. 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 Gateshead Durham
2 Alfreton Derbyshire
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Denby,Horsley (Kilbourne) Derbyshire
5 Rotherham Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 032 County Durham
2 Amber Valley 006 Amber Valley
3 Amber Valley 011 Amber Valley
4 Amber Valley 005 Amber Valley
5 Amber Valley 004 Amber Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Parkin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Parkin

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Parkin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Parkin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Parkin 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

Parkin 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

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

Meaning and origin of Parkin

The surname Parkin is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "pearroc," which means a small enclosed area or enclosure, typically used for keeping animals. The name is closely associated with the county of Yorkshire, where it first appeared in the 13th century.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Parkin can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, where it is listed as "Perkyn." This spelling variation suggests that the name may have initially been a diminutive form of the personal name "Perk" or "Perkin," which was a nickname for Peter.

In the 16th century, the name Parkin began to appear in various historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1545, where it was spelled as "Parkyng." This spelling variation reflects the influence of the Old English word "pearroc" on the name's evolution.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Parkin was John Parkin (1567-1644), an English clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Bunbury in Cheshire. Another notable figure was Captain John Parkin (1609-1677), an English explorer and navigator who played a significant role in the exploration of the Pacific Ocean.

In the 18th century, the Parkin name appeared in the records of the village of Thorp Arch in Yorkshire, where it was associated with a local family of landowners. One of the most prominent members of this family was William Parkin (1741-1817), a successful merchant and landowner who served as the High Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1796.

Another notable individual with the surname Parkin was Sir John Parkin (1789-1865), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament for Southampton.

In the 19th century, the surname Parkin became more widely dispersed across England, with notable individuals such as George Robert Parkin (1846-1922), a Canadian historian and educator who served as the first secretary of the Rhodes Trust.

Throughout its history, the surname Parkin has been associated with various place names in Yorkshire, such as Parkin Lane, Parkin Cross, and Parkin Rakes, further reinforcing its connection to the region and its origins as a locative surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Parkin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Parkin 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. Yorkshire leads with 4,042 Parkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.19x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 4,042 5.19x
Durham 864 3.70x
Derbyshire 680 5.53x
Lancashire 479 0.51x
Devon 241 1.47x
Middlesex 229 0.29x
Nottinghamshire 221 2.09x
Lincolnshire 154 1.23x
Cumberland 148 2.19x
Northumberland 115 0.98x
Westmorland 105 6.08x
Cornwall 104 1.17x
Cheshire 94 0.54x
Surrey 92 0.24x
Essex 68 0.44x
Staffordshire 62 0.23x
Kent 57 0.21x
Glamorgan 47 0.34x
Warwickshire 24 0.12x
Gloucestershire 19 0.12x
Northamptonshire 19 0.26x
Worcestershire 19 0.19x
Hampshire 18 0.11x
Bedfordshire 17 0.42x
Cambridgeshire 15 0.30x
Somerset 15 0.12x
Lanarkshire 14 0.06x
Hertfordshire 12 0.22x
Sussex 12 0.09x
Angus 10 0.14x
Dunbartonshire 10 0.47x
Monmouthshire 7 0.12x
Merionethshire 6 0.42x
Berkshire 5 0.08x
Leicestershire 5 0.06x
Shropshire 5 0.07x
Pembrokeshire 4 0.16x
Perthshire 2 0.06x
Royal Navy 2 0.21x
Suffolk 2 0.02x
Anglesey 1 0.07x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.02x
Channel Islands 1 0.04x
Dorset 1 0.02x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.06x
Herefordshire 1 0.03x
Roxburghshire 1 0.07x
Rutland 1 0.17x
Wiltshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sheffield in Yorkshire leads with 388 Parkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.66x.

Place Total Index
Sheffield 388 15.66x
Ecclesall Bierlow 257 16.23x
Nether Hallam 183 17.38x
Brightside Bierlow 155 10.15x
Alfreton 136 36.40x
Ecclesfield 111 19.45x
Liversedge 102 29.43x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 90 12.41x
Ripley 80 52.62x
Leeds 76 1.73x
Kimberworth 73 16.90x
Denby 66 175.81x
Bradford 62 3.29x
Horsley 61 82.43x
Lynesack Softley 61 96.61x
Rotherham 57 12.99x
Sculcoates 56 4.54x
St Pancras London 56 0.89x
Doncaster 55 9.67x
Oldham 54 1.79x
South Crosland 54 65.89x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 53 18.75x
Huddersfield 52 4.59x
Longwood 49 39.05x
Bishopwearmouth 47 2.34x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 46 12.72x
Crook Billy Row 45 15.04x
Hoyland Nether 45 23.57x
Codnor Loscoe 44 45.17x
Slaithwaite 43 53.05x
Swansea Town 43 3.83x
Thornhill 43 18.93x
Holy Trinity 41 2.19x
Pentrich 41 59.23x
Wombwell 40 17.62x
Belper 38 15.94x
Barnsley 37 4.61x
Crowle 37 48.40x
Heworth 37 8.03x
Sunderland 37 8.96x
Barnstaple 36 14.03x
Thurgoland 35 66.64x
Brampton Bierlow 34 34.11x
Dodworth 34 42.05x
Saddleworth 34 5.66x
Everton 32 1.08x
Gainsborough 32 10.81x
Gateshead 32 1.83x
Wakefield 32 5.35x
Bowling 30 3.89x
Dukinfield 30 3.74x
Golcar 30 14.58x
Gomersal 29 7.98x
Almondbury 28 7.44x
Handsworth 27 13.12x
Mickleton 27 150.50x
Bradford 26 5.96x
Heanor 26 14.14x
Middleton In Teesdale 26 42.15x
Barnard Castle 25 21.64x
Halifax 25 2.19x
Islington London 25 0.33x
Wortley In Wortley 25 81.70x
Ashton Under Lyne 24 1.18x
Scammonden 24 147.06x
Wath On Dearne 24 15.45x
Gorton 23 2.62x
Lockwood 23 8.21x
Combmartin 22 61.97x
Camberwell 21 0.42x
Heckmondwike 21 8.39x
Hunwick Helmington 21 37.42x
Rawmarsh 21 7.64x
Castleford 20 7.06x
Cleckheaton 20 6.97x
Monk Hesleden 20 30.71x
Morley 20 4.94x
Hulme 19 0.98x
North Bedburn 19 29.09x
Winlaton 19 8.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 638
Elizabeth 334
Sarah 298
Ann 196
Jane 155
Hannah 146
Annie 129
Eliza 123
Emma 121
Margaret 102
Alice 94
Ellen 88
Martha 77
Emily 76
Clara 57
Ada 53
Harriet 53
Edith 41
Florence 34
Anne 33
Maria 33
Fanny 32
Isabella 30
Charlotte 29
Caroline 28
Lucy 28
Catherine 27
Agnes 25
Kate 24
Frances 23
Louisa 22
Susan 22
Harriett 20
Rose 18
Gertrude 16
Susannah 16
Bertha 15
Esther 15
Matilda 15
Ruth 15
Eleanor 13
Grace 13
Minnie 13
Rebecca 13
Selina 13
Betsy 12
Amelia 11
Ethel 10
Laura 10
Rachel 10

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 541
William 516
George 318
Thomas 276
Joseph 223
James 212
Henry 139
Charles 138
Robert 120
Samuel 86
Arthur 70
Albert 62
Walter 62
Alfred 55
Edward 52
Richard 50
Frederick 48
Frank 39
Fred 39
Ernest 38
Harry 37
Herbert 36
Edwin 32
Wm. 27
Benjamin 22
Isaac 22
Tom 22
Geo. 20
Francis 18
Thos. 17
Joe 15
Matthew 14
Ralph 13
Chas. 11
David 11
Fredrick 11
Christopher 10
Jno. 10
Anthony 9
Ben 9
Mark 9
Mathew 9
Jonathan 8
Sam 8
Edmund 7
Joshua 7
Michael 7
Peter 7
Wilfred 7
Willie 7

FAQ

Parkin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Parkin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8,063 people were recorded with the Parkin surname. That placed it at #517 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Parkin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 12,610 in 2016. That gives Parkin a modern rank of #513.

What does the Parkin surname mean?

An English occupational surname for someone who worked in or was associated with a park or enclosure.

What does the Parkin map show?

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