NameCensus.

UK surname

Parkyn

Of English origin, a habitational surname indicating someone from a place known as the park enclosure.

In the 1881 census there were 363 people recorded with the Parkyn surname, ranking it #8,545 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 437, ranked #11,045, down from #8,545 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Columb Major, Redruth and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Parkyn is 489 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 20.4%.

1881 census count

363

Ranked #8,545

Modern count

437

2016, ranked #11,045

Peak year

1911

489 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Parkyn had 363 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,545 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 437 in 2016, ranked #11,045.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 489 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Parkyn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Parkyn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Parkyn 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 259 #8,550
1861 historical 290 #8,686
1881 historical 363 #8,545
1891 historical 425 #8,429
1901 historical 441 #8,830
1911 historical 489 #7,959
1997 modern 469 #9,759
1998 modern 484 #9,841
1999 modern 481 #9,958
2000 modern 483 #9,891
2001 modern 463 #10,009
2002 modern 474 #10,027
2003 modern 459 #10,113
2004 modern 452 #10,270
2005 modern 437 #10,437
2006 modern 456 #10,149
2007 modern 455 #10,239
2008 modern 441 #10,600
2009 modern 459 #10,502
2010 modern 449 #10,931
2011 modern 443 #10,924
2012 modern 439 #10,873
2013 modern 458 #10,694
2014 modern 456 #10,781
2015 modern 450 #10,819
2016 modern 437 #11,045

Geography

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Where Parkyns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Columb Major, Redruth, London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea and Liskeard, St Cleer. 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 St Columb Major Cornwall
2 Redruth Cornwall
3 London parishes London 3
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Liskeard, St Cleer Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 009 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 012 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 019 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 008 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 015 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Parkyn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Parkyn

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Parkyn, 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 Parkyn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Parkyn 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Parkyn is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Parkyn is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Parkyn

The surname Parkyn originated in England during the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "pearroc," which referred to an enclosed area or a small field. The name may have been initially used as a toponymic surname, referring to someone who lived near or worked on such an enclosed area or small field.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Parkyn can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, dating back to 1273. This document mentions a person named Adam de Parco, suggesting that the surname was already in use by that time.

In the late 13th century, a branch of the Parkyn family settled in the village of Parkin, near Whalley in Lancashire. This place name likely originated from the same Old English root as the surname itself, further reinforcing the connection between the name and the concept of an enclosed area or small field.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Parkyn. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Parco and Paroch.

One notable individual bearing the surname Parkyn was John Parkyn, a 15th-century English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Norwich from 1469 to 1472. Another prominent figure was Sir William Parkyn (1472-1541), a member of the English gentry and a prominent landowner in Nottinghamshire.

In the 16th century, the Parkyn surname emerged in various spellings, including Parkin, Parkyns, and Perkin. This diversity of spellings was common during that period due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Parkin spelling can be found in the parish records of Aldborough, Yorkshire, where a man named John Parkin was mentioned in 1567.

Another notable individual with this surname was Captain Thomas Parkin (1599-1677), an English naval officer who served during the Anglo-Spanish War and the English Civil War. He was renowned for his bravery and military exploits.

In the realm of literature, the surname Parkyn appeared in the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, the renowned English poet and author of the 14th century. One of his characters, a yeoman in the Canterbury Tales, is referred to as "Parkin the yeoman."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Parkyn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Parkyn 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 194 Parkyns recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.39x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 194 48.39x
Middlesex 29 0.82x
Hampshire 28 3.86x
Gloucestershire 19 2.74x
Surrey 19 1.10x
Lancashire 17 0.40x
Devon 14 1.90x
Cheshire 11 1.41x
Kent 11 0.91x
Glamorgan 7 1.14x
Somerset 7 1.23x
Yorkshire 3 0.09x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.45x
Derbyshire 1 0.18x
Dorset 1 0.43x
Staffordshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liskeard in Cornwall leads with 41 Parkyns recorded in 1881 and an index of 611.03x.

Place Total Index
Liskeard 41 611.03x
Portsea 21 14.76x
Redruth 14 123.46x
Colan 13 4482.76x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 12 18.35x
Budock 11 364.24x
Islington London 10 2.91x
St Clement 9 215.31x
Bodmin 8 120.66x
Broughton In Salford 8 20.82x
Dukinfield 7 19.38x
Illogan 7 65.98x
Kilkhampton 7 593.22x
Lyncombe Widcombe 7 46.92x
Roath 7 25.00x
Roche 7 343.14x
St Cleer 7 201.15x
St Pancras London 7 2.46x
Farnborough 6 78.74x
Mawgan In Pyder 6 697.67x
Salford 6 4.86x
Folkestone 5 21.34x
Lanivet 5 400.00x
Lanlivery 5 297.62x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 7.02x
St Columb Major 5 150.15x
St Columb Minor 5 148.37x
St Neot 5 316.46x
Bristol St James St Paul 4 17.27x
Chertsey 4 35.87x
Exeter St Mary Arches 4 579.71x
Friern Barnet 4 51.28x
Ladock 4 350.88x
Rotherhithe 4 9.14x
St Austell 4 29.20x
St George Martyr 4 67.00x
St Merryn 4 606.06x
St Veep 4 615.38x
Croydon 3 3.13x
Falmouth 3 21.14x
Kensington London 3 1.52x
Kenwyn 3 28.63x
Lee 3 17.10x
Paignton 3 53.48x
Saddleworth 3 11.08x
St Blazey 3 85.23x
St Stephen In Brannel 3 81.97x
Stoke 3 100.67x
Exeter St Mary Major 2 45.05x
Lostwithel 2 175.44x
Newland 2 34.25x
North Meols 2 4.86x
Penge 2 8.84x
Ramsgate 2 10.14x
Tormoham 2 6.41x
Tranmere 2 6.96x
West Kirby 2 147.06x
Andover 1 14.58x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.07x
Derby St Alkmund 1 6.02x
Duloe 1 84.75x
Lambeth 1 0.32x
Lansallos 1 114.94x
Little Petherick 1 384.62x
Luxulyan 1 75.19x
Mawnan 1 158.73x
Oldham 1 0.74x
Radipole 1 62.50x
St Andrewthe Great 1 34.48x
St Ewe 1 82.64x
St Marylebone London 1 0.53x
Talland 1 106.38x
Tregoney St James 1 135.14x
Tywardreath 1 38.91x
Westbury On Trym 1 4.25x
Wolverhampton 1 1.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Elizabeth 14
Jane 10
Ann 6
Emily 6
Sarah 6
Ellen 5
Anna 4
Annie 4
Caroline 4
Catherine 4
Maria 4
Alice 3
Bessie 3
Clara 3
Bertha 2
Betsy 2
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Grace 2
Harriet 2
Louisa 2
Lydia 2
Marey 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Prudence 2
Rosa 2
Rosina 2
Susan 2
Alma 1
Anne 1
Bethesda 1
C. 1
D.M. 1
Edith 1
Elizh. 1
Elizh.A. 1
Elizh.J.H. 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.A. 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lavin 1
Zoa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 30
John 29
James 16
Richard 8
Charles 7
Daniel 7
Frederick 7
Joseph 7
Henry 5
George 4
Lewis 4
Arthur 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Thomas 3
Walter 3
Elford 2
Harry 2
Jabez 2
Robert 2
A.S. 1
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Colan 1
David 1
Edward 1
Harris 1
Henny 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
J.F. 1
Joshua 1
Josiah 1
Lindon 1
Mathew 1
Maurice 1
Nath. 1
Nathaniel 1
Percival 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Ruben 1
Saml.H. 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Willie 1
Willm.Hy. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Parkyn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Parkyn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 363 people were recorded with the Parkyn surname. That placed it at #8,545 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Parkyn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 437 in 2016. That gives Parkyn a modern rank of #11,045.

What does the Parkyn surname mean?

Of English origin, a habitational surname indicating someone from a place known as the park enclosure.

What does the Parkyn map show?

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