NameCensus.

UK surname

Popkin

A diminutive surname referring to a small person or child.

In the 1881 census there were 93 people recorded with the Popkin surname, ranking it #20,593 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 110, ranked #29,225, down from #20,593 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, St John Hackney and Llangynwyd, Glyn-Corrwg. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derby, Rochford and East Lindsey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Popkin is 161 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.3%.

1881 census count

93

Ranked #20,593

Modern count

110

2016, ranked #29,225

Peak year

1911

161 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Popkin had 93 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,593 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016, ranked #29,225.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 161 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Popkin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Popkin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Popkin 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 66 #21,617
1861 historical 47 #28,023
1881 historical 93 #20,593
1891 historical 133 #19,870
1901 historical 127 #19,893
1911 historical 161 #17,072
1997 modern 136 #22,398
1998 modern 143 #22,317
1999 modern 146 #22,202
2000 modern 144 #22,357
2001 modern 142 #22,234
2002 modern 141 #22,794
2003 modern 134 #23,260
2004 modern 141 #22,689
2005 modern 128 #24,076
2006 modern 119 #25,413
2007 modern 119 #25,747
2008 modern 113 #26,920
2009 modern 121 #26,373
2010 modern 122 #26,876
2011 modern 126 #26,060
2012 modern 109 #28,689
2013 modern 109 #29,209
2014 modern 113 #28,779
2015 modern 108 #29,512
2016 modern 110 #29,225

Geography

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Where Popkins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, St John Hackney, Llangynwyd, Glyn-Corrwg, Cardiff St John and St Mary and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derby, Rochford, East Lindsey, Havering and Swindon. 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 Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
3 Llangynwyd, Glyn-Corrwg Glamorganshire
4 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derby 009 Derby
2 Rochford 002 Rochford
3 East Lindsey 016 East Lindsey
4 Havering 026 Havering
5 Swindon 009 Swindon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Popkin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Popkin

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Popkin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Popkin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Popkin 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

Popkin is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Popkin falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Popkin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Popkin

The surname Popkin is of English origin, originating in the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "popp," meaning a small child or little one. The name likely originated as a nickname for a young boy or a diminutive form of the name Robert.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Popkin can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327, where a John Popkyn is listed. Another early reference is in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire from 1379, which mentions a Richard Popkyn.

The surname Popkin is closely related to other English surnames such as Popkin, Popkins, and Popkinson, all stemming from the same root word "popp." These variations in spelling were common in the Middle Ages due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

A notable early bearer of the name was Sir Robert Popkin, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in Gloucestershire during the 15th century. He is mentioned in several historical records from that period.

In the 16th century, the surname Popkin can be found in various parish records and tax rolls across England, particularly in the counties of Suffolk, Yorkshire, and Gloucestershire, indicating its geographical spread.

Another well-known figure with the surname Popkin was John Popkin, a Scottish philosopher and theologian who lived from 1633 to 1670. He was a prominent figure in the Scottish Enlightenment and is remembered for his contributions to the field of epistemology.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Popkin surname continued to appear in various English records, including church registers, census records, and land ownership documents.

In the 19th century, the name Popkin was carried by several notable individuals, such as Henry Popkin (1801-1876), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Leominster.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Richard Popkin (1923-2005), an American philosopher and historian who specialized in the study of skepticism and the history of philosophy. He was a renowned scholar and authored several influential works on these subjects.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Popkin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Popkin 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 62 Popkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.83x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 62 6.83x
Glamorgan 12 7.60x
Essex 9 5.03x
Staffordshire 5 1.63x
Gloucestershire 3 1.69x
Cornwall 1 0.97x
Warwickshire 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 20 Popkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.75x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 20 50.75x
Hackney London 12 23.59x
Bromley London 10 50.10x
Old Tower Without 10 25000.00x
West Ham 9 22.77x
Cwmdu 6 312.50x
Wolverhampton 5 21.24x
St George Hanover 4 33.78x
Coyty Lower 3 291.26x
Tidenham Beachley 3 1578.95x
Shoreditch London 2 5.09x
Birmingham 1 1.31x
Cardiff St John 1 19.38x
Chelsea London 1 3.66x
Coyty Higher 1 625.00x
Madron Penzance 1 26.81x
Roath 1 13.95x
St Marylebone London 1 2.06x
St Pancras London 1 1.37x
Westminster St James 1 10.73x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Popkin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Popkin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 93 people were recorded with the Popkin surname. That placed it at #20,593 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Popkin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016. That gives Popkin a modern rank of #29,225.

What does the Popkin surname mean?

A diminutive surname referring to a small person or child.

What does the Popkin map show?

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