NameCensus.

UK surname

Watkins

Derived from the personal name Wat or Walter, meaning "ruler of the army" or "mighty warrior."

In the 1881 census there were 18,128 people recorded with the Watkins surname, ranking it #207 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 25,300, ranked #226, down from #207 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Powys, Blaenau Gwent and Herefordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Watkins is 26,294 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.6%.

1881 census count

18,128

Ranked #207

Modern count

25,300

2016, ranked #226

Peak year

1999

26,294 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Watkins had 18,128 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #207 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 25,300 in 2016, ranked #226.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 24,159 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Watkins surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Watkins surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Watkins 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 12,447 #199
1861 historical 10,154 #254
1881 historical 18,128 #207
1891 historical 16,893 #240
1901 historical 22,093 #217
1911 historical 24,159 #178
1997 modern 25,261 #213
1998 modern 26,161 #215
1999 modern 26,294 #216
2000 modern 26,170 #215
2001 modern 25,500 #216
2002 modern 25,956 #218
2003 modern 25,300 #220
2004 modern 25,257 #218
2005 modern 24,767 #219
2006 modern 24,838 #219
2007 modern 24,995 #221
2008 modern 25,054 #222
2009 modern 25,517 #225
2010 modern 25,988 #225
2011 modern 25,768 #224
2012 modern 25,170 #225
2013 modern 25,763 #224
2014 modern 25,801 #225
2015 modern 25,488 #226
2016 modern 25,300 #226

Geography

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Where Watkins' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Merthyr Tydfil. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Powys, Blaenau Gwent, Herefordshire and Monmouthshire. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Powys 021 Powys
2 Blaenau Gwent 007 Blaenau Gwent
3 Herefordshire 020 Herefordshire, County of
4 Monmouthshire 001 Monmouthshire
5 Blaenau Gwent 005 Blaenau Gwent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Watkins

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Watkins

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Watkins 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

Watkins 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

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

Meaning and origin of Watkins

The surname WATKINS is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English words "waet", meaning "wet" or "marsh", and "hync", referring to a corner or remote place. It originated in England, particularly in the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Herefordshire, during the medieval period.

The name WATKINS is believed to have initially referred to individuals residing near a wet or marshy area, perhaps in a secluded or remote location. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century, with entries in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire mentioning individuals with the surname spelled as "Watekyn" and "Watkyn".

In the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror, several place names containing variations of the word "wet" or "waet" are documented, such as "Watecumbe" in Somerset and "Wateley" in Shropshire, indicating the possible origins of the WATKINS surname.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John Watkins (c. 1350-1422), a Welsh landowner and Member of Parliament for Breconshire. Another notable figure was Thomas Watkins (c. 1558-1634), a Welsh clergyman and author who served as the Bishop of St. David's.

In the 16th century, the name WATKINS gained prominence in Gloucestershire, with the Watkins family of Woodchester Park being a prominent landowning family in the area. Sir Robert Watkins (1577-1631), a member of this family, served as a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to King James I.

During the English Civil War, Colonel John Watkins (1602-1649) was a notable Royalist commander who fought for King Charles I. He was captured and executed by Parliamentarian forces after the Battle of Colchester in 1648.

In the realm of literature, David Watkins (1925-2008) was a Welsh author and playwright, best known for his novel "The Hurst Dancer" and his plays exploring Welsh culture and identity.

These are just a few examples of individuals bearing the surname WATKINS throughout history, demonstrating its enduring presence and significance across various spheres, from politics and religion to literature and military service.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Watkins families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Watkins 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. Monmouthshire leads with 2,341 Watkins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.29x.

County Total Index
Monmouthshire 2,341 18.29x
Glamorgan 2,019 6.55x
Middlesex 1,908 1.08x
Herefordshire 1,548 21.33x
Gloucestershire 1,325 3.82x
Brecknockshire 995 28.11x
Surrey 862 1.00x
Warwickshire 665 1.49x
Worcestershire 624 2.70x
Lancashire 506 0.24x
Kent 500 0.83x
Staffordshire 441 0.74x
Shropshire 428 2.80x
Yorkshire 319 0.18x
Radnorshire 268 18.76x
Somerset 227 0.80x
Devon 226 0.61x
Montgomeryshire 213 5.25x
Pembrokeshire 207 3.68x
Essex 200 0.57x
Hampshire 197 0.54x
Sussex 187 0.63x
Northamptonshire 144 0.86x
Cardiganshire 138 3.20x
Buckinghamshire 131 1.22x
Berkshire 126 0.95x
Durham 124 0.24x
Cheshire 117 0.30x
Oxfordshire 115 1.05x
Wiltshire 115 0.73x
Carmarthenshire 114 1.53x
Nottinghamshire 94 0.39x
Hertfordshire 62 0.51x
Cornwall 57 0.28x
Norfolk 54 0.20x
Leicestershire 53 0.27x
Merionethshire 44 1.36x
Caernarfonshire 43 0.60x
Dorset 43 0.37x
Suffolk 42 0.19x
Derbyshire 38 0.14x
Bedfordshire 33 0.36x
Lincolnshire 33 0.12x
Denbighshire 25 0.37x
Cambridgeshire 22 0.20x
Northumberland 18 0.07x
Cumberland 17 0.11x
Renfrewshire 17 0.12x
Royal Navy 15 0.71x
Huntingdonshire 12 0.34x
Aberdeenshire 11 0.07x
Anglesey 11 0.35x
Channel Islands 10 0.19x
Flintshire 9 0.19x
Midlothian 8 0.03x
Rutland 8 0.62x
Clackmannanshire 5 0.34x
Dunbartonshire 5 0.11x
Lanarkshire 5 0.01x
Perthshire 5 0.06x
Angus 4 0.02x
Ayrshire 4 0.03x
Caithness 2 0.08x
Fife 2 0.02x
Isle of Man 2 0.06x
Westmorland 2 0.05x
Argyllshire 1 0.02x
West Lothian 1 0.04x
Wigtownshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Merthyr Tydfil in Glamorgan leads with 302 Watkins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.19x.

Place Total Index
Merthyr Tydfil 302 10.19x
Bedwellty 270 11.95x
Ystradyfodwg 250 9.25x
Birmingham 246 1.65x
Aston 238 1.94x
St Pancras London 204 1.43x
Trevethin 201 16.63x
Abergavenny 198 41.31x
Aberdare 187 8.84x
Islington London 181 1.05x
Aberystruth 162 14.36x
Monmouth 152 44.79x
St Woollos 151 10.57x
Llanelly 146 34.47x
Camberwell 137 1.21x
Lambeth 136 0.88x
Llanwonno 130 11.74x
Shoreditch London 117 1.52x
Kensington London 109 1.11x
Swansea Town 109 4.31x
Llanover 108 24.71x
St Marylebone London 105 1.11x
Bristol St George 96 5.98x
Hackney London 93 0.94x
Mynyddyslwyn 93 18.42x
Brecknock St John 90 30.15x
Bermondsey 84 1.59x
West Ham 83 1.08x
Battersea 82 1.26x
Bedminster 82 3.06x
West Dean 81 14.36x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 79 2.42x
Cheltenham 77 2.87x
Lower Ystradgynlais 75 34.34x
Westbury On Severn East 75 9.55x
Wolverhampton 75 1.63x
Brighton 74 1.23x
West Derby 72 1.17x
Llantrisant 71 9.14x
Clase 70 6.11x
Llangattock 70 24.28x
Mile End Old Town 67 2.40x
Southwark St George Martyr 67 1.88x
Neath 65 10.36x
Newington 65 0.99x
Newland 64 21.93x
St George Hanover 64 2.77x
Liverpool 62 0.49x
Newport 61 9.99x
Gelligaer 57 8.10x
Llangunider 55 24.94x
Panteg 55 27.29x
Talgarth 55 62.76x
Llanguick 53 9.60x
Deptford St Paul 52 1.12x
Kidderminster Borough 52 3.84x
Llanvihangel Llantarnam 52 21.31x
Cardiff St Mary 51 3.00x
Chepstow 51 23.40x
Ludlow St Lawrence 51 16.76x
Hereford All Sts 50 15.03x
Bromley London 49 1.26x
Kington 49 27.26x
Llantwit Vairdre 49 14.14x
Kings Norton 47 2.27x
Chelsea London 46 0.86x
Cwmdu 46 79.32x
Hampstead London 46 1.67x
Llanwenarth Ultra 46 49.26x
Ross 46 15.93x
Westbury On Trym 46 3.91x
Bethnal Green London 45 0.59x
Christchurch 45 11.37x
Hammersmith London 45 1.03x
Llandaff 45 4.39x
Longtown 45 100.22x
Paddington London 45 0.69x
Cardiff St John 44 4.37x
Aberystwith 43 11.57x
Milton In Gravesend 43 4.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,324
Elizabeth 815
Sarah 599
Ann 396
Jane 364
Eliza 310
Margaret 269
Emma 245
Annie 241
Emily 237
Alice 230
Ellen 223
Hannah 163
Anne 153
Martha 146
Catherine 128
Louisa 112
Caroline 107
Fanny 99
Charlotte 91
Maria 90
Ada 86
Harriet 86
Edith 84
Florence 84
Lucy 66
Clara 60
Harriett 59
Agnes 58
Susan 58
Kate 56
Amelia 53
Rachel 52
Matilda 51
Esther 48
Frances 48
Elizth. 46
Amy 40
Julia 37
Rebecca 36
Rose 34
Minnie 33
Susannah 33
Margret 32
Eleanor 31
Gertrude 31
Jessie 31
Sophia 31
Ruth 30
Isabella 27

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 1,251
John 1,038
Thomas 825
George 562
James 490
Charles 365
Henry 362
David 285
Edward 220
Alfred 204
Joseph 188
Richard 186
Arthur 142
Albert 132
Frederick 130
Walter 119
Samuel 103
Robert 100
Edwin 78
Evan 75
Harry 74
Wm. 71
Ernest 56
Watkin 55
Frank 53
Benjamin 52
Daniel 52
Herbert 51
Thos. 40
Lewis 36
Francis 34
Isaac 34
Tom 29
Morgan 28
Stephen 26
Geo. 23
Edmund 22
Peter 22
Fredrick 21
Chas. 20
Philip 20
Sidney 19
Fredk. 18
Edgar 17
Jacob 17
Leonard 17
Mark 17
Enoch 16
Jas. 16
Fred 15

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Watkins households.

FAQ

Watkins surname: questions and answers

How common was the Watkins surname in 1881?

In 1881, 18,128 people were recorded with the Watkins surname. That placed it at #207 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Watkins surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 25,300 in 2016. That gives Watkins a modern rank of #226.

What does the Watkins surname mean?

Derived from the personal name Wat or Walter, meaning "ruler of the army" or "mighty warrior."

What does the Watkins map show?

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