# Jenkins (surname)

Source: https://namelineage.com/surname/jenkins/  
Publisher: Name Lineage. Counts from the US Census Bureau; origin and etymology from Wiktionary; bearers from Wikidata. Data updated 2026-11-11.

A surname originating as a patronymic of Cornish and in English ("mainly of Devon") origin.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | not recorded |
| Type | patronymic, formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name |
| People in the US (2010 Census) | 222,653 |
| US rank (2010) | 102 of 162,253 |
| How often | about 1 in every 1,387 people |
| Change since 2000 | +4.2% (213,737 in 2000) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈd͡ʒɛŋkɪnz/, 2 syllables |
| Variant spellings | Jinkins |

## Etymology

A patronymic surname that is derived from the male given name John + -kin (which forms diminutive )+ -s (denoting "son of") hence meaning "son of little John". It was originally an offshoot of the male medieval name Jenkin/Jankin. The name was brought from the crusaders; it originated in Cornwall but became popular in England and Wales.

## Who carries it

Share of people named Jenkins in the 2010 US Census by the Census's own race and ethnicity groups. The Census suppresses a share when the count behind it is small.

| Group | Share |
|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 58% |
| Black (not Hispanic) | 37% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.1% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 0.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
| Two or more races | 2.4% |

## Similar surnames

Junkins, Jensen, Jenson, Jenkinson, Jenkin, Junkin, Johnson, Jamison, Jansen, Jameson, Janssen, Johansen.

## How to read these numbers

A Census count is people alive and counted in 2010, not births, and names occurring fewer than 100 times are not published at all. Ethnicity shares are the Census's own categories.