Origins of the Jenkins surname

What does the name Jenkins mean?

The Jenkins surname is thought to have originated in Cornwall, and is now found across the country (particularly in South Wales). Jenkins is a diminutive of John that means 'little (or son of) John' and has been seen as early as 1086, suggesting it may have existed since before the arrival of the Normans in 1066. The name Jenkins could be given to someone who was the younger in a family bearing the same forename, or as someone who was the son or descendant of somebody named John.

Alternative variations of the name Jenkins

Jenkins, Jenkin, Jenkyn, Jenkens, Jenken

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Delve deeper into the Jenkins family's history

OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 633North West 621Isle of Man 12Yorkshire 899East Midlands 220West Midlands 1091East 899London 4811South East 2257South West 15232South Wales 4521Mid Wales 2883West Wales 72North Wales 237Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

In 1921, most Jenkinses lived in south-west

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Interesting facts about Jenkins

How common is your surname?

107th most common surname in the UK

We have for the Jenkins surname. The oldest one dates back to 1532.

Who were Jenkinses most likely to marry?

Our tell us which families married Jenkinses.

What are the most common Jenkins first names?

John

William

Mary

Elizabeth

Our tell us the names of Jenkins family members
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Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

Common jobs for Jenkinses

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common female occupations for Jenkinses in 1921

Dressmaker

2,060

Domestic Servant

966

General Servant Domestic

911

Laundress

847

House Servant

839

Common male occupations for Jenkinses in 1921

Coal Miner

3,438

Coal Miner Hewer

1,783

Farmer

1,659

Carpenter

1,116

General Labourer

1,087

We found over 340,000 family trees with the Jenkins surname

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