The Jenkins surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 222,653 people carried this name — #102 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 1,320 people counted. That is up 4% from 213,737 in 2000.
What the name means
The meaning of the Jenkins surname
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.
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Jenkins» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 29 births for the Jenkins name in 1890.
They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 1,300 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 4 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Antrim and Dublin.”
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 198 people named Jenkins live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Chubut.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
96 people named Jenkins live in Switzerland.
They live in 10 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Vaud.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 61 people named Jenkins.
Most of them — 52 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 3 départements, most often Paris.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Poland’s population register
33 people named Jenkins have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 116 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 7 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Masovian.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In the Nordic population registers
147 people named Jenkins are counted in Sweden and Finland.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In print
Jenkins in American newspapers,
1851–1942.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 867,482 pages in all carry the name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Jenkins.
- Jedrzejewski 204 · U.S. census
- Jedynak 241 · U.S. census
- Jehan 252 · U.S. census
- Jehl 232 · U.S. census
- Jehle 564 · U.S. census
- Jelen 597 · U.S. census
- Jenn 223 · U.S. census
- Jenne 1,311 · U.S. census
- Jenner 2,574 · U.S. census
- Jenni 174 · U.S. census
- Jenny 1,432 · U.S. census
- Jensen 115,679 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Jenkins is.
A volume says what happened to it.
Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.