The Wilkinson surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 53,739 people carried this name — #634 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 5,490 people counted. That is up 2% from 52,483 in 2000.
What the name means
The meaning of the Wilkinson surname
An English surname originating as a patronymic.
From Wilkin + -son.
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Wilkinson» (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 33 births for the Wilkinson name in 1890.
Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 1,500 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time.
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 116 people named Wilkinson 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 Buenos Aires Province.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 89 people named Wilkinson.
Most of them — 75 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 8 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 Switzerland’s population statistics
80 people named Wilkinson live in Switzerland.
They live in 10 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.
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 Poland’s population register
36 people named Wilkinson have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 114 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 10 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Lesser Poland.
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
160 people named Wilkinson 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
Wilkinson in American newspapers,
1915–1922.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 371,907 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Wilkinson,
with a public archive behind them.
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Robert Wilkinson d. 1825 · printseller
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Robert Wilkinson d. 1825 · printseller
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Robert Wilkinson d. 1825 · printseller
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Gerald Wilkinson d. 2019 · politician
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John B. Wilkinson d. 1915 · painter
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John B. Wilkinson d. 1915 · painter
Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Wilkinson.
- Wilczynski 1,414 · U.S. census
- Wild 8,217 · U.S. census
- Wildermuth 1,651 · U.S. census
- Wilhelm 19,913 · U.S. census
- Wilk 5,763 · U.S. census
- Wilke 8,106 · U.S. census
- Will 12,575 · U.S. census
- Willaert 251 · U.S. census
- Willard 21,352 · U.S. census
- Wille 3,734 · U.S. census
- Willem 242 · U.S. census
- Willemain 106 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Wilkinson 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.