2000
#212
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126,951
First available Census row
Per 100,000 47.06
Common Last name
Perkins
Derived from the medieval given name Peterkin, meaning "little Peter" or "son of Peter."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 144,656 Americans carry the last name Perkins. That puts it at #235 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 42.20 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,369 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Perkins surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Perkins with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
145K
1 in 2,369
Census rank
#235
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
42.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
126K
common in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 126,147 bearers of the surname Perkins in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 42.20 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 235th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Perkins, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.8%. The next largest groups are Black (23.7%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Perkins
The surname Perkins is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "perken" or "parken," which means "little park" or "enclosed area." The name first appeared in England during the 12th century, indicating that the original bearers of this name were likely involved in maintaining or overseeing parks or enclosed lands.
The earliest recorded instance of the Perkins surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Perchin" or "Perchyn," suggesting that it was initially a nickname or descriptive surname.
One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Perkins was John Perkins, born around 1200 in Oxfordshire, England. He was a landowner and farmer who held significant property in the region.
During the 13th century, the surname Perkins began to spread across various parts of England, often associated with place names such as Perkins Hill in Worcestershire and Perkins Manor in Hertfordshire. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and enclosed or park-like areas.
A notable bearer of the Perkins surname was Thomas Perkins (1615-1686), an English landowner and Member of Parliament who played a significant role in the Restoration of the English monarchy under Charles II.
Another famous individual with the Perkins surname was Jacob Perkins (1766-1849), an American inventor and engineer known for his contributions to the development of the steam engine and refrigeration technology.
In the literary world, Mary Perkins Bradbury (1837-1917) was a prominent American author and educator, best known for her novels and short stories depicting life in New England during the 19th century.
The name Perkins has also been associated with notable figures in the field of education, such as James A. Perkins (1911-1998), who served as the president of Cornell University from 1951 to 1963, and played a pivotal role in the university's growth and development.
Throughout history, the Perkins surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, politicians, inventors, authors, and educators, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bore this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Perkins
Among Census respondents with the surname Perkins, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.8%. The next largest groups are Black (23.7%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Perkins bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Perkins surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White66.8% · 84,319
- Black or African American23.7% · 29,957
- Two or more races4.7% · 5,878
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 4,327
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 851
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 815
Timeline
Historical Census data for Perkins
Perkins appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#223
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 131,440
+4,489 bearers (+3.5%)
Per 100,000 44.56
Rank movement Down 11 places
2020
#235
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126,147
-5,293 bearers (-4.0%)
Per 100,000 42.20
Rank movement Down 12 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #212 | 126,951 | 47.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #223 | 131,440 | 44.56 | +4,489 bearers (+3.5%) | Down 11 places |
| 2020 | #235 | 126,147 | 42.20 | -5,293 bearers (-4.0%) | Down 12 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Perkins surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #223 | #235 | -5.4% |
| Count | 131,440 | 126,147 | -4.0% |
| Per 100K | 44.56 | 42.20 | -5.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Perkins bearers went from 131,440 to 126,147 (-4.0% change). The surname moved down 12 positions in the national ranking, going from #223 to #235.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Perkins
FAQ
Perkins surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Perkins?
Name Census estimates that about 144,656 living Americans carry the surname Perkins. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,369 residents.
How common is Perkins?
Perkins ranks #235 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Common." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 42.20 per 100,000 residents, which is about 42 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 126,147 people with the surname Perkins. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (144,656), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 42.2 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 42.20 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 42 of them to have the surname Perkins.
Has Perkins become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Perkins went from 131,440 recorded bearers to 126,147. That is a decrease of 5,293 (-4.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #223 to #235.
What does the Census say about the background of Perkins?
Among Census respondents with the surname Perkins, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.8%. The next largest groups are Black (23.7%) and Two or More Races (4.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Perkins in the 2020 Census, accounting for 66.8% (84,319 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Perkins appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (66.8%), Black (23.7%), Two or More Races (4.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Perkins (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Perkins mean?
Derived from the medieval given name Peterkin, meaning "little Peter" or "son of Peter." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Perkins (42.20 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Perkins?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.