Jenkins Surname

A Fun, Fact-Filled Look at the Meaning and Origin of the
Jenkins Surname

Jenkins Name Meaning

The Jenkins surname is derived from the personal name Jenkin, which itself is a diminutive of the name John. Jenkin combines the elements “Jen,” a pet form of John, and the diminutive suffix “-kin,” which is believed to have been brought to Britain from the Netherlands in the 12th century. The name Jenkin essentially means “little John” or “son of John.” The addition of the “-s” at the end of Jenkin transformed it into the patronymic surname Jenkins, meaning “son of Jenkin.”

Jenkins Last Name Variations

Virtually all surnames have developed phonetic and spelling variations over many centuries in many countries. A person’s last name was often spelled however it sounded to the person recording it.

When you’re researching your branch of the Jenkins family tree, you may find that your ancestors used one or more of these variations of the Jenkins surname: Dzhenkins, Genkens, Genkins, Ginkins, Hienkens, Jenkens, Jenkns, Jennkins, Jenkyns, Jinkins, Seinicín (Ireland), Sinkins.

Jenkins Last Name Origin

Jenkins Last Name Origin in Wales:

The Jenkins surname is deeply rooted in Wales, particularly in the southern regions of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire. According to one theory, the name may have been introduced to Wales by Flemish immigrants who settled in Pembrokeshire in the 12th century.

The earliest recorded instance of the name in Wales belongs to David Jenkins (1582-1633), who was born in Hensol, Pendeulwyn, Glamorgan, to Jenkin ap Richard and Cecil Jenkins (née Aubrey). David adopted the surname Jenkins and grew up to become a prominent Welsh judge and Royalist during the Civil War era. The Jenkins population in Wales was fairly heavily concentrated in Glamorgan by the late 19th century.

Jenkins Last Name Origin in England:

The Jenkins surname has long been popular in the southwestern counties of Cornwall and Devon. In Cornwall especially, the name was often spelled without the ‘s’ as Jenkin.

One prominent Jenkin family in Cornwall can be traced back to the village of St Stephen-in-Brannel in the 1600s. They later moved to St. Austell in the early 1800s to work in the area’s tin mines. However, when the mining work dried up, some members of this family ultimately chose to emigrate elsewhere.

Just across the county line in Devon, the Jenkins surname took its more common spelling. A notable line of Devon Jenkinses lived in the town of Hartland with records of their presence dating back to the 1550s. This makes them one of the earlier documented branches in the southwest region.

While the surname concentrated in the southwest, the name Jenkin also took root in the county of Kent in southeast England. According to Robert Louis Stevenson, his friend Fleeming Jenkin came from an established Welsh family that settled in Kent during the reign of Henry VIII. William Jenkin served as mayor of Folkestone in 1555, initiating a long line of Jenkins holding that office for over 150 years. The family’s wealth allowed them to purchase the manor of Stowting Court in 1633, which remained an anchor property for generations.

Jenkins Last Name Origin in Ireland:

While the Jenkins surname is more closely associated with Wales and southwestern England, some bearers of the name did migrate to Ireland. 

It is worth noting that in Ireland, the Jenkins surname was sometimes Gaelicized to Seinicín, meaning “son of John,” reflecting the name’s original meaning and etymology.

Jenkins Surname Geography

The Jenkins surname currently ranks as the 1,398th most common last name in the world and can be found in more than 150 countries. It’s estimated that over 386,000 people bear the last name Jenkins.

There are about 275,000 people with the last name Jenkins in the United States, where it is most prevalent. The distribution within the country shows the most Jenkins’ in Texas (8%), California (6%), and Florida (6%).

Outside the United States, about 10% of all Jenkinses live in England. The last name is also popular in Australia and Wales.

Places Named Jenkins

• Jenkins, Alabama
• Jenkins, Illinois
• Jenkins, Kansas
• Jenkins, Kentucky
• Jenkins, Louisiana
• Jenkins, Maryland
• Jenkins, Minnesota
• Jenkins, Mississippi
• Jenkins, Missouri
• Jenkins, Nevada
• Jenkins, New Jersey
• Jenkins, Texas

Jenkins DNA Project

The Jenkins Surname DNA Project is a chromosome testing project hosted by FamilyTreeDNA. The project’s main goal is to aid researchers in their quest for the earliest Jenkins ancestor they can discover. There are currently 169 participants.

Jenkins Ancestry Resources

1. The general armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales: Comprising a registry of armorial bearings from the earliest to the present time. London: Harrison.
2. Randall, Henry John. “JENKINS, DAVID (1582 – 1663), judge.” Dictionary of Welsh Biography, National Library of Wales.
3. Stevenson, Robert Louis. “Memoir of Fleeming Jenkin.” Project Gutenberg, September 14, 2012, eBook #698.
4. “Jenkins Family History,” J.J. Harward, 1986.
5. “Jenkins family book; being a partial record of the descendants of David Jenkins and genealogical notes of families intermarried with them” by Jenkins, Robert Edwin, [Chicago], 1904.
6. “Reminiscences of Newell Sill Jenkins” by Jenkins, Newell Sill. Princeton, Privately Printed, 1924.