Surname Perkyns - Meaning and Origin
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Perkyns: What does the surname Perkyns mean?
The surname Perkyns is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is derived from the personal name Peter, which comes from the Greek name Petros meaning "rock". The suffix "-kin" is of Dutch origin indicating "little". It was combined with the English diminutive suffix "-s" to form the surname, implying it could feasibly mean "little Peter". Like many other surnames that were formed during the Middle Ages, it is a patronymic surname which can either refer directly to the father of the bearer or could denote the profession of the father. Surnames were created as a method of identification due to the growth of populations and need for personal identification for taxation purposes. This particular name is known to have been first recorded in the latter part of the 13th Century. However, the variations in the spelling of the surname include Perkins, Parkins, Perkyns, and Purkiss among others. The surname and its meaning, like many others, pertains to a specific cultural and historical context.
Order DNA origin analysisPerkyns: Where does the name Perkyns come from?
The surname Perkyns is most commonly found in the United Kingdom today, primarily in Wales and England. In the 1881 UK census, most of the Perkyns lived in Worcester, Shropshire, or South Wales (which includes Glamorgan, Monmouthshire, and Carmarthenshire). As of the 2011 UK census, the majority of Perkyns can be found scattered throughout the West Midlands counties of Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire, and South Wales.
The surname Perkyns can also be found in the United States. The earliest American Perkyns, James and Edward Perkyns, immigrated to Maryland in 1662. From there, many of their descendants spread across the mid-Atlantic region and to South Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Texas. The surname became particularly common in West Virginia during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the first wave of coal miners arrived in the state.
The name Perkyns is likely derived from the Welsh personal name Pyrg, with the '-yns' suffix added on. This surname may have originated in Pembrokeshire, but a likely explanation for its spread across Britain is Wales’ proximity to England and Ireland. From there, the name spread to America with the many Welsh immigrants who came in the 1600s and 1700s.
Although the surname Perkyns isn’t as common as it once was, many people still bear the name today, both in the United Kingdom and the United States.
Variations of the surname Perkyns
The surname Perkyns is an English patronymic surname derived from the personal name Perkin or Piers, which is ultimately derived from the Latin name 'Petrus'. The surname is also found in Scotland and Ireland, where it is an Anglicised version of the Gaelic surname Mac Pàrcein.
Variants and spellings of this surname include Perkyns, Perkyn, Parkins, Parkin, Parkinson, and Parkison.
The Perkyns variant of the surname may also be spelled as Perkens, Parkens, Perkings, Parkings, Parkynes, Perkinsons, Perkenson, Parkenson, Percyn, Pinckins, Pinkins, Pinkens, Pinkenson, Pinkenson, Parkans, and Parkenson.
The Irish variant of the surname is Mac Pàrcein, which is sometimes Anglicised as Persein or Persin.
In Scotland, the surname may also be spelled as Pirkins, Parkyns, Parkines, Parkans, Parkeins, Parkyins, Parkyans, Perkys, Perkin, Purkens, and Pickin.
In Germany the surname may also be spelled as Bérckings, Bergkins, and Berckens. The Dutch version of the surname is spelled as Berkink, Berkinx, Berking, and Berkings.
Finally, the Danish and Norwegian versions of the surname are spelled as Põrken, Pörken, and Börken, respectively.
Famous people with the name Perkyns
- Chris Perkyns: Actor, known for starring in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and The Other Guys
- Bradley Perkyns: British actor, known for appearing in popular shows such as Doctors, Coronation Street, and Detectorists.
- Tim Perkyns: Bassist, known for his work on albums such as It's Bananas by The Jonas Brothers
- Yannick Perkyns: Belgian table tennis player, formerly ranked as the number one U21 player in Belgium
- Hugo Perkyns: Canadian rugby player, also Canadian polo champion
- Max Perkyns: Illustrator and tattoo artist based in Brighton
- Carel Perkyns: Dutch painter, best known for his portrait work which often featured metallic and floral elements
- Wouter Perkyns: Belgian football coach, currently managing the Belgian National Team
- Stella Perkyns: Actress, known for her work on television series such as The Jury and The Bundle
- Billy Perkyns: British voice actor, known for providing the voice of Nemsy in the popular children's game Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon