The Perkins Family History

What Does the Perkins Surname Mean? Historical Origins Explained

The surname Perkins is believed to have its roots in the Welsh term Perthyn, which signifies a connection to a specific individual or family. The name has been Anglicized to Peredur, derived from Medieval Welsh. In Wales, Perkins is a widely recognized surname and is prevalent in various regions of central and southern England. Its earliest form appears as Perkin, omitting the terminal 's. ' Many individuals bearing the Perkins surname trace their ancestry back to Wales and England. In England, the surname is particularly common in the counties of Devon, Somerset, Hampshire, Warwickshire, and areas around London. In Wales, the highest concentration of this surname can be found in Glamorgan County. Additionally, in Scotland, the name is notably present in Lanarkshire and Midlothian. In the United States, significant populations of Perkins families can be found in states such as Maine, Ohio, Virginia, New York, Texas, Missouri, California, and Illinois. During the 1880s, the majority of Perkins families were engaged in agriculture. Notable individuals with the surname include Don Perkins, a professional football player with the Dallas Cowboys; Frank Perkins of Perkins Engines; Geoffrey Perkins, a British comedy producer, writer, and performer; Jacob Perkins, a 19th-century American inventor known for innovations in bank-note engraving and the Perkins D Cylinder Printing Press; Edwin Perkins, the inventor of Kool-Aid; Marlin Perkins, a zoologist and naturalist; Sue Perkins, an actress and writer; William Perkins, a 16th-century preacher and Elizabethan puritan; and George W. Perkins, an American film and television producer.