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Perkins Family History

Perkins Surname Meaning

English: patronymic from Perkin also found throughout mid and south Wales.

Americanized form of French Paquin and Paquet 2 or

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Perkins family from?

You can see how Perkins families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Perkins family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Perkins families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 349 Perkins families living in New York. This was about 14% of all the recorded Perkins's in USA. New York had the highest population of Perkins families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Perkins surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Perkins ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Perkins. 17% of Perkins men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Perkins women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Perkins were Truck Driver and Teacher.

View Census Data for Perkins | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    17%
  • Farmer
    17%
  • Salesman
    4%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    8%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Cook
    6%
  • Teacher
    6%

What Perkins family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 804,000 census records available for the last name Perkins. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Perkins census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Perkins

Passenger Lists

There are 57,000 immigration records available for the last name Perkins. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Perkins immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 136,000 military records available for the last name Perkins. For the veterans among your Perkins ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Perkins military records

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