PERKINSON
Perkinson is a surname that traces its roots to England, originating as a patronymic designation meaning “son of Peter.” The personal name Peter in turn derives from the Greek Petros, which translates as “rock” or “stone.” The suffix ‑son is a common English and Scandinavian construction signifying filial relationship. Consequently, the literal sense of the surname is “son of rock.”
In medieval England, the name Peter was frequently shortened to the diminutives Parkin or Perkin, reflecting a common practice of producing affectionate or affectionate forms of Christian names. The saint Peter was highly venerated in the Middle Ages, and his name was among the most popular across Christendom. The use of these diminutives in the formation of surnames reflects a tendency to attribute a sense of steadfastness or solidity to the person carrying the name.
The earliest recorded spellings of the name appear in the late fourteenth century. In 1379, a Johannes Parkynson is listed in the Poll Tax Rolls of Yorkshire during the reign of King Richard XI (r. 1378–1400). By the fourteenth century, the form Perkynsone began to appear, as documented for William Perkynsone of Warwickshire in 1382 and for Emmot Parkyngson of Whitby, Yorkshire in 1540. In 1564 the name surfaces in the Oxford University Register as Robert Parkinson. The community of early American settlers recorded a Dorithie Parkinson in the Virginia parish of Elizabeth Cittie before 16 February 1623, illustrating the westward migration of the family.
Over time, spelling variations proliferated due to regional pronunciation differences and the lack of standardised orthography. Alternative renderings include Parkyn, Parken, Perkin, Perkin, Perkynson, Parkynson and Perkinsonn. The surname also gave rise to cognate forms such as Parkinson, Parkins, Perkins, Parkyns, Pirkin, and Pierkson, each carrying a similar etymological lineage but differing in orthographic detail.
Heraldic documentation associates the name with a distinctive coat of arms. The escutcheon is red, featuring a chevron between three silver ostrich feathers, the design incorporating black mullets. The crest is a cubit arm, vested in gold and charged with five ermine spots in saltire sable, cuffed argent, and the hand proper holding a red ostrich feather. This heraldic description provides insight into the social status and territorial symbolism employed by the family at a time when arms were used to assert identity and lineage.
In contemporary demographic terms, the surname Perkinson is most common in the United States. Detailed census data indicate that Texas, Georgia, Massachusetts, New York, and Illinois host the largest concentrations of individuals bearing the name. Harris County, Texas, and Fulton County, Georgia, together contain nearly a quarter of all American Perkinson holdings. The population of bearers of the surname has remained comparatively stable over recent decades, although its demographic composition has shifted: the African‑American cohort has doubled since the 1980s, while the White cohort has declined marginally.
Although the name’s English origins are clear, it has also been recorded in Scotland, Ireland, and other parts of the world, illustrating the dispersal patterns of English surnames through migration and colonisation. The Greek root of the name, meaning “rock,” has been retained in the semantic structure of the surname across centuries, denoting a sense of solidity and continuity that remains a defining characteristic of the line.
Typical given names associated with the Perkinson surname
Male
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Female
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Perkinson in...
Braille
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Morse
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There are approximately 31 people named Perkinson in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Fewer than one in a million people in Britain are named Perkinson.
