Surname Judkins - Meaning and Origin

A Dive Into the Judkins Surname: A Review of the iGENEA DNA Test

The review discusses the fascinating insights into the Judkins surname's history revealed through the iGENEA DNA test. From understanding its connections to various global regions to trace its roots back to the earlier civilizations, the review shares the profound journey of self-discovery facilitated by the test.

I. Judkins

Judkins: What does the surname Judkins mean?

The surname Judkins is of English origin and is derived from a pet form of the given name Jordan. It features the diminutive suffix '-kin', which was generally added to names as a term of endearment. The name Jordan comes from the Hebrew name יַרְדֵן (Yarden), which means "descend" or "flow down". Over time, the name was altered and Anglicized, transferring from a first name to a surname. Hence, the last name Judkins is generally thought to mean "the little one of Jordan" or "son or descendant of Jordan". It is worth noting that Jordan was a popular Christian name during the Middle Ages, especially amongst those returning from the Holy Land, due to the significance of River Jordan in the Bible. The surname Judkins has varied over time with other forms like Judkin, Judd, Judkyn, and Jutkin.

Judkins: Where does the name Judkins come from?

The surname Judkins is of English origin, deriving from the given name Jordan. It was initially used during the Middle Ages as a baptismal name, symbolising the river Jordan. Over time, it evolved into Judkin and then Judkins as a structural change, meaning "son of Jordan." The name first originated in Norfolk, England, where the Judkins family had a family seat as Lords of the Manor.

Migration led to the spread of the name into other countries. Today, the surname Judkins is common in the United States, particularly in states like Texas, Massachusetts, Utah, Illinois, and Michigan. It is also found in England and Australia, albeit less frequent. Additionally, the surname appears in Canada and New Zealand, illustrative of the broad reach of the global diaspora. The Judkins name remains more common in the English-speaking world, due to immigration and historical connections.

Variations of the surname Judkins

The surname Judkins has roots in the Jewish and English cultures. Different variants and spellings could arise due to multiple factors such as regional accents, literacy levels, and cultural adaptations.

Some variations of this surname may include: Judkin, Judkyns, Judkyn, Judkens, Judkings, Judkins, Judkingson, and Juddkins. The name is sometimes seen with a prefix, like "Mc" or "Fitz", depending on the cultural context, leading to variations like McJudkins or FitzJudkins.

Relatives of the surname Judkins, due to its English origin, could be Judd and Judson, owing to the patronymic nature of surnames. These surnames are derived from the personal name Judd, which is itself a nickname for Jordan.

Specific origin of the surname Judkins can be traced back to Middle English, where names were frequently built upon the names of saints, biblical characters, or using occupational or geographical identifiers. In the case of Judkins, the name can be broken down into 'Jud', a variant of 'Judd', and '-kin', a suffix often used to indicate 'son of', hence Judkins can mean 'son of Judd'.

In the Middle Ages, spelling variants of names were commonly seen due to the lack of standardized spelling rules. Therefore, the same names could be spelled differently in historical records.

Famous people with the name Judkins

• Phineas Judkins: famous 19th century American lawyer, advocate, and abolitionist; the first African American to receive an honorary doctorate.
• Sam Judkins: former professional baseball outfielder who played in the Major Leagues from 1945 to 1952.
• Bill Judkins: former professional basketball player who is best known for winning two NBA Championships with the Boston Celtics.
• Ike Judkins: longtime journalist and editor who served as the editor of "The New York Times" from 1969 to 1975.
• Josh Judkins: professional baseball pitcher best known for his with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
• Tonya Judkins: Olympic figure skater from the United States who won the bronze medal in the women’s singles event at the 1984 Winter Olympics.
• Annie Judkins: professional tennis player who was the winner of the Australian Open singles event in 1985.
• Jeff Judkins: former professional basketball player who was one of the original members of the Utah Jazz.
• Pete Judkins: United States Navy lieutenant commander during the Vietnam War who was the first American to be killed in action during the war.
• Hank Judkins: long-time professor of mathematics at Stanford University who pioneered computer-based mathematics instruction.

Other surnames

Judkin