The Perkins Coat of Arms and Name Meaning
Discover the meaning of Perkins, its origins in England, and the story behind a Perkins family crest.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Perkins coat of arms for you.
Origin of the Perkins name
Perkins is a patronymic from Perkin, a medieval pet form of Peter with the suffix -kin, like Wilkin from William. Peter was a favourite name for boys in honour of the apostle, and its many short forms gave English surnames such as Pierce, Parkin and Perkins. The name is most common in the Midlands and the south of England. Perkin Warbeck claimed the English throne in the 1490s.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Perkins name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Perkins name in England. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, Australia and Canada; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
Get your full Perkins family history
The complete Perkins pack goes much further: documented origins, early records and family spread, plus a hand-checked coat of arms.
Perkins name FAQ
What does the Perkins name mean?
Son of Perkin (little Peter). Common variants include Perkin, Parkins, Perkinson.
Where does the Perkins surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Australia and Canada.
Is there a Perkins coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Perkins crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Perkins coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.