Jenkin, of Franconian origin, is translated in English as " Little John" or more literally "John the little".

Forename history

Jen/Jean (pronounced "Jon") being a diminutive of Jehan/Jehannes* (John/Johan*) followed by kin/ken meaning little creating Jenkin or Jenken. *(Referred to as Johannes in the Latin and Germanic referring to the Bible name John.) The name "Jenkin" or "Jenken" first use in England is seen as early as 1086 as a diminutive of the English form of John. It was often translated from the Dutch/French as "John the younger" or seen as "John Jenken". The non-diminutive Jehan/Jehannes (pronounced "Jo-han/Jo-han-nes") was also translated into English as John. When Jen/Jean is present, usually given to a younger child, Jehan/Jehannes is listed as "John the elder" but, never translated as "Big John". Confusion can arise when the sire is listed as John, a son is John (the elder) and another son is John (the younger). Today, in English the term John, Senior is used for the father, while the names of John can use Junior or numeric designation (i.e. "II"). " Jon" the phonetic of John is sometimes seen but only in males as is the younger male nickname of "Johnny". The name " Jean" once pronounced "Jon" in English and once a male name has become since the 16th century a

female name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a fa ...

in English from the French Jeanne.

Surname history

Jenkin is a

surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

variant of

Jenkins Jenkins may refer to: People * Jenkins (name), history of the surname * List of people with surname Jenkins * The Jenkins, country music group Places United States *Jenkins, Illinois *Jenkins, Kentucky *Jenkins, Minnesota *Jenkins, Missouri *Je ...

commonly seen in Welsh, Cornish and in English (mainly Devon) ancestry. Its translation is " Little John" or more literally "John the little". It first was found in

Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( cy, Sir Fynwy) is a county in the south-east of Wales. The name derives from the historic county of the same name; the modern county covers the eastern three-fifths of the historic county. The largest town is Abergavenny, with ...

in the Domesday Book of 1086 and some say earlier than 1066 and the Norman Conquest of England. Its common English use, eventually becoming a surname, may have come as a generic and now obsolete nickname as the "Little Johns". This may have been a 12th Century reference to the Welsh and Cornish people because of their relative smaller stature or more likely as a derogatory for the subjects or illegitimate offspring of King John of England, Earl of Cornwall and Gloucester (1166–1216). Jenkin or Jenkins and its surname variants should not be confused as a shortened Jenkinson and its variants which refers to the son of "Little John".Jenkinson Surname Origin & Last Name Meaning - http://www.searchforancestors.com/surnames/origin/j/jenkinson.php

People with the surname

Alan Jenkin Alan Jenkin (born 10 December 1962) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the St Kilda Football Club The St Kilda Football Club, nicknamed the Saints, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourn ...

(born 1962), Australian rules footballer *

Albert Jenkin Albert Mortimer Jenkin (14 September 1872 – 3 July 1961) was an English-born rugby union forward who played club rugby for Swansea, county rugby for Glamorgan and international rugby for Wales. Personal life Jenkin was born in Ibsley, Hampshi ...

(1872–1961), Wales international rugby player * Anne Jenkin (born 1955), British politician *

Bernard Jenkin Sir Bernard Christison Jenkin (born 9 April 1959) is a British Conservative Party politician serving as Member of Parliament (MP) for Harwich and North Essex since 2010. He also serves as chair of the Liaison Committee. He was first elected to ...

(born 1959), British politician * Charles Frewen Jenkin (1865–1940), British engineer and academic *

Dorothy Jenkin Dorothy Catherine Wentworth Jenkin (née Venning; 23 October 1892 – 13 April 1995) was a New Zealand watercolorist, botanical illustrator and printmaker. She was a founding member of the Invercargill Art Society and participated in campaignin ...

(1892–1995), New Zealand watercolorist, botanical illustrator and printmaker * Fleeming Jenkin (1833–1885), British engineer *

Graham Jenkin Graham Jenkin (born Graham Keith Jenkin, 17 May 1938) is an Australian poet, historian, composer, and educator. Graham Jenkin was born in Adelaide and educated at various country schools and at Prince Alfred College, Wattle Park Teachers Colleg ...

(born 1938), Australian poet, historian, composer, and educator *

Guy Jenkin Guy Jenkin (born 27 April 1955) is a British film director and comedy writer who is best known for working together with Andy Hamilton on sitcoms and comedies such as ''Drop the Dead Donkey'' (1990–1998), '' Outnumbered'' (2007–2014), and '' ...

(born 1955), British film director and comedy writer *

Horrie Jenkin Horace Valentine Jenkin (14 February 1893 – 17 January 1985) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy Fitzroy or FitzRoy may refer to: People As a given name *Several members of the Somerset family (Dukes of Beaufort) hav ...

(1893–1985), Australian rules footballer * Kenneth Hamilton Jenkin (1900–1980), British writer on Cornish topics * Mark Jenkin (born 1976), Cornish director, editor, screenwriter, cinematographer and producer *

Martin Jenkin Martin Jenkin (born 1 March 1975) was an English cricketer who was born in Redruth, and was a left-handed batsman who played for Cornwall. Playing career Jenkin made a single List A appearance for the side during the C&G Trophy in August 2002, ...

(born 1975), English cricketer *

Patrick Jenkin Charles Patrick Fleeming Jenkin, Baron Jenkin of Roding, (7 September 1926 – 20 December 2016) was a British Conservative Party politician who served as a cabinet minister in Margaret Thatcher's first government. Life and career Jenkin w ...

(1926–2016), British politician *

Richard Jenkin Richard Garfield Jenkin (9 October 1925 – 29 October 2002), was a Cornish nationalist politician and one of the founding members of Mebyon Kernow. He was also a Grand Bard of the Gorseth Kernow. Cornish language In 1947, Jenkin was made a ...

(1925–2002), Cornish language scholar and politician * Robert Jenkin (1656–1727), English clergyman and nonjuror * T. J. Jenkin (1885–1965), Welsh professor of agriculture * Tim Jenkin (born 1948), South African writer, former anti-apartheid activist and political prisoner *Brown Jenkin, a “small, furry thing” with a human face in the horror story '' The Dreams in the Witch House'' by H. P. Lovecraft

People with the forename

Jenkin Alban Davies Jenkin Alban Davies (5 September 1885 – 18 July 1976) was a Welsh international rugby union player. Life Davies was born in Aberaeron, Wales. He was educated at Jesus College, Oxford, but did not win a "Blue". He first played for Swans ...

(1885–1976), Welsh international rugby union player * Jenkin Coles (1843–1911), Australian politician * Jenkin Jones (disambiguation), several people *

Jenkin Thompson Captain Jenkin Robert Oswald Thompson GC (13 July 1911 – 24 January 1944) was posthumously awarded the George Cross for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He was awarded the decoration for the courage he showed while serving as a ca ...

(1911–1944), British Army doctor, awarded the George Cross * Jenkin Whiteside (1772–1822), American lawyer and politician

References

{{Surname Anglo-Cornish surnames Surnames from given names

Forename history

Surname history

People with the surname

People with the forename

See also

References