Conklin
A surname likely meaning “son of Con,” with an old Dutch explanation behind the form.
The #1,501 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 12,947 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The 19th-century explanation most often given for Conklin is Dutch: it is treated as a pet or patronymic form built from Con, understood as a short form meaning “bold,” “wise,” or “knowing,” plus a diminutive or filial ending meaning “little one” or “son.” On that reading, the name would mean “son of Con.” The same source also notes a Dutch verb, konkelen, meaning “to plot” or “conspire,” but that is presented as a separate word and not a secure derivation of the surname.
History
Conklin is well established in Anglo-American usage and appears in historical surname lists alongside forms such as Conklyn and Conkey, suggesting some variation in spelling over time. The name is often grouped with other surnames beginning Con-, many of which were interpreted in older works as Irish or Dutch in origin. In the United States it has been present long enough to become a moderately uncommon but familiar surname.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname books sometimes placed Conklin near a cluster of other Con- names, which led to a lot of cross-country guesswork about its origin.
From the historical record
“cifies bold, daring, intrepid. CONKLIN. (Dutch.) From Con, bold, wise, knowing, and Jclein, little or son, i. e., the son of Con. Konkelen, in Dutch, signifies to plot, intrigue, conspire. Ceangleann, Gaelic, the head of the valley. CONNELL or CONNELLY. (Celtic and Gaelic.) From conal, love, friendship. CONNOR or…”
— An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names