Recorded in several forms including Jenkinson, Jenkison, Jenkerson, Junkinson and Junkison, this is arguably an English surname, but one also much associated with Wales. However spelt it is a patronymic form of the medieval male given name Jenkin, itself a diminutive of the nicknames Jen, Jan, or Jon, themselves from the biblical name Yochan, the English John or Johannes. The translation is "The child favoured by god", wiith an early example being that of Janekyn de Sancto Johanne in the register of Oseney Abbey, Oxfordshire, in 1260. The surname from this source was first recorded at the end of the 13th century with Richard Janekyn appearing in the Subsidy Rolls of the county of Sussex in the year 1296. The patronymic form of the name emerges in the latter part of the 14th century, (see below), and in England is chiefly found in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire. Interesting early namebearers include Anthony Jenkinson (1550 - 1611), sea captain, merchant, and traveller, and believed to be the first Englishman to visit Central Asia, whilst Charles Jenkinson, (1727-1808), was created the First Earl of Liverpool in 1796. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Jonkinson. This was dated 1379 in the Poll Tax Records of Yorkshire, during the reign of King Richard 11nd of England, 1377 - 1399. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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