Hopkins is an English (England) and Welsh (Wales) patronymic surname meaning "son of Hob". It derives from the Germanic warrior name Hrod-berht, translated as "renowned-fame". It was borrowed into French, where the spelling was changed to Robert. The name is also common in Ireland, where it may be an Anglicisation of the Irish Gaelic (Irish language) name Mac Oibicin, of uncertain derivation. Hopkins is an uncommon given name.

The name increased in popularity in, and became associated with, Wales around the 17th century. The Robert spelling was introduced back to England and Scotland after the Norman conquest of England.

People with the name Hopkins include:

*Sir Anthony Hopkins (born 1937), actor *Antony Hopkins, composer *Bernard Hopkins, professional boxer *Bert Hopkins, Australian cricketer *Bobb Hopkins, actor/director, and founder of the National Hobo Association *Brad Hopkins, former NFL offensive lineman *Cathy Hopkins, English novelist *Charles Hopkins, several people *Claude Hopkins, musician *Claude C. Hopkins, advertising man *Constance Hopkins, Mayflower passenger and first Town Clerk of Eastham, Massachusetts *Frank Hopkins, U.S. cowboy *Frank Hopkins (Royal Navy officer), Captain of HMS Ark Royal *Frederick Gowland Hopkins, English biochemist, Nobel Prize laureate *Gareth Hopkins (cricketer) *George Hopkins (set designer) (1896-1985), Academy Award-winning set designer, playwright and production designer *George H. Hopkins (1842-?), Michigan politician *George W. Hopkins, Florida industrialist *George Washington Hopkins (1804-1861), Virginia politician, diplomat, lawyer, judge and teacher *Gerard Manley Hopkins, poet *Graham Hopkins, drummer/musician *Harold Hopkins FRS, British physicist *Harry Lloyd Hopkins (Harry Hopkins), economics advisor to Franklin D. Roosevelt *Herbert Hopkins, cricketer *Isaac S. Hopkins, professor/founder Georgia Institute of Technology *James Campbell Hopkins, United States federal judge *Jeff Hopkins, Wales football player *Jeffrey Hopkins (Tibetologist), American Tibetologist *Jimmy Hopkins, main character of the controversial videogame "Bully" *John Hopkins, several people **John Hopkins (cricketer) **John Hopkins (motorcycle racer) *Johns Hopkins, philanthropist *Keith Hopkins, British historian and sociologist *Lightnin Hopkins, American blues guitarist and singer *Linda Ann Hopkins Shapiro, pornographic actress most known as Tera Patrick *Lisa Hopkins, American opera singer *Mark Hopkins, several people *Matthew Hopkins, 17th century English witchfinder *Maudie Hopkins, last surviving American Civil War widow *Mel Hopkins (born 1934), Welsh international footballer *Michael Hopkins (disambiguation), several people **Sir Michael Hopkins, English architect, founder of Hopkins Architects *Michael J. Hopkins, American mathematician *Mike Hopkins (baseball), Scottish baseball player *Milton N. Hopkins (1926-2007), American farmer and ornithologist *Nathan T. Hopkins, U.S. Representative from Kentucky *Nelson K. Hopkins, New York State Comptroller, 1872-1875 *Roy M. Hopkins (1943-2006), member of the Louisiana House of Representatives *Stephen Hopkins, several people **Stephen Hopkins (politician), signer of the Declaration of Independence **Stephen Hopkins (settler), Mayflower passenger and signer of the Mayflower compact *Telma Hopkins, American actress *Tiffany Hopkins, French pornographic actress *Tim Hopkins, Australian jazz musician *Wes Hopkins, former NFL defensive back