The surname Hopkins comes from the English and Welsh naming tradition, where names often reflect a person's father's name. It is formed from the name "Hopkin" and the letter "-s," which shows possession. The name "Hopkin" is a shortened or nickname version of "Hobb," which itself is a shorter form of the name Robert. The initial letter of Robert was changed from "R" to "H" in this version. Well-known people and characters who have the surname Hopkins include:

Fictional characters

• Beulah Jane Hopkins is a character from the play The Snowdropper by Alun Richards. She was played by Fiona Walker in the 1975 BBC television film version of the same name.
• Jimmy Hopkins is the main character in the video game Bully, which has caused some debate among people.
• Kailey Hopkins is an American Girl character who was named the "Girl of the Year" in 2003.
• Gilly Hopkins is the main character in the book The Great Gilly Hopkins.
• Martin Hopkins is the main character in the book series Pentagram by Anthony Horowitz.
• Hopkins is a character in the television show Mystery and Imagination in the episode "Sweeney Todd." He was played by Peter Sallis.