Watkins is an English and Welsh surname derived as a patronymic from Watkin, in turn a diminutive of the name Watt (also Wat), a popular Middle English given name itself derived as a pet form of the name Walter.

Notable people with the surname include:

• A. W. Watkins (1895–1970), English sound engineer
• Aaron Watkins (golfer) (born 1982), American golfer
• Aaron S. Watkins (1863–1941), American academic and politician
• Alan Watkins (1933–2010), Welsh journalist
• Alfred Watkins (1855–1935), English proponent of ley lines, pioneer photographer, author
• Alfred Ernest Watkins (1878–1957), Welsh footballer
• Ali Watkins (born 1992), American journalist
• Allan Watkins (1922–2011), Welsh cricketer
• Ann E. Watkins, American mathematician
• Anna Watkins (born 1983), English rower
• Arthur E. Watkins (1898–1967), English botanist
• Arthur Vivian Watkins (1886–1973), American politician
• Austin Watkins (born 1998), American football player
• Barry Watkins (1921–2004), Welsh footballer
• Benjamin Watkins, Australian politician
• Ben Watkins, English musician, leader of Juno Reactor
• Beverly Watkins (1939–2019), American blues guitarist
• Bill Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• Bob Watkins (born 1948), American baseball player
• Boyce Watkins (born 1971), American economist, academic and social commentator
• Bruce R. Watkins (1924–1980), American activist
• Calvert Watkins (1933–2013), American linguist
• Carlene Watkins (born 1952), American actress
• Carleton Watkins (1829–1916), American photographer
• Carlos Watkins (born 1993), American football player
• Charles Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• Charlie Watkins (footballer) (1921–1998), Scottish professional football player and manager
• Charlie Watkins (audio engineer) (1923–2014), British audio engineer
• Chloe Watkins (born 1992), Irish field hockey player
• Christine Watkins (born 1950), American politician
• Claire Vaye Watkins (born 1984), American author
• Craig Watkins (born 1967), American lawyer
• D. Watkins (born 1980), American author
• Daniel Watkins (businessman) (1918–1982), New Zealand businessman
• Danny Watkins (born 1984), American football player
• Darren Watkins Jr. (born 2005), known professionally as IShowSpeed, American YouTuber and streamer
• Darryl Watkins (born 1984), American basketball player
• David Watkins (disambiguation), also Dave Watkins, multiple people
• Dean Watkins, American engineer and candidate for Vice-President
• Derek Watkins (disambiguation), also Derrick Watkins, multiple people
• Diante Watkins (born 1990), American basketball player
• Doc Watkins (born 1981), American musician
• Doug Watkins (1934–1962), American jazz bassist
• Dudley D. Watkins (1907–1969), English comics artist and Desperate Dan creator
• Edgar Watkins (1887–1960), British gymnast
• Edward Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• Elwyn Watkins (born 1963), British politician
• Emily Watkins, British chef
• Emma Watkins (born 1989), Australian singer, actress, and dancer
• Enid Watkins (1890–1971), American singer and dancer
• Eric Watkins (1880–1949), New Zealand rugby footballer
• Ernest Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• Elizabeth Watkins (1923–2012), English author
• Elliott Watkins, actor
• Fenwick Watkins (1887–1943), American athlete and coach
• Frank Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• Frederick Watkins (disambiguation), also Fred Watkins, multiple people
• George D. Watkins (born 1924), American physicist
• Geraint Watkins (born 1951), Welsh musician
• Gérard Watkins (born 1965), English actor
• Gino Watkins (1907–1932), British Arctic explorer
• Glenn Watkins (1927–2021), American musicologist
• Gloria Watkins (1952–2021), African-American writer known as bell hooks
• Gordon Watkins (1907–1974), American football player
• Gordon Samuel Watkins (1889–1970), American labor economist and university administrator
• Harry Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• Harvey Watkins (1869–1949), American baseball manager
• Harvey Watkins Jr. (born 1954), American musician
• Henry Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• Hugh Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• Ian Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• Islwyn Watkins (1938–2018), Welsh artist
• J. Elfreth Watkins (1852–1903), American engineer
• Jackie Watkins (born 1949), Australian politician
• Jacoby Watkins (born 1984), American football coach
• Jameel Watkins (born 1977), American basketball player
• James Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• Jaylen Watkins (born 1991), American football player
• Jenny Watkins-Isnardi, Welsh singer
• Jason Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• Jessica Watkins (born 1988), American astronaut
• Jim Watkins (disambiguation), also Jimmy Watkins, multiple people
• John Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• Jordan Watkins (born 2002), American football player
• Joseph Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• JuJu Watkins (born 2005), American basketball player
• Kallum Watkins (born 1991), British rugby league footballer
• Kathleen Watkins (born 1934), Irish broadcaster, actress, and musician, wife of Gay Byrne
• Kit Watkins (born 1953), American musician
• Kobie Watkins (born 1975), American percussionist
• Larry Watkins (born 1946), American football player
• Leonard Watkins (1859–1901), Welsh international rugby player
• Les Watkins (born 1914), Australian rules footballer
• Levi Watkins (1944–2015), American heart surgeon and civil rights activist
• Linda Watkins (1908–1976), American actress
• Linda R. Watkins (born 1954), American biochemists and physiologists
• Logan Watkins (born 1989), American baseball player
• Lovelace Watkins (1933–1995), American singer
• Luke Watkins (born 1989), British boxer
• Lynn B. Watkins (1836–1901), American judge
• Margaret Watkins (1884–1969), Canadian photographer
• Marley Watkins (born 1990), Welsh footballer
• Mart Watkins (1880–1942), Welsh footballer
• Mary Watkins (born 1939), American musician and composer
• Mary Watkins, Baroness Watkins of Tavistock (born 1955), British peer
• Matt Watkins (born 1986), Canadian hockey player
• Matthew Watkins (1978–2020), Welsh rugby union player
• Maurice Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• Maurine Dallas Watkins (1896?–1969), American dramatist
• Mel Watkins (1932–2020), Canadian economist
• Mel Watkins (American writer) (born 1940), American critic and author
• Melvin Watkins (born 1954), American basketball coach
• Michael Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• Michaela Watkins (born 1971), American actress
• Mike Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• Nathan Watkins (born 1977), American soccer player
• Nora Watkins, New Zealand footballer
• Ollie Watkins (born 1995), English footballer
• Oscar Ferris Watkins (1877–1943), British colonial administrator
• Paul Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• Peter Watkins (born 1935), English film director
• Peter Watkins (civil servant) (born 1959), British civil servant
• Peter Watkins (politician) (born 1929), Australian politician
• Philip Watkins (1930–1995), English politician and accountant
• Quez Watkins (born 1998), American football player
• Rachel J. Watkins, American biocultural anthropologist and educator
• Ray Watkins, Canadian ice hockey player
• Richard Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• Roderick Watkins (born 1964), English composer
• Roger Watkins (1948–2007), American film director
• Rokevious Watkins (born 1989), American football player
• Ron Watkins, American conspiracy theorist and imageboard administrator
• Ronald Watkins (1904–2001), British drama teacher
• Ruth Watkins, American speech pathologist and academic administrator
• Ryan Watkins (born 1983), Welsh cricketer
• Samuel R. Watkins (1839–1901), American author and humorist
• Sammy Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• Sara Watkins (born 1981), American musician
• Sean Watkins (born 1977), American guitarist
• Sherron Watkins (born 1959), American executive, Enron vice president
• Sid Watkins (1928–2012), English surgeon and race doctor
• Simon Watkins, English cricketer
• Skeeter Watkins (1915–1987), American baseball player
• Spenser Watkins (born 1992), American baseball player
• Steven Watkins (disambiguation), also Steve, and Stephen Watkins, multiple people
• Stuart Watkins (born 1941), Welsh international rugby player
• Susan Watkins (1875 – 1913), American artist
• Sylvania Watkins (born 1985), American basketball player
• Tasker Watkins (1918–2007), Welsh judge and Victoria Cross recipient
• Thomas Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• Tionne Watkins (born 1970), American singer
• Tobias Watkins (1780–1855), American physician, essayist and government official
• Tom Watkins (disambiguation), also Tommy Watkins, multiple people
• Tony Watkins, New Zealand architect
• Torrance Watkins (born 1949), American equestrian
• Travis E. Watkins (1920–1950), American Medal of Honor recipient
• Trevor Watkins, British archaeologist
• Tuc Watkins (born 1966), American actor
• Vernon Watkins (1906–1967), Welsh poet
• Walter H. Watkins (1878–1937), American football coach
• Wes Watkins (born 1938), American politician
• William Watkins (disambiguation), multiple people
• Winifred Watkins (1924–2003), British biochemist

• Atkins (surname)
• Walter (name)
• Watkin
• Watkinson
• Watling
• Watson (surname)
• Watt (surname)
• Watts (surname)
• Latham & Watkins, American legal firm