NameCensus.

UK surname

Alpin

A surname derived from the Latin word "alpinus" meaning belonging to or from the Alps.

In the 1881 census there were 83 people recorded with the Alpin surname, ranking it #21,808 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 122, ranked #27,255, down from #21,808 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Southampton, Haringey and Test Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Alpin is 128 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.0%.

1881 census count

83

Ranked #21,808

Modern count

122

2016, ranked #27,255

Peak year

2014

128 bearers

Map years

2

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Alpin had 83 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,808 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016, ranked #27,255.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 88 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Alpin surname distribution map

The map shows where the Alpin surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Alpin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Alpin over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 42 #25,706
1861 historical 88 #22,554
1881 historical 83 #21,808
1891 historical 70 #28,073
1901 historical 81 #25,130
1911 historical 83 #24,531
1997 modern 110 #25,529
1998 modern 110 #26,129
1999 modern 108 #26,602
2000 modern 97 #28,142
2001 modern 92 #28,528
2002 modern 98 #28,243
2003 modern 93 #28,829
2004 modern 104 #27,338
2005 modern 103 #27,531
2006 modern 95 #29,113
2007 modern 99 #28,852
2008 modern 107 #27,844
2009 modern 110 #27,991
2010 modern 113 #28,162
2011 modern 115 #27,634
2012 modern 105 #29,362
2013 modern 123 #26,974
2014 modern 128 #26,490
2015 modern 124 #26,944
2016 modern 122 #27,255

Geography

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Where Alpins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Southampton, Haringey and Test Valley. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Southampton 004 Southampton
2 Haringey 033 Haringey
3 Southampton 031 Southampton
4 Test Valley 015 Test Valley
5 Southampton 026 Southampton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Alpin

These lists show first names that appear often with the Alpin surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Alpin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Alpin, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Alpin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Alpin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Alpin is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Alpin is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Alpin falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Alpin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Alpin, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Alpin

The surname Alpin has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Alpin," which is believed to have originated from the Old English words "aelf" and "vin," meaning "elf-friend."

This name was initially associated with the Scottish royal line, as Alpin was the father of Kenneth MacAlpin, who became the first king of a united Scotland in 843 AD. The name Alpin is mentioned in several early medieval Scottish chronicles and genealogies.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Alpin can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of parchment rolls recording the names of Scottish noblemen and landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "Alpin de Lenethe."

In the 14th century, the surname Alpin was associated with the territories of Glenisla and Angus in eastern Scotland. Notably, Thomas Alpin of Glenisla was a prominent figure during this time, serving as a commissioner for the Scottish Parliament in 1357.

Another notable bearer of the Alpin surname was Sir John Alpin, who was born in Perthshire, Scotland, around 1420. He was a renowned soldier and served as the Constable of Dundee Castle in the late 15th century.

During the 16th century, the Alpin family held lands in the Scottish Borders region. One notable member was Sir James Alpin (1533-1617), who was a Scottish landowner and politician. He served as a Member of Parliament for Selkirkshire in the Scottish Parliament.

In the 17th century, the Alpin surname spread to other parts of Scotland, including the Highlands and Islands. One notable bearer was Alexander Alpin (1609-1685), a Scottish poet and philosopher from the Hebrides Islands.

Another significant figure was Sir Robert Alpin (1690-1756), a Scottish businessman and landowner from Aberdeenshire. He was instrumental in the development of the linen industry in Scotland during the 18th century.

Throughout its history, the Alpin surname has been associated with various place names and older spellings, such as Alpyn, Alpyne, and Alpein. While the name has evolved over time, it continues to hold significance in Scottish history and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Alpin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Alpin surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 23 Alpins recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.87x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 23 2.87x
Lancashire 20 2.08x
Surrey 11 2.79x
Devon 6 3.56x
Monmouthshire 5 8.54x
Middlesex 4 0.49x
Gloucestershire 3 1.89x
Nottinghamshire 3 2.75x
Cornwall 2 2.18x
Durham 2 0.83x
Glamorgan 2 1.42x
Caernarfonshire 1 3.06x
Somerset 1 0.77x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Skelmanthorpe in Yorkshire leads with 9 Alpins recorded in 1881 and an index of 1034.48x.

Place Total Index
Skelmanthorpe 9 1034.48x
Bowling 7 88.05x
Haslemere 6 1935.48x
Liverpool 6 10.28x
St Woollos 5 76.57x
Wath On Dearne 5 312.50x
St Pancras London 4 6.14x
Ashton Under Lyne 3 14.29x
Exeter Heavitree 3 238.10x
Kingston On Thames 3 31.65x
Manchester 3 6.94x
Bristol St George 2 27.25x
Lambeth 2 2.83x
Lanteglos 2 476.19x
Llandaff 2 42.64x
Monkwearmouth Shore 2 42.55x
Nottingham St Peter 2 163.93x
Oldham 2 6.45x
Uffculme 2 400.00x
Ashburton 1 123.46x
Bitton Oldland 1 61.73x
Blackburn 1 3.91x
Bridgewater 1 28.25x
Brightside Bierlow 1 6.36x
Crumpsall 1 44.25x
Keighley 1 11.70x
Llandudno 1 85.47x
Lower Booths 1 58.14x
Nottingham St Mary 1 3.54x
Salford 1 3.54x
West Derby 1 3.56x
Wigan 1 7.45x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Alpin surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 10
Margaret 4
Elizabeth 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Catherine 2
Frances 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Charlotte 1
Eliz.I. 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Lavinia 1
Lilly 1
Maud 1
Rose 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Alpin surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

FAQ

Alpin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Alpin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 83 people were recorded with the Alpin surname. That placed it at #21,808 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Alpin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016. That gives Alpin a modern rank of #27,255.

What does the Alpin surname mean?

A surname derived from the Latin word "alpinus" meaning belonging to or from the Alps.

What does the Alpin map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Alpin bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.