NameCensus.

UK surname

Ballin

A surname possibly derived from the French for "dance" or "ball" game.

In the 1881 census there were 46 people recorded with the Ballin surname, ranking it #27,188 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 147, ranked #24,071, up from #27,188 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cardiff, Wiltshire and Bury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ballin is 159 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 219.6%.

1881 census count

46

Ranked #27,188

Modern count

147

2016, ranked #24,071

Peak year

2014

159 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ballin had 46 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,188 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 147 in 2016, ranked #24,071.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 76 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Ballin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ballin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Ballin 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 51 #24,096
1861 historical 76 #24,114
1881 historical 46 #27,188
1891 historical 42 #31,018
1901 historical 41 #29,602
1911 historical 55 #27,313
1997 modern 118 #24,423
1998 modern 130 #23,603
1999 modern 138 #22,983
2000 modern 122 #24,698
2001 modern 118 #24,832
2002 modern 130 #23,903
2003 modern 127 #24,019
2004 modern 121 #24,939
2005 modern 118 #25,301
2006 modern 117 #25,695
2007 modern 120 #25,606
2008 modern 125 #25,249
2009 modern 128 #25,427
2010 modern 140 #24,569
2011 modern 147 #23,627
2012 modern 152 #23,069
2013 modern 157 #22,904
2014 modern 159 #22,930
2015 modern 154 #23,306
2016 modern 147 #24,071

Geography

Back to top

Where Ballins 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 Cardiff, Wiltshire, Bury and Bromley. 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 Cardiff 001 Cardiff
2 Wiltshire 038 Wiltshire
3 Bury 024 Bury
4 Wiltshire 019 Wiltshire
5 Bromley 026 Bromley

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Ballin

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Ballin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ballin, 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

Baseline UK

Group

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Ballin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Ballin 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 many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Ballin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ballin is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ballin falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ballin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Ballin

The surname Ballin has its roots in the Old German and Old French languages, originating from the word "ballin," which means "ball" or "round object." This name is believed to have originated in the region of Normandy, France, during the Middle Ages, around the 11th or 12th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ballin can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and tenants in England, compiled in 1086 under the orders of William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Balleyn," suggesting that the spelling and pronunciation evolved over time.

During the 13th century, the name Ballin was associated with various place names in Normandy, such as Ballon, Ballin, and Ballincourt. It is possible that some families adopted the surname based on their place of origin or residence.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named Thomas Ballin (c. 1320-1390) was a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of London. His name is recorded in several documents from that period, indicating the growing prevalence of the surname.

Another historical figure with the surname Ballin was Sir John Ballin (1495-1568), an English nobleman and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He played a significant role in the establishment of the Church of England and was a staunch supporter of the Protestant Reformation.

During the 17th century, the name Ballin gained prominence in the Netherlands, where a family of artists and painters emerged. The most renowned among them was Hendrick Ballin (1601-1679), a Dutch Golden Age painter known for his landscape paintings and portraiture.

In the 18th century, a German composer and organist named Michael Ballin (1714-1788) gained recognition for his contributions to sacred music. He composed numerous works for the church and is considered a significant figure in the Baroque period.

Another notable individual with the surname Ballin was Sir Alfred Ballin (1857-1918), a German-British shipping magnate and businessman. He co-founded the iconic shipping company, the Hamburg America Line, and played a crucial role in the development of transatlantic travel during the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Ballin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ballin 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. Middlesex leads with 21 Ballins recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.68x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 21 4.68x
Herefordshire 9 48.91x
Huntingdonshire 6 67.34x
Devon 4 4.28x
Lancashire 2 0.38x
Somerset 1 1.38x
Surrey 1 0.46x
Warwickshire 1 0.88x
Yorkshire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hereford St Owen in Herefordshire leads with 9 Ballins recorded in 1881 and an index of 1475.41x.

Place Total Index
Hereford St Owen 9 1475.41x
St Pancras London 7 19.38x
Godmanchester 6 1764.71x
Ealing 4 99.75x
Ilfracombe 4 416.67x
Kensington London 4 16.03x
Chelsea London 3 22.19x
Wigan 2 26.88x
Aston 1 3.21x
Bradford 1 9.29x
Norwood 1 97.09x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 1 156.25x
St Marylebone London 1 4.17x
Wandsworth 1 23.15x
Weston Super Mare 1 54.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Adelaide 1
Adrinne 1
Agnes 1
Alitia 1
Annie 1
Dannif 1
Elizabeth 1
Emelia 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Francis 1
Helene 1
Hermine 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Marian 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 4
Alfred 2
Robert 2
Alexander 1
Auguste 1
Azur 1
Francis 1
Fredk.C. 1
George 1
Gerson 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Jesse 1
Joel 1
Joseph 1
Julius 1
Martin 1
Samuel 1
Tom 1
Trefoesdl 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Ballin households.

FAQ

Ballin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ballin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 46 people were recorded with the Ballin surname. That placed it at #27,188 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ballin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 147 in 2016. That gives Ballin a modern rank of #24,071.

What does the Ballin surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from the French for "dance" or "ball" game.

What does the Ballin map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ballin 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.