NameCensus.

UK surname

Biglin

English and Scottish surname meaning "little one" or "little man".

In the 1881 census there were 104 people recorded with the Biglin surname, ranking it #19,296 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 124, ranked #26,975, down from #19,296 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Haughton-le-Skerne, Hull Holy Trinity and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull and Ryedale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Biglin is 147 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.2%.

1881 census count

104

Ranked #19,296

Modern count

124

2016, ranked #26,975

Peak year

2000

147 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Biglin had 104 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,296 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 124 in 2016, ranked #26,975.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 119 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Biglin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Biglin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Biglin 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 46 #24,985
1861 historical 51 #27,498
1881 historical 104 #19,296
1891 historical 97 #24,447
1901 historical 110 #21,604
1911 historical 119 #20,535
1997 modern 141 #21,941
1998 modern 142 #22,406
1999 modern 143 #22,521
2000 modern 147 #22,081
2001 modern 137 #22,740
2002 modern 138 #23,094
2003 modern 129 #23,783
2004 modern 135 #23,326
2005 modern 125 #24,398
2006 modern 119 #25,413
2007 modern 116 #26,209
2008 modern 115 #26,635
2009 modern 119 #26,637
2010 modern 117 #27,557
2011 modern 116 #27,477
2012 modern 119 #27,100
2013 modern 127 #26,452
2014 modern 127 #26,634
2015 modern 129 #26,226
2016 modern 124 #26,975

Geography

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Where Biglins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Haughton-le-Skerne, Hull Holy Trinity, London parishes, Sheffling and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull and Ryedale. 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 Haughton-le-Skerne Durham
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Sheffling Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Preston Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 039 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 031 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Kingston upon Hull 003 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 Kingston upon Hull 008 Kingston upon Hull, City of
5 Ryedale 001 Ryedale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Biglin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Biglin

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Biglin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Biglin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Biglin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Biglin 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

Biglin falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Biglin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Biglin

The surname Biglin is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "bige" and "lin," which together mean "dweller by the bend or curve." This suggests that the name's earliest bearers may have lived near a curved or winding stream, river, or other geographical feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a person named Bigelinus is listed as holding lands in Cambridgeshire. This provides evidence that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

Over the centuries, the name has seen various spellings, including Biglin, Bigelyn, Bigglin, and Biglan. Some of these variations may have originated from regional dialects or as a result of phonetic spelling practices used by early record keepers.

In the 14th century, a man named Robert Bigelyn was recorded as a tenant in the manor of Writtle, Essex, in 1327. This indicates that by this time, the name had spread across different parts of England.

One notable figure in history bearing the name was John Biglin (c. 1590-1660), an English Puritan clergyman who served as the rector of Taunton, Somerset. He was a vocal supporter of the Parliamentary cause during the English Civil War.

Another individual of note was Thomas Biglin (1672-1737), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire. He was involved in the wool trade and served as a justice of the peace for the county.

In the 18th century, a man named William Biglin (1720-1792) gained recognition as a skilled architect and builder. He was responsible for the construction of several notable buildings in the city of Bristol, including the Merchant Venturers' Almshouses.

During the 19th century, a woman named Mary Biglin (1836-1912) gained prominence as a philanthropist and social reformer. She worked tirelessly to improve living conditions for the poor in her native city of Manchester.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Arthur Biglin (1860-1942), a British army officer who served with distinction in the Second Boer War and World War I. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his bravery and leadership.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Biglin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Biglin 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 62 Biglins recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.17x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 62 6.17x
Middlesex 11 1.08x
Durham 10 3.31x
Surrey 9 1.82x
Stirlingshire 4 10.69x
Northumberland 3 1.99x
Essex 2 1.00x
Lincolnshire 2 1.23x
Lancashire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Yorkshire leads with 24 Biglins recorded in 1881 and an index of 4285.71x.

Place Total Index
Preston 24 4285.71x
Sculcoates 12 75.28x
Coatham Mundeville 10 25000.00x
Holy Trinity 10 41.36x
Newington 8 21.35x
Fulham London 7 47.59x
Islington London 4 4.07x
Skeffling 4 6666.67x
Slamannan 4 195.12x
Southcoates 4 71.68x
Byker 3 40.21x
Garrison Side 3 5000.00x
West Ham 2 4.52x
Aldbrough In Skirlaugh 1 526.32x
Burstwick With 1 666.67x
Cabourn 1 1666.67x
Hessle In Sculcoates 1 112.36x
Humbleton Flinton 1 714.29x
Kirkdale 1 4.94x
Lambeth 1 1.13x
Leeds 1 1.76x
Whitton 1 1428.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Jane 5
Amelia 2
Ann 2
Anne 2
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Helena 2
Rose 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Agatha 1
Amy 1
Betsy 1
Clara 1
Eleanor 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Etty 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Miriam 1
Rhoda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 7
John 4
Robert 3
Thomas 3
William 3
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Edward 2
James 2
Walter 2
Alfred 1
Benj. 1
Benjamin 1
Charlie 1
Cornelius 1
Frank 1
Godfrey 1
Gylby 1
Jane 1
Joseph 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Robt. 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Biglin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Biglin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 104 people were recorded with the Biglin surname. That placed it at #19,296 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Biglin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 124 in 2016. That gives Biglin a modern rank of #26,975.

What does the Biglin surname mean?

English and Scottish surname meaning "little one" or "little man".

What does the Biglin map show?

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