NameCensus.

UK surname

Cavin

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "O Cathain," meaning "descendant of Cathan," a personal name meaning "warrior."

In the 1881 census there were 93 people recorded with the Cavin surname, ranking it #20,593 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 224, ranked #18,164, up from #20,593 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Downfield, Hilltown and Kilwinning Pennyburn.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cavin is 226 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 140.9%.

1881 census count

93

Ranked #20,593

Modern count

224

2016, ranked #18,164

Peak year

2015

226 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cavin had 93 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,593 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 224 in 2016, ranked #18,164.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 93 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Cavin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cavin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cavin 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 47 #24,810
1861 historical 71 #24,765
1881 historical 93 #20,593
1891 historical 62 #28,991
1901 historical 81 #25,130
1911 historical 12 #32,302
1997 modern 190 #18,199
1998 modern 200 #18,114
1999 modern 204 #18,021
2000 modern 211 #17,603
2001 modern 195 #18,215
2002 modern 193 #18,713
2003 modern 180 #19,347
2004 modern 172 #20,008
2005 modern 194 #18,512
2006 modern 192 #18,753
2007 modern 194 #18,855
2008 modern 196 #18,895
2009 modern 199 #19,090
2010 modern 207 #19,007
2011 modern 203 #19,098
2012 modern 210 #18,604
2013 modern 214 #18,671
2014 modern 221 #18,412
2015 modern 226 #17,995
2016 modern 224 #18,164

Geography

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Where Cavins 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 Downfield, Hilltown, Kilwinning Pennyburn, Shettleston North and Birkenshaw. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Downfield Dundee City
2 Hilltown Dundee City
3 Kilwinning Pennyburn North Ayrshire
4 Shettleston North Glasgow City
5 Birkenshaw North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cavin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cavin

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Cavin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Cavin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cavin 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

Cavin is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cavin 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 Cavin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Cavin

The surname Cavin has its origins in the French language and can be traced back to the regions of Normandy and Brittany in northern France. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "cave," which means "cellar" or "cave." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a person who lived near or worked in a cellar or cave.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cavin can be found in the Domesday Book, a detailed survey of lands and landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Cauvinus" in this medieval manuscript, indicating its presence in Normandy at that time.

During the Middle Ages, the name Cavin was particularly prevalent in the regions of Normandy and Brittany, where it was often associated with local landowners and nobility. For instance, in the 12th century, a knight named Geoffroy de Cavin was mentioned in the records of the Duchy of Normandy.

As the name spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Cavyn, Cavine, and Cavineau. These variations were influenced by regional dialects and scribal errors in historical records.

One notable bearer of the name Cavin was Jean Cavin, a French Protestant reformer who lived from 1509 to 1564. He is better known by his Latinized name, John Calvin, and played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation.

Another prominent individual with the surname Cavin was Étienne Cavin, a French painter and engraver who lived from 1736 to 1800. He was known for his landscape paintings and engravings depicting scenes from the French countryside.

In the 19th century, a French composer named Louis-Constant Cavin (1830-1899) gained recognition for his operatic works and compositions for the piano.

The name Cavin has also been associated with notable individuals in other parts of Europe. For example, in the 16th century, there was a Scottish clergyman named John Cavin (1538-1598) who served as the minister of St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh.

Throughout history, the surname Cavin has been linked to various locations, including the village of Cavin in the Sarthe region of France, which may have influenced the name's origin and early use.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cavin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cavin 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. Lancashire leads with 21 Cavins recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.95x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 21 1.95x
Wigtownshire 11 91.36x
Dumfriesshire 9 44.91x
Lanarkshire 8 2.73x
Angus 7 8.33x
Ayrshire 7 10.31x
Fife 7 13.04x
Durham 5 1.85x
Argyllshire 4 15.84x
Kent 3 0.97x
Staffordshire 3 0.98x
Cheshire 2 1.00x
Renfrewshire 2 2.85x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 7.62x
Middlesex 1 0.11x
Somerset 1 0.68x
Yorkshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dumfries in Dumfriesshire leads with 9 Cavins recorded in 1881 and an index of 454.55x.

Place Total Index
Dumfries 9 454.55x
Kirkcolm 9 1551.72x
Ulverston 8 254.78x
Kilmarnock 6 74.26x
Pennington In Ulverston 6 1111.11x
South Shields 5 208.33x
St Vigeans 5 110.13x
Glasgow 4 7.68x
Liverpool 4 6.12x
Lochgoilhead 4 2352.94x
Audley Talk O Th Hill 3 545.45x
Folkestone 3 50.00x
Leuchars 3 441.18x
Scoonie 3 258.62x
Abbey 2 18.64x
Dundee 2 6.38x
Govan 2 2.76x
Maryhill 2 34.84x
Mochrum 2 277.78x
Ayr 1 31.25x
Barrow In Furness 1 6.83x
Bridgewater 1 25.25x
Egton Cum Newland 1 322.58x
Ferry Port On Craig 1 113.64x
Manchester 1 2.07x
Monks Coppenhall 1 13.23x
Parton 1 454.55x
St George Hanover Square 1 6.26x
Stockport 1 9.71x
Tanshelf 1 138.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Ellen 2
Isabella 2
Alice 1
Alina 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Elsie 1
Emma 1
Hellen 1
Jane 1
Margaret 1
Margt. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 4
James 2
John 2
Thomas 2
Charles 1
Dennis 1
Edward 1
Joseph 1
Louis 1
Patrick 1
Robert 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 Cavin households.

FAQ

Cavin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cavin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 93 people were recorded with the Cavin surname. That placed it at #20,593 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cavin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 224 in 2016. That gives Cavin a modern rank of #18,164.

What does the Cavin surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "O Cathain," meaning "descendant of Cathan," a personal name meaning "warrior."

What does the Cavin map show?

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