NameCensus.

UK surname

Clerkin

A surname derived from the word "clerk", referring to a writer, accountant, or scribe.

In the 1881 census there were 2 people recorded with the Clerkin surname, ranking it #33,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 333, ranked #13,670, up from #33,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Babergh, Hammersmith and Fulham and St Edmundsbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clerkin is 346 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16550.0%.

1881 census count

2

Ranked #33,721

Modern count

333

2016, ranked #13,670

Peak year

2014

346 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clerkin had 2 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 333 in 2016, ranked #13,670.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Clerkin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Clerkin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Clerkin 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 3 #32,890
1861 historical 6 #33,230
1881 historical 2 #33,721
1891 historical 3 #34,257
1901 historical 8 #33,289
1911 historical 5 #33,427
1997 modern 295 #13,680
1998 modern 304 #13,773
1999 modern 311 #13,642
2000 modern 293 #14,141
2001 modern 304 #13,619
2002 modern 314 #13,589
2003 modern 318 #13,291
2004 modern 313 #13,502
2005 modern 316 #13,351
2006 modern 315 #13,440
2007 modern 316 #13,566
2008 modern 324 #13,437
2009 modern 322 #13,741
2010 modern 337 #13,580
2011 modern 326 #13,775
2012 modern 321 #13,836
2013 modern 342 #13,399
2014 modern 346 #13,370
2015 modern 339 #13,493
2016 modern 333 #13,670

Geography

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Where Clerkins 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 Babergh, Hammersmith and Fulham, St Edmundsbury and Wirral. 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 Babergh 002 Babergh
2 Hammersmith and Fulham 004 Hammersmith and Fulham
3 St Edmundsbury 011 St Edmundsbury
4 Wirral 022 Wirral
5 St Edmundsbury 010 St Edmundsbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Clerkin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Clerkin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Clerkin, 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 Clerkin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Clerkin 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, Clerkin 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

Clerkin 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

Clerkin 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 Clerkin 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Clerkin

The surname Clerkin is of Irish origin, with its roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the province of Connacht, particularly in counties such as Galway and Mayo. The name is derived from the Old Irish word "cleireach," meaning "cleric" or "clerk," which was a reference to a man who was employed in ecclesiastical or church affairs.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Clerkin can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In these annals, which cover events from the 12th to the 17th centuries, there are several references to individuals bearing the name Clerkin or its variant spellings, such as Cleirkin or Cleirchen.

The name Clerkin was also associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Clerkinshill and Clerkinswell, which further reinforces its connection to the clerical profession. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the surname Clerkin who lived or worked in those areas.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Clerkin include:

1. Teige Clerkin (fl. 1590s), an Irish poet and scribe from County Galway who was renowned for his literary works. 2. John Clerkin (c. 1610-1678), an Irish Catholic priest and theologian who served as the Archbishop of Cashel from 1670 until his death. 3. Patrick Clerkin (1753-1828), an Irish Catholic priest and educator who established several schools in County Mayo. 4. Michael Clerkin (1888-1916), an Irish republican and member of the Irish Volunteers who was executed for his role in the Easter Rising of 1916. 5. Aidan Clerkin (1914-1995), an Irish poet and dramatist whose works explored themes of Irish identity and culture.

Throughout its history, the surname Clerkin has maintained a strong association with its clerical origins, reflecting the influential role that the clergy played in Irish society for centuries. While the name has evolved over time, its roots remain firmly embedded in the rich cultural tapestry of Ireland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Clerkin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clerkin 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. Lanarkshire leads with 1 Clerkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.03x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 1 16.03x
Worcestershire 1 39.68x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cambuslang in Lanarkshire leads with 1 Clerkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 1666.67x.

Place Total Index
Cambuslang 1 1666.67x
Dudley 1 322.58x

Top male names

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

Name Count
Patrick 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 Clerkin households.

Occupation Count
Shop Manager 1

FAQ

Clerkin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clerkin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2 people were recorded with the Clerkin surname. That placed it at #33,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clerkin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 333 in 2016. That gives Clerkin a modern rank of #13,670.

What does the Clerkin surname mean?

A surname derived from the word "clerk", referring to a writer, accountant, or scribe.

What does the Clerkin map show?

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