NameCensus.

UK surname

Colvin

A Scottish and Irish surname derived from the Gaelic byname "Colmán," meaning "little dove" or "dove-like."

In the 1881 census there were 993 people recorded with the Colvin surname, ranking it #3,926 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,651, ranked #3,776, up from #3,926 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Falkirk and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wealden, Tunbridge Wells and Rother.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Colvin is 1,681 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 66.3%.

1881 census count

993

Ranked #3,926

Modern count

1,651

2016, ranked #3,776

Peak year

2010

1,681 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Colvin had 993 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,926 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,651 in 2016, ranked #3,776.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,225 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Colvin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Colvin surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Colvin 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 643 #4,042
1861 historical 690 #3,907
1881 historical 993 #3,926
1891 historical 1,063 #3,946
1901 historical 1,225 #4,039
1911 historical 750 #5,740
1997 modern 1,547 #3,810
1998 modern 1,601 #3,840
1999 modern 1,620 #3,824
2000 modern 1,597 #3,866
2001 modern 1,600 #3,776
2002 modern 1,618 #3,810
2003 modern 1,549 #3,884
2004 modern 1,544 #3,900
2005 modern 1,544 #3,859
2006 modern 1,565 #3,800
2007 modern 1,580 #3,807
2008 modern 1,582 #3,829
2009 modern 1,645 #3,795
2010 modern 1,681 #3,796
2011 modern 1,635 #3,844
2012 modern 1,597 #3,856
2013 modern 1,649 #3,806
2014 modern 1,679 #3,762
2015 modern 1,668 #3,754
2016 modern 1,651 #3,776

Geography

Back to top

Where Colvins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Falkirk, London parishes, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wealden, Tunbridge Wells, Rother, Rugby and Horsham. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Falkirk Stirling
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wealden 005 Wealden
2 Tunbridge Wells 014 Tunbridge Wells
3 Rother 001 Rother
4 Rugby 012 Rugby
5 Horsham 011 Horsham

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Colvin

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Colvin

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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, Colvin 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

Colvin is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Colvin falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Colvin 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 Colvin, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Colvin

The surname Colvin has its origins in Scotland, where it first emerged in the 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Cailean" or "Colman," which means "cub" or "whelp." The name likely originated as a nickname for a strong or brave individual.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Colvin can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish nobility who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. It appears in the form "Colveyne," suggesting that the spelling has evolved over time.

In the 14th century, the name Colvin appeared in various Scottish charters and documents, such as the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland. This indicates that the name was well-established among Scottish families during this period.

The name Colvin has also been associated with several place names in Scotland, including Colville in Aberdeenshire and Colvin in Dumfriesshire. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, reflecting the presence of Colvin families in those areas.

One notable early bearer of the name was Sir Robert Colvin, a 14th-century Scottish knight who fought alongside King Robert the Bruce during the Scottish Wars of Independence. Another prominent Colvin was Sir John Colvin, a 16th-century Scottish Protestant reformer and advocate for education.

During the 17th century, the Colvin surname spread beyond Scotland as Scottish families migrated to other parts of the British Isles and North America. One notable figure from this era was Alexander Colvin, a Scottish-born mathematician and writer who lived from 1596 to 1647.

In the 18th century, several Colvins achieved distinction in various fields. John Colvin (1724-1812) was a British architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings in London. Another notable Colvin was Robert Colvin (1742-1838), a Scottish-born merchant and landowner who settled in Virginia, USA.

The 19th century saw the emergence of several prominent Colvins, including Sidney Colvin (1845-1927), an English literary critic and author who wrote extensively on the works of Robert Louis Stevenson. Another notable figure was Fitzwilliam Colvin (1818-1893), a British civil servant and administrator in British India.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Colvin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Colvin 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 136 Colvins recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.15x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 136 4.15x
Middlesex 97 0.96x
Lancashire 78 0.65x
Sussex 72 4.22x
Aberdeenshire 48 5.12x
Isle of Man 48 25.53x
Shetland 48 46.42x
Midlothian 47 3.46x
Ayrshire 44 5.81x
Durham 38 1.26x
Surrey 34 0.69x
Kent 33 0.96x
Kirkcudbrightshire 30 20.47x
Northumberland 29 1.93x
Dumfriesshire 28 12.52x
Cumberland 24 2.75x
Stirlingshire 23 6.16x
Berwickshire 19 15.50x
Renfrewshire 17 2.17x
Essex 16 0.80x
Dunbartonshire 15 5.51x
Lincolnshire 13 0.80x
Inverness-shire 12 3.97x
Hampshire 11 0.53x
Kincardineshire 11 8.92x
Leicestershire 10 0.89x
Wigtownshire 8 5.95x
West Lothian 7 4.59x
Morayshire 6 3.81x
Angus 5 0.53x
Roxburghshire 5 2.73x
Cheshire 4 0.18x
Wiltshire 4 0.45x
Yorkshire 4 0.04x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.33x
Norfolk 2 0.13x
Royal Navy 2 1.66x
Warwickshire 2 0.08x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.24x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.16x
Derbyshire 1 0.06x
Hertfordshire 1 0.14x
Peeblesshire 1 2.10x
Staffordshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dunrossness in Shetland leads with 46 Colvins recorded in 1881 and an index of 337.99x.

Place Total Index
Dunrossness 46 337.99x
Govan 34 4.20x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 30 5.50x
Barony 25 3.02x
Glasgow 23 3.96x
Everton 22 5.75x
Bishopwearmouth 21 8.12x
Peterhead 19 38.31x
Falkirk 18 20.59x
Aberdeen Old Machar 17 8.68x
Mayfield 17 168.32x
German Peel 15 138.50x
Toxteth Park 15 3.69x
Bothwell 14 15.76x
Dunse 14 120.38x
Poplar London 14 7.33x
St Pancras London 14 1.72x
West Ham 14 3.17x
Andreas 13 254.90x
Liverpool 13 1.78x
Pinchbeck 13 125.24x
Cowpen 12 34.59x
Brighton 11 3.19x
Bromley London 11 4.94x
Inverness 11 14.46x
Irvine 11 52.26x
Shettleston 11 37.52x
Tonbridge 11 8.83x
West Derby 11 3.13x
Cambusnethan 10 13.75x
Kirkmabreck 10 156.01x
Limehouse London 10 9.00x
Barrow In Furness 9 5.51x
Kensington London 9 1.60x
Kirkconnell 9 254.24x
Lambeth 9 1.02x
Maybole 9 39.01x
Appleby 8 304.18x
Dalserf 8 24.48x
Hastings St Clement 8 49.81x
Lewes All Sts 8 117.65x
Ticehurst 8 76.56x
Westminster St Margaret 8 16.38x
Whitehaven 8 17.22x
Bethnal Green London 7 1.59x
Cardross 7 21.43x
Kelton 7 58.14x
New Kilpatrick 7 27.05x
Parton 7 136.19x
Aldershot 6 8.63x
Auckinleck 6 25.58x
Colton 6 95.85x
Dalkeith 6 22.42x
Dumfries 6 27.20x
Durris 6 169.97x
Eastbourne 6 7.64x
Etchingham 6 189.87x
Ham Kingston On Thames 6 276.50x
Kirkliston 6 67.49x
Maidstone 6 5.83x
Neilston 6 15.23x
Abbey 5 4.18x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 5 2.85x
Ayr 5 13.98x
Camberwell 5 0.77x
Coundon 5 40.95x
Cruden 5 41.39x
Enfield 5 7.53x
Farnham 5 13.03x
Fetteresso 5 25.88x
Inveresk 5 13.61x
Maughold 5 34.46x
Onchan 5 9.23x
Tottenham 5 3.10x
Troqueer 5 26.00x
Wadhurst 5 44.60x
Westgate 5 5.36x
Bothkennar 4 35.87x
Edrom 4 76.19x
Mochrum 4 49.81x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 31
William 28
James 27
Thomas 17
Charles 13
George 11
Henry 11
Richard 9
Robert 8
Albert 6
Alfred 6
Arthur 4
Edward 4
Ernest 4
Frederick 4
Joseph 4
Edwin 3
Alexander 2
Alexandra 2
Andrew 2
Binny 2
Clement 2
Elliot 2
Fred 2
Frederic 2
Fredk. 2
Jabez 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Bazitt 1
Caleb 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Earnest 1
Elles 1
Ellis 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Infant 1
Jas. 1
Joshua 1
Kenneth 1
Micheal 1
Nicol 1
Oliver 1
Parker 1
Percy 1

FAQ

Colvin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Colvin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 993 people were recorded with the Colvin surname. That placed it at #3,926 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Colvin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,651 in 2016. That gives Colvin a modern rank of #3,776.

What does the Colvin surname mean?

A Scottish and Irish surname derived from the Gaelic byname "Colmán," meaning "little dove" or "dove-like."

What does the Colvin map show?

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