NameCensus.

UK surname

Conlin

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Caoindealbháin," meaning "descendant of Caoindealbhán," a personal name meaning "fair-shaped."

In the 1881 census there were 560 people recorded with the Conlin surname, ranking it #6,184 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,006, ranked #5,776, up from #6,184 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sunderland, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland, Stockton-on-Tees and East Clober and Mains Estate.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Conlin is 1,018 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 79.6%.

1881 census count

560

Ranked #6,184

Modern count

1,006

2016, ranked #5,776

Peak year

2010

1,018 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Conlin had 560 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,184 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,006 in 2016, ranked #5,776.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 560 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Conlin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Conlin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Conlin 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 161 #12,288
1861 historical 259 #9,561
1881 historical 560 #6,184
1891 historical 501 #7,418
1901 historical 529 #7,736
1911 historical 308 #11,230
1997 modern 858 #6,191
1998 modern 885 #6,245
1999 modern 891 #6,251
2000 modern 889 #6,231
2001 modern 876 #6,187
2002 modern 921 #6,092
2003 modern 867 #6,246
2004 modern 901 #6,084
2005 modern 905 #6,005
2006 modern 900 #6,041
2007 modern 921 #5,987
2008 modern 949 #5,885
2009 modern 978 #5,869
2010 modern 1,018 #5,798
2011 modern 979 #5,913
2012 modern 951 #5,975
2013 modern 994 #5,857
2014 modern 1,004 #5,840
2015 modern 1,003 #5,792
2016 modern 1,006 #5,776

Geography

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Where Conlins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sunderland, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sunderland, Stockton-on-Tees and East Clober and Mains Estate. 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 Sunderland Durham
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sunderland 004 Sunderland
2 Stockton-on-Tees 009 Stockton-on-Tees
3 Sunderland 012 Sunderland
4 Sunderland 016 Sunderland
5 East Clober and Mains Estate East Dunbartonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Conlin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Conlin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Conlin, 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 Conlin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Conlin 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Conlin is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Conlin is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Conlin 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 Conlin 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 Conlin, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Conlin

The surname Conlin is of Irish origin, tracing its roots back to the 7th century. It is an Anglicized version of the Gaelic name O'Conallan or O'Conaleen, which means "descendant of the wolf." The name is believed to have originated in County Galway, where it was common among families in the region.

Historically, the name Conlin has been recorded in various forms, including Conallan, Conlan, and Connollan. One of the earliest documented instances of the name appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. It mentions a figure named Conallan, who was a leader of the Uí Fiachrach Aidne clan in the 8th century.

In the 11th century, the Conlin name was associated with a notable family in County Mayo. Records from this time indicate that a prominent figure named Conallan O'Conallan held a significant position within the local community. Additionally, the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Cloyne, a collection of administrative records from the 13th century, which mentions a person named Richard Conlyne.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Conlin surname in its modern spelling can be traced back to the 16th century. In 1543, a document from the Chancery Rolls in Ireland mentions a person named John Conlyn. Another notable figure from this era was Robert Conlin, a landowner and merchant from County Antrim, who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

Throughout history, several individuals with the Conlin surname have gained recognition in various fields. One notable example is John Conlin (1803-1888), an Irish-born American Catholic priest who served as the first Bishop of Milwaukee. Another prominent figure was William Conlin (1866-1940), an American journalist and newspaper editor who worked for the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin.

In the realm of literature, Francis Conlin (1891-1969) was an Irish-born American author and academic who wrote extensively on Irish literature and culture. Additionally, John Conlin (1927-2012) was a renowned American composer and music educator, best known for his contributions to choral music.

The Conlin name has also been associated with notable figures in sports. For instance, Jesse Conlin (born 1986) is an American professional baseball player who has played for several Major League Baseball teams, including the Oakland Athletics and the Houston Astros.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Conlin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Conlin 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. Durham leads with 89 Conlins recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.51x.

County Total Index
Durham 89 5.51x
Lanarkshire 81 4.61x
Yorkshire 77 1.43x
Lancashire 76 1.18x
Midlothian 37 5.08x
Northumberland 27 3.34x
Angus 19 3.77x
Renfrewshire 19 4.51x
Perthshire 17 6.97x
Cheshire 16 1.33x
Fife 15 4.66x
Ayrshire 13 3.20x
Flintshire 9 6.16x
Derbyshire 7 0.82x
Stirlingshire 7 3.49x
Surrey 7 0.26x
West Lothian 6 7.33x
Kent 5 0.27x
Staffordshire 4 0.22x
Banffshire 3 2.66x
Hampshire 3 0.27x
Middlesex 3 0.06x
Norfolk 3 0.36x
Warwickshire 3 0.22x
Denbighshire 2 0.97x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.27x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.30x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.46x
Cumberland 1 0.21x
Devon 1 0.09x
Essex 1 0.09x
Selkirkshire 1 2.03x
Worcestershire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sunderland in Durham leads with 34 Conlins recorded in 1881 and an index of 119.09x.

Place Total Index
Sunderland 34 119.09x
Stockton On Tees 20 25.67x
Glasgow 19 6.09x
York St Margaret 18 538.92x
Dundee 17 9.05x
Barony 15 3.37x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 14 29.00x
Everton 13 6.33x
Old Monkland 12 17.21x
Bothwell 11 23.09x
Wigan 11 12.21x
Dalmellington 10 83.61x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 10 14.28x
Holy Trinity 10 7.72x
Perth Middle Church 10 109.05x
Abbey 9 14.01x
Bradford 9 6.91x
Dalkeith 9 62.67x
Kirkcaldy 9 56.43x
Toxteth Park 9 4.12x
Rhuddlan 8 62.21x
Sheffield 8 4.67x
Chesterfield 7 21.95x
Falkirk 7 14.92x
Great Sankey 7 588.24x
Longbenton 7 20.44x
Newton In Ashton Under 7 59.17x
Prescot 7 60.03x
Stockport 7 11.34x
Westoe 7 7.64x
Bishopwearmouth 6 4.32x
Carrington 6 526.32x
Dalgety 6 243.90x
Frimley 6 79.58x
Perth East Church 6 26.10x
Whitburn 6 50.76x
Cockfield 5 222.22x
Colinton 5 61.58x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 1.71x
Elton 5 22.44x
Lanark 5 35.36x
Liberton 5 44.48x
New Village 5 310.56x
Woolwich 5 7.30x
York St George 5 117.92x
Burnley 4 7.37x
Gorbals 4 38.35x
Govan 4 0.92x
Haslingden 4 14.98x
Liverpool 4 1.02x
Maryhill 4 11.63x
Paisley Middle Church 4 16.31x
Stranton 4 7.35x
Thornaby 4 19.88x
Walton On Hill 4 11.45x
York All Sts Pavement 4 645.16x
Birmingham 3 0.66x
Denton 3 20.99x
Edinburgh Old 3 67.87x
Edinburgh Old Church 3 51.37x
Eston 3 25.58x
Heigham 3 6.69x
New Monkland 3 5.78x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 3 28.22x
Port Glasgow 3 14.73x
Portsea 3 1.37x
Rathven 3 14.17x
Basford 2 5.92x
Bilston 2 5.63x
Brackenholme Cum 2 1250.00x
Hamilton 2 4.08x
Hyde 2 5.65x
Inverkip 2 20.16x
Keighley 2 3.48x
Kilmarnock 2 4.13x
Normanby In 2 13.90x
Sculcoates 2 2.34x
Westgate 2 4.00x
Barrow In Furness 1 1.14x
Upperthong 1 21.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 45
Ann 14
Catherine 14
Bridget 9
Elizabeth 9
Margaret 9
Ellen 6
Sarah 5
Annie 4
Isabella 3
Jane 3
Kate 3
Eliza 2
Hannah 2
Lucy 2
Maggie 2
Margt. 2
Martha 2
Rebecca 2
Adah 1
Adeline 1
Agnes 1
Anne 1
Catharine 1
Cathrine 1
Elinor 1
Elizebet. 1
Elizth. 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Hanna 1
Jessie 1
Katherine 1
Liley 1
Lizzie 1
Margarette 1
Margret 1
Margt.Ellen 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Nancy 1
Sophia 1
Sophie 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1
Winneford 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 37
Thomas 18
James 17
Patrick 15
Michael 12
Peter 8
Edward 7
William 7
Joseph 6
Martin 5
Henry 4
Andrew 3
Dominick 3
Frederick 3
Charles 2
Cornelius 2
Frances 2
George 2
Jas. 2
Antoino 1
Antony 1
Arthur 1
Bartholomew 1
Chales 1
Dennis 1
Edmund 1
Farrall 1
Francis 1
Infant 1
Jane 1
Maired 1
Margret 1
Micheal 1
Owen 1
Paul 1
Richard 1
Timothy 1

FAQ

Conlin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Conlin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 560 people were recorded with the Conlin surname. That placed it at #6,184 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Conlin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,006 in 2016. That gives Conlin a modern rank of #5,776.

What does the Conlin surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Caoindealbháin," meaning "descendant of Caoindealbhán," a personal name meaning "fair-shaped."

What does the Conlin map show?

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