NameCensus.

UK surname

Culkin

An Irish surname derived from the Irish word "culcin" meaning a reddish-haired person.

In the 1881 census there were 95 people recorded with the Culkin surname, ranking it #20,349 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 345, ranked #13,321, up from #20,349 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Sunderland and St Denis in Walmgate, St George. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Selby, East Riding of Yorkshire and Lancaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Culkin is 361 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 263.2%.

1881 census count

95

Ranked #20,349

Modern count

345

2016, ranked #13,321

Peak year

2010

361 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Culkin had 95 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,349 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 345 in 2016, ranked #13,321.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 123 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Culkin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Culkin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Culkin 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 55 #23,413
1861 historical 70 #24,911
1881 historical 95 #20,349
1891 historical 89 #25,542
1901 historical 96 #23,342
1911 historical 123 #20,128
1997 modern 312 #13,182
1998 modern 338 #12,829
1999 modern 351 #12,582
2000 modern 354 #12,460
2001 modern 340 #12,620
2002 modern 347 #12,699
2003 modern 332 #12,914
2004 modern 320 #13,311
2005 modern 324 #13,108
2006 modern 328 #13,073
2007 modern 330 #13,142
2008 modern 349 #12,723
2009 modern 357 #12,766
2010 modern 361 #12,933
2011 modern 344 #13,249
2012 modern 338 #13,304
2013 modern 338 #13,508
2014 modern 352 #13,206
2015 modern 338 #13,527
2016 modern 345 #13,321

Geography

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Where Culkins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Sunderland, St Denis in Walmgate, St George, Toxteth Park and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Selby, East Riding of Yorkshire, Lancaster, Woking and Wiltshire. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Sunderland Durham
3 St Denis in Walmgate, St George Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Toxteth Park Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Selby 004 Selby
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 026 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Lancaster 011 Lancaster
4 Woking 001 Woking
5 Wiltshire 046 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Culkin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Culkin

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

Small Town Suburbia

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Culkin is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Culkin 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

Culkin falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Culkin

The surname Culkin is of Irish origin, originating in County Sligo in the northwest of Ireland. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic words "culach" meaning "reed" and "dúin" meaning "fort" or "enclosure," suggesting that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a reed-covered fort or enclosure.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 16th century, with mentions of individuals named Culkin in various historical records from that era. One notable example is a reference to a John Culkin in the 1659 Census of Ireland, which documented landowners and their properties.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the name appeared in several Irish parish records and land deeds, particularly in the counties of Sligo, Mayo, and Galway. This suggests that the Culkin family had a significant presence in this region during that time period.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Culkin was Patrick Culkin, who was born in County Sligo in 1680. He was a farmer and landowner, and records indicate that he had several children who carried on the Culkin name.

Another notable figure was Bridget Culkin, born in 1745 in County Mayo. She was a seamstress and is mentioned in local records for her involvement in the local community and church activities.

In the 19th century, the name Culkin began to spread beyond Ireland as many Irish families immigrated to other parts of the world. For instance, Michael Culkin, born in 1825 in County Sligo, emigrated to the United States in the 1850s and settled in New York City, where he worked as a laborer.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Culkin is the American actor Macaulay Culkin, born in 1980. He rose to fame as a child star in the popular "Home Alone" movies and has had a successful acting career spanning several decades.

Other notable individuals with the Culkin surname include James Culkin (1893-1976), an Irish-born American prelate who served as the Bishop of Altoona-Johnstown, and Brian Culkin (born 1968), an American writer and producer known for his work on television shows such as "Scrubs" and "Cougar Town."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Culkin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Culkin 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 49 Culkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.46x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 49 4.46x
Yorkshire 25 2.72x
Lanarkshire 8 2.67x
Cheshire 4 1.96x
Denbighshire 3 8.57x
Staffordshire 3 0.96x
Durham 1 0.36x
Middlesex 1 0.11x
Northumberland 1 0.73x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 23 Culkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.44x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 23 34.44x
Bootle Cum Linacre 10 114.55x
Everton 7 19.97x
Toxteth Park 6 16.12x
York St Denis In 6 1500.00x
Dalserf 5 167.22x
Leeds 5 9.64x
Sherburn 5 666.67x
Knutsford Nether 4 322.58x
Sculcoates 4 27.47x
Govan 3 4.05x
Gresford Gwersyllt 3 275.23x
Holy Trinity 3 13.58x
Wolverhampton 3 12.47x
Lower Booths 2 101.52x
Chirton 1 32.05x
Ealing 1 12.08x
Kirkdale 1 5.41x
Nether Hallam 1 8.05x
Winlaton 1 37.88x
York St Saviour 1 113.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Ellen 5
Ann 4
Bridget 4
Elizabeth 3
Hennerete 2
Jane 2
Margaret 2
Sarah 2
A. 1
Alice 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Elizth. 1
Maria 1
Nellie 1
Rebecca 1
Salley 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
James 8
Patrick 7
Martin 2
Michael 2
Thomas 2
Thos. 2
William 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
J. 1
Joseph 1
Llewellyn 1
Peter 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Culkin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Culkin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 95 people were recorded with the Culkin surname. That placed it at #20,349 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Culkin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 345 in 2016. That gives Culkin a modern rank of #13,321.

What does the Culkin surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Irish word "culcin" meaning a reddish-haired person.

What does the Culkin map show?

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