UK surname
An Anglicized form of the Irish surname "O'Cuillin," derived from the Gaelic "cuileann" meaning "holly" or "holly tree."
In the 1881 census there were 50 people recorded with the Cullins surname, ranking it #26,587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 16, ranked #36,998, down from #26,587 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Mewan, Edinburgh and St George, Hanover Square, Buckingham Palace. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cullins is 169 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 68.0%.
1881 census count
50
Ranked #26,587
Modern count
16
2016, ranked #36,998
Peak year
1861
169 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Cullins surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Cullins surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 169 | #13,823 |
| 1881 | historical | 50 | #26,587 |
| 1891 | historical | 112 | #22,291 |
| 1901 | historical | 39 | #29,799 |
| 1911 | historical | 27 | #30,437 |
| 1997 | modern | 10 | #37,060 |
| 1998 | modern | 11 | #36,908 |
| 1999 | modern | 16 | #36,371 |
| 2000 | modern | 14 | #36,522 |
| 2001 | modern | 12 | #36,612 |
| 2002 | modern | 16 | #36,267 |
| 2003 | modern | 17 | #36,198 |
| 2004 | modern | 17 | #36,342 |
| 2005 | modern | 17 | #36,407 |
| 2006 | modern | 15 | #36,707 |
| 2007 | modern | 17 | #36,628 |
| 2008 | modern | 17 | #36,699 |
| 2009 | modern | 17 | #36,753 |
| 2010 | modern | 19 | #36,687 |
| 2011 | modern | 22 | #36,430 |
| 2012 | modern | 19 | #36,641 |
| 2013 | modern | 16 | #36,955 |
| 2014 | modern | 15 | #37,070 |
| 2015 | modern | 16 | #36,978 |
| 2016 | modern | 16 | #36,998 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Mewan, Edinburgh, St George, Hanover Square, Buckingham Palace, All Saints Poplar and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Mewan | Cornwall |
| 2 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| 3 | St George, Hanover Square, Buckingham Palace | London (West Districts) |
| 4 | All Saints Poplar | London (East Districts) |
| 5 | Glasgow | Lanark |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Cullins surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cullins, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Cullins surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Cullins household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Cullins is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cullins is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Cullins, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Cullins has its origins in Ireland, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be an Anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Cuilinn, which translates to "descendant of Cuilinn." The name Cuilinn itself is derived from the Irish word "cuileann," meaning "holly" or "holly tree."
The earliest recorded instances of the Cullins surname can be found in the Irish Annals, where members of the Ó Cuilinn family are mentioned as early as the 15th century. One notable example is Ruaidhrí Ó Cuilinn, a chieftain from County Mayo, who is mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters in the year 1497.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Cullins surname was most prevalent in counties Mayo and Sligo, particularly in the areas around Ballina and Sligo town. The name is also found in historical records from these regions, such as the Fiants of the Tudor Monarchs and the Civil Survey of 1654-56.
In the 18th century, the Cullins surname began to spread beyond its traditional strongholds in the west of Ireland. One notable individual from this period was Dominick Cullins, a Catholic priest who lived in County Kilkenny in the mid-1700s.
As the Cullins family dispersed throughout Ireland and beyond, various spellings of the name emerged, including Cullen, Cullin, and Cullens. This was a common occurrence with many Irish surnames due to the inconsistencies in translation and record-keeping.
Several individuals with the Cullins surname have achieved recognition throughout history. Among them are:
1. Michael Cullins (1875-1947), an Irish-born American labor leader and politician from New York. 2. Bridget Cullins (1878-1958), an Irish-born American teacher and activist in the labor and suffrage movements. 3. James Cullins (1904-1991), an Irish hurler who played for the Waterford senior team in the 1920s and 1930s. 4. Patrick Cullins (1932-2008), an Irish-born American writer and academic who taught at the University of Notre Dame. 5. John Cullins (born 1962), an American actor and producer best known for his role in the television series "Northern Exposure."
While the Cullins surname may not be as widespread as some others, it has a rich history rooted in the Irish tradition, with descendants scattered across Ireland and beyond, contributing to various fields throughout the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cullins surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lanarkshire leads with 21 Cullins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.17x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lanarkshire | 21 | 14.17x |
| Nottinghamshire | 5 | 8.09x |
| Brecknockshire | 4 | 43.62x |
| Middlesex | 3 | 0.65x |
| Perthshire | 3 | 14.58x |
| Hampshire | 2 | 2.13x |
| Kent | 2 | 1.28x |
| Roxburghshire | 2 | 24.10x |
| Shropshire | 2 | 5.05x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.18x |
| Midlothian | 1 | 1.63x |
| Somerset | 1 | 1.36x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 9 Cullins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.99x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Barony | 9 | 23.99x |
| Glasgow | 7 | 26.60x |
| Nottingham St Mary | 5 | 31.29x |
| Llangattock | 4 | 533.33x |
| Auchtergaven | 3 | 882.35x |
| Lesmahagow | 3 | 191.08x |
| Friern Barnet | 2 | 198.02x |
| Greenwich | 2 | 27.40x |
| Hawick | 2 | 107.53x |
| Oswestry Town | 2 | 157.48x |
| Tadley | 2 | 1250.00x |
| Glastonbury | 1 | 166.67x |
| Gorbals | 1 | 113.64x |
| Govan | 1 | 2.73x |
| Newbattle | 1 | 192.31x |
| Spotland | 1 | 16.53x |
| Tottenham | 1 | 13.70x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Cullins surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Cullins surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Cullins households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 3 |
| Musician | 2 |
| Carpenter | 1 |
| Coal Porter | 1 |
| Coalminers Wife | 1 |
| Dress Maker | 1 |
| Genl Serv (Domestic) | 1 |
| Ironfounder | 1 |
| Lace Clipper | 1 |
| Operative (C M) | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 50 people were recorded with the Cullins surname. That placed it at #26,587 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 16 in 2016. That gives Cullins a modern rank of #36,998.
An Anglicized form of the Irish surname "O'Cuillin," derived from the Gaelic "cuileann" meaning "holly" or "holly tree."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cullins bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.