NameCensus.

UK surname

Dublin

An Irish toponymic surname referring to someone from the city or county of Dublin in Ireland.

In the 1881 census there were 17 people recorded with the Dublin surname, ranking it #31,170 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 254, ranked #16,632, up from #31,170 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wycombe, Merton and Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dublin is 256 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1394.1%.

1881 census count

17

Ranked #31,170

Modern count

254

2016, ranked #16,632

Peak year

2015

256 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dublin had 17 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,170 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 254 in 2016, ranked #16,632.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 70 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Dublin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dublin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dublin 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 22 #29,378
1861 historical 52 #27,369
1881 historical 17 #31,170
1891 historical 46 #30,657
1901 historical 23 #31,466
1911 historical 70 #25,853
1997 modern 160 #20,259
1998 modern 176 #19,584
1999 modern 187 #18,999
2000 modern 187 #18,990
2001 modern 183 #18,980
2002 modern 195 #18,590
2003 modern 197 #18,311
2004 modern 190 #18,792
2005 modern 197 #18,339
2006 modern 206 #17,945
2007 modern 219 #17,425
2008 modern 215 #17,809
2009 modern 235 #17,151
2010 modern 232 #17,657
2011 modern 233 #17,426
2012 modern 229 #17,537
2013 modern 249 #16,825
2014 modern 252 #16,822
2015 modern 256 #16,524
2016 modern 254 #16,632

Geography

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Where Dublins 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 Wycombe, Merton, Copeland, Dudley and Lewisham. 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 Wycombe 013 Wycombe
2 Merton 017 Merton
3 Copeland 004 Copeland
4 Dudley 017 Dudley
5 Lewisham 002 Lewisham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dublin

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dublin

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Dublin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Dublin 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 includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Dublin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dublin 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

Dublin falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dublin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Dublin

The surname Dublin originated in Ireland, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old Irish Gaelic words "dubh" meaning black and "linn" meaning pool or harbor, referring to the dark waters of the River Liffey on which the city of Dublin is situated. The name was initially used as a locational surname for those who hailed from the city or surrounding areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a "Gilla Dublinen" in 1162. This individual is believed to be a member of the Dublin family from the area.

The surname Dublin can also be traced to the Domesday Book, a detailed survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book mentions a landowner named "William de Duuelinge" in Cambridgeshire, which is likely an anglicized version of the Irish surname.

Notable individuals with the surname Dublin include Sir William Dublin (1531-1596), an English politician and member of parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was James Dublin (1720-1789), an Irish-born merchant and landowner who settled in colonial Virginia and played a role in the American Revolutionary War.

In the literary world, John Dublin (1792-1862) was an Irish poet and author known for his works celebrating Irish culture and nationalism. His contemporaries included the playwright and novelist Samuel Dublin (1809-1858), whose works explored themes of social injustice and Irish identity.

More recently, Mary Dublin (1901-1987) was an Irish-American labor organizer and activist who fought for workers' rights and played a significant role in the union movement during the mid-20th century.

The surname Dublin has also been associated with various place names, particularly in Ireland, where towns and villages like Dublinstown and Dublinsbeg were named after early settlers or landowners with the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dublin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dublin 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. Staffordshire leads with 7 Dublins recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.52x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 7 12.52x
Surrey 3 3.72x
Argyllshire 1 21.69x
Berkshire 1 8.05x
Devon 1 2.90x
Durham 1 2.03x
Essex 1 3.06x
Flintshire 1 22.47x
Lancashire 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kingswinford in Staffordshire leads with 6 Dublins recorded in 1881 and an index of 295.57x.

Place Total Index
Kingswinford 6 295.57x
Lambeth 2 13.85x
Cannock 1 102.04x
Dawdon 1 163.93x
Kingston On Thames 1 51.55x
Knapdale South 1 625.00x
Lidford 1 666.67x
Manchester 1 11.31x
Sandhurst 1 416.67x
Tryddyn 1 1000.00x
West Ham 1 13.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Mary 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Frank 1
George 1
Henry 1
James 1
Samuel 1
Solomon 1
Thomas 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 Dublin households.

FAQ

Dublin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dublin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 17 people were recorded with the Dublin surname. That placed it at #31,170 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dublin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 254 in 2016. That gives Dublin a modern rank of #16,632.

What does the Dublin surname mean?

An Irish toponymic surname referring to someone from the city or county of Dublin in Ireland.

What does the Dublin map show?

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