NameCensus.

UK surname

Esplin

A Scottish surname derived from the Old Norse personal name "Espelingr".

In the 1881 census there were 380 people recorded with the Esplin surname, ranking it #8,249 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 246, ranked #16,993, down from #8,249 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Forfar, Arbroath and St. Vigeans and Kirkden. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Vale of White Horse, Letham and Glamis and Montrose South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Esplin is 407 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 35.3%.

1881 census count

380

Ranked #8,249

Modern count

246

2016, ranked #16,993

Peak year

1901

407 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Esplin had 380 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,249 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 246 in 2016, ranked #16,993.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 407 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Esplin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Esplin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Esplin 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 194 #10,662
1861 historical 204 #11,814
1881 historical 380 #8,249
1891 historical 403 #8,822
1901 historical 407 #9,374
1911 historical 71 #25,742
1997 modern 231 #16,049
1998 modern 239 #16,179
1999 modern 233 #16,554
2000 modern 236 #16,380
2001 modern 222 #16,806
2002 modern 226 #16,939
2003 modern 227 #16,718
2004 modern 227 #16,778
2005 modern 233 #16,434
2006 modern 245 #15,956
2007 modern 255 #15,687
2008 modern 252 #15,984
2009 modern 256 #16,145
2010 modern 244 #17,056
2011 modern 245 #16,874
2012 modern 245 #16,745
2013 modern 242 #17,158
2014 modern 247 #17,035
2015 modern 243 #17,141
2016 modern 246 #16,993

Geography

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Where Esplins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Forfar, Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Kirkden, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Vale of White Horse, Letham and Glamis, Montrose South, Dunipace and Forfar East. 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 Forfar Forfar
2 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
3 Kirkden Forfar
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Vale of White Horse 015 Vale of White Horse
2 Letham and Glamis Angus
3 Montrose South Angus
4 Dunipace Falkirk
5 Forfar East Angus

Forenames

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First names often paired with Esplin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Esplin

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Esplin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Esplin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Esplin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Esplin is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Esplin falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Esplin

The surname Esplin is of Scottish origin, derived from the Old English words "east" and "lynn" meaning "east of the pool" or "east of the stream". It is believed to have originated as a locational name in the region of Lothian, Scotland, during the 12th century.

Esplin is a variation of the more common spelling "Elphinstone", which can be traced back to the village of Elphinstone in East Lothian, Scotland. The earliest recorded instance of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists William de Elphinstone as a landowner who swore fealty to King Edward I of England.

In the 15th century, the Elphinstone family rose to prominence in Scottish society, with several members holding influential positions in the church and government. One notable figure was William Elphinstone (1431-1514), who served as Bishop of Aberdeen and founded the University of Aberdeen in 1495.

Another prominent individual with the Esplin surname was Sir James Elphinstone (1557-1624), who was a Scottish politician and diplomat during the reign of King James VI of Scotland and I of England. He played a crucial role in the Union of the Crowns in 1603 and was appointed as Lord High Treasurer of Scotland.

In the 17th century, the Esplin surname can be found in various records, including the Parish Registers of Aberdeenshire, which mention individuals such as John Esplin (1620-1689) and Margaret Esplin (1635-1701).

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Esplin spelling appears in the Aberdeen Council Registers of 1696, which references a merchant named Alexander Esplin. This spelling variation likely arose due to regional dialects and scribal errors in record-keeping.

Throughout the centuries, the Esplin surname has been associated with several notable individuals, including:

1. James Esplin (1793-1868), a Scottish soldier who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a successful businessman in Canada. 2. Mary Esplin (1822-1892), a Scottish-born poet and author who published several collections of verse and prose in Canada. 3. Robert Esplin (1856-1934), a Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 4. William Esplin (1876-1962), a Scottish-born architect who designed several notable buildings in South Africa, including the Durban City Hall. 5. Margaret Esplin (1900-1984), a British author and playwright whose works explored themes of social injustice and women's rights.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Esplin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Esplin 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. Angus leads with 248 Esplins recorded in 1881 and an index of 72.98x.

County Total Index
Angus 248 72.98x
Lanarkshire 35 2.95x
Lancashire 23 0.53x
Midlothian 13 2.65x
Stirlingshire 13 9.61x
Kent 9 0.72x
Perthshire 9 5.47x
Northumberland 6 1.10x
Derbyshire 5 0.87x
Middlesex 5 0.14x
Kincardineshire 3 6.72x
Cheshire 2 0.25x
Caithness 1 1.99x
Durham 1 0.09x
Peeblesshire 1 5.80x
Renfrewshire 1 0.35x
Sussex 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Forfar in Angus leads with 52 Esplins recorded in 1881 and an index of 282.61x.

Place Total Index
Forfar 52 282.61x
St Vigeans 50 272.63x
Dundee 38 29.96x
Kirkden 32 1502.35x
Arbroath 20 177.62x
Barony 17 5.66x
Glasgow 13 6.17x
Carmyllie 12 827.59x
Liff Benvie 12 23.26x
Montrose 12 58.28x
Denny 11 152.78x
Woolwich 9 19.47x
Kirkdale 8 10.93x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 3.54x
Perth West Church 7 89.63x
Duddingston 6 60.85x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 6 18.41x
Panbride 6 338.98x
Rescobie 6 697.67x
Hulme 5 5.50x
Tideswell 5 200.80x
Didsbury 4 69.20x
Banchory Devenick 3 71.94x
Old Monkland 3 6.37x
Brechin 2 14.98x
Govan 2 0.68x
Grangemouth 2 1176.47x
Hackney London 2 0.97x
Kinnel 2 227.27x
Liscard 2 13.71x
Manchester 2 1.02x
Abbey 1 2.31x
Arbirlot 1 97.09x
Bower 1 49.51x
Brighton 1 0.80x
Cargill 1 58.48x
Friern Barnet 1 12.38x
Guthrie 1 178.57x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 2.12x
Inverarity 1 91.74x
Kensington London 1 0.49x
Kirkby 1 56.82x
Kirriemuir 1 11.93x
Perth East Church 1 6.44x
Poplar London 1 1.44x
Prestwich 1 9.21x
Stretford 1 4.18x
Tweedsmuir 1 357.14x
Withington 1 7.13x

Top female names

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

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 Esplin households.

FAQ

Esplin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Esplin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 380 people were recorded with the Esplin surname. That placed it at #8,249 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Esplin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 246 in 2016. That gives Esplin a modern rank of #16,993.

What does the Esplin surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Old Norse personal name "Espelingr".

What does the Esplin map show?

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