UK surname
Originated from the Irish surname Ó Floinn, referring to someone descended from a member of an Irish family name.
In the 1881 census there were 368 people recorded with the Flyn surname, ranking it #8,454 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 56, ranked #34,562, down from #8,454 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Edinburgh, Manchester and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Flyn is 368 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 84.8%.
1881 census count
368
Ranked #8,454
Modern count
56
2016, ranked #34,562
Peak year
1881
368 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Flyn surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Flyn surname density by area, 1881 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 | 334 | #7,001 |
| 1861 | historical | 340 | #7,497 |
| 1881 | historical | 368 | #8,454 |
| 1891 | historical | 220 | #13,937 |
| 1901 | historical | 199 | #15,173 |
| 1911 | historical | 111 | #21,392 |
| 1997 | modern | 52 | #32,444 |
| 1998 | modern | 50 | #32,899 |
| 1999 | modern | 52 | #32,848 |
| 2000 | modern | 47 | #33,358 |
| 2001 | modern | 47 | #33,219 |
| 2002 | modern | 46 | #33,631 |
| 2003 | modern | 41 | #34,113 |
| 2004 | modern | 45 | #33,957 |
| 2005 | modern | 37 | #34,815 |
| 2006 | modern | 42 | #34,714 |
| 2007 | modern | 42 | #34,905 |
| 2008 | modern | 42 | #34,994 |
| 2009 | modern | 54 | #34,431 |
| 2010 | modern | 54 | #34,582 |
| 2011 | modern | 48 | #34,926 |
| 2012 | modern | 50 | #34,814 |
| 2013 | modern | 49 | #34,952 |
| 2014 | modern | 52 | #34,803 |
| 2015 | modern | 51 | #34,834 |
| 2016 | modern | 56 | #34,562 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Edinburgh, Manchester, Lambeth, St Marylebone and Liverpool. 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 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| 2 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 3 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| 4 | St Marylebone | London (North Districts) |
| 5 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Flyn 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 Flyn, 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 Flyn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Flyn 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, Flyn 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 Flyn is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Flyn, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Flyn has its origins in Ireland, specifically from the Old Irish name O Floinn. Dating back to early medieval Ireland, the name is derived from the Gaelic word floinn, which means ruddy or red-haired. This surname is indicative of an early tribal name rooted in a descriptive characteristic of the ancestral founder, likely referring to a person with a red-hued complexion or hair.
The Flyn name is prominently associated with the provinces of Ulster and Connacht. In ancient manuscripts, it appears in various spellings, including O Floinn, MacFhloinn, and as Flyn in anglicized forms. One of the earliest references to the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, where several members of the O Floinn clan are mentioned in different contexts ranging from battles to land disputes.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is Tadhg O Floinn, a poet who flourished around 1056 AD. His works contributed significantly to the Gaelic literary tradition, and his name is preserved in historical documents. Another notable historical figure is Murtagh O Floinn, who was a chieftain of the tribe and died in battle in 1235 AD, his exploits being recorded in the Annals of Loch Cé.
The lineage continued to produce prominent figures, including Conor MacFhloinn, a hereditary keeper of the Book of Kells during the early 14th century. His stewardship of this significant artifact highlights the scholarly and cultural prominence of the family in medieval Irish society. The Flyn name also appears in ecclesiastical records, with Uilliam O Floinn serving as the Bishop of Killaloe from 1389 to 1395, indicating the family's influence within the Church.
In the subsequent centuries, members of the Flyn family emigrated due to political turmoil and economic hardships, dispersing across the British Isles and even to continental Europe. One such individual was Emmett Flyn, an Irish soldier who served in the army of the Holy Roman Empire in the 1600s.
The name continued to evolve, with variations like Flynn becoming more common in the Anglicized records of English-controlled Ireland. By the time of the Cromwellian conquest in the mid-17th century, the name had entrenched itself in both Irish and English spelling forms.
Overall, the surname Flyn encapsulates a rich history, deeply embedded in Ireland's cultural and genealogical tapestry. It has consistently been a marker of Irish heritage, with its bearers contributing significantly to the historical and social landscape of Ireland and beyond.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Flyn 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. Lancashire leads with 122 Flyns recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.86x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 122 | 2.86x |
| Lanarkshire | 30 | 2.58x |
| Middlesex | 26 | 0.72x |
| Midlothian | 23 | 4.77x |
| Yorkshire | 20 | 0.56x |
| Surrey | 18 | 1.03x |
| Dunbartonshire | 10 | 10.34x |
| Essex | 10 | 1.41x |
| Ayrshire | 9 | 3.34x |
| Perthshire | 9 | 5.57x |
| Durham | 8 | 0.75x |
| East Lothian | 7 | 14.68x |
| Glamorgan | 7 | 1.12x |
| Angus | 6 | 1.80x |
| Kent | 6 | 0.49x |
| Monmouthshire | 6 | 2.31x |
| Worcestershire | 6 | 1.28x |
| Cumberland | 5 | 1.61x |
| Kirkcudbrightshire | 5 | 9.60x |
| Wigtownshire | 5 | 10.46x |
| Berwickshire | 4 | 9.18x |
| Carmarthenshire | 4 | 2.64x |
| Staffordshire | 4 | 0.33x |
| Hampshire | 3 | 0.41x |
| Channel Islands | 2 | 1.88x |
| Derbyshire | 2 | 0.35x |
| Gloucestershire | 2 | 0.28x |
| Renfrewshire | 2 | 0.72x |
| Warwickshire | 2 | 0.22x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 0.37x |
| Cheshire | 1 | 0.13x |
| Dorset | 1 | 0.42x |
| Selkirkshire | 1 | 3.07x |
| Somerset | 1 | 0.17x |
| Stirlingshire | 1 | 0.75x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 18 Flyns recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.37x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Flyn surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 33 |
| Margaret | 12 |
| Catherine | 9 |
| Ann | 8 |
| Elizabeth | 8 |
| Bridget | 7 |
| Ellen | 6 |
| Eliza | 4 |
| Sarah | 4 |
| Anne | 3 |
| Annie | 3 |
| Alice | 2 |
| Caroline | 2 |
| Elisabeth | 2 |
| Honoria | 2 |
| Johanna | 2 |
| Kate | 2 |
| Lucy | 2 |
| Margret | 2 |
| Adda | 1 |
| Adelaide | 1 |
| Edward | 1 |
| Elinor | 1 |
| Hanna | 1 |
| Jane | 1 |
| Julia | 1 |
| Katherine | 1 |
| Laura | 1 |
| Maria | 1 |
| Martha | 1 |
| Maryam | 1 |
| May | 1 |
| Norah | 1 |
| Patience | 1 |
| Rose | 1 |
| Selina | 1 |
| Susan | 1 |
| Susannah | 1 |
| Winfred | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Flyn surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| John | 22 |
| Thomas | 13 |
| Michael | 12 |
| James | 11 |
| Patrick | 9 |
| William | 6 |
| George | 5 |
| Henry | 4 |
| Joseph | 4 |
| Edward | 3 |
| Arthur | 2 |
| Charles | 2 |
| Cornelius | 2 |
| David | 2 |
| Dennis | 2 |
| Martin | 2 |
| Peter | 2 |
| Richard | 2 |
| Alexander | 1 |
| Alfred | 1 |
| Annie | 1 |
| Auther | 1 |
| Bartholomew | 1 |
| Benjamin | 1 |
| Christopher | 1 |
| Frederick | 1 |
| G. | 1 |
| Gregory | 1 |
| Isaac | 1 |
| Jno. | 1 |
| Matthew | 1 |
| Michal | 1 |
| Samuel | 1 |
| Sydney | 1 |
| Tho.Hy.Chs. | 1 |
| Thos. | 1 |
| Walter | 1 |
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 Flyn households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 42 |
| Cotton Weaver | 7 |
| General Labourer | 7 |
| Labourer | 7 |
| Coal Miner | 6 |
| Hawker | 4 |
| Schollar | 4 |
| Tailoress | 4 |
| Dock Labourer | 3 |
| Dressmaker | 3 |
| General Servant | 3 |
| Laundress | 3 |
| Army Pensioner | 2 |
| Cotton M Throstle Spinner | 2 |
| Errand Boy | 2 |
| Housekeeper | 2 |
| Labour | 2 |
| Unemployed | 2 |
| Agr Lab | 1 |
| Agr Laborer (Indoor) | 1 |
| Annuitant | 1 |
| Blacksmith | 1 |
| Boot Fitter | 1 |
| Boot Maker | 1 |
| Boot Maker Wife | 1 |
| Boot Makers Assistant | 1 |
| Box Maker (P/N) | 1 |
| Cane Worker Basket Maker ((Cane)) | 1 |
| Cardroom Hand In Cotton Fac | 1 |
| Carman | 1 |
| Carter | 1 |
| Charwoman | 1 |
| Cloth Porter (Woollen) | 1 |
| Coast Guard Man | 1 |
| Cotton Card Room | 1 |
| Cotton Spinner | 1 |
| Dairymaid | 1 |
| Dress Maker | 1 |
| Erran Boy | 1 |
| Factory | 1 |
| Factory Hand (CM) | 1 |
| Farm Lab | 1 |
| Farm Serv | 1 |
| Fire Wood Seller | 1 |
| Flint Cutter | 1 |
| Fruit Dealer | 1 |
| Gen Laborer | 1 |
| Gen Servant | 1 |
| General Laborer | 1 |
| Working At Forge | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 368 people were recorded with the Flyn surname. That placed it at #8,454 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 56 in 2016. That gives Flyn a modern rank of #34,562.
Originated from the Irish surname Ó Floinn, referring to someone descended from a member of an Irish family name.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Flyn 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.