UK surname
An English and Jewish surname possibly derived from the German word for "golden" or the place name Gollin.
In the 1881 census there were 58 people recorded with the Gollin surname, ranking it #25,428 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 54, ranked #34,678, down from #25,428 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Stapleford, Ponton, Great and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gollin is 110 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 6.9%.
1881 census count
58
Ranked #25,428
Modern count
54
2016, ranked #34,678
Peak year
1911
110 bearers
Map years
1
1911 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Gollin surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Gollin surname density by area, 1911 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 | 42 | #25,706 |
| 1861 | historical | 62 | #26,041 |
| 1881 | historical | 58 | #25,428 |
| 1891 | historical | 83 | #26,376 |
| 1901 | historical | 75 | #25,852 |
| 1911 | historical | 110 | #21,519 |
| 1997 | modern | 63 | #31,335 |
| 1998 | modern | 58 | #32,138 |
| 1999 | modern | 56 | #32,461 |
| 2000 | modern | 64 | #31,735 |
| 2001 | modern | 61 | #31,891 |
| 2002 | modern | 63 | #32,113 |
| 2003 | modern | 62 | #32,258 |
| 2004 | modern | 61 | #32,581 |
| 2005 | modern | 58 | #33,094 |
| 2006 | modern | 52 | #33,923 |
| 2007 | modern | 58 | #33,731 |
| 2008 | modern | 59 | #33,827 |
| 2009 | modern | 55 | #34,355 |
| 2010 | modern | 56 | #34,480 |
| 2011 | modern | 59 | #34,265 |
| 2012 | modern | 63 | #34,095 |
| 2013 | modern | 61 | #34,317 |
| 2014 | modern | 57 | #34,556 |
| 2015 | modern | 55 | #34,620 |
| 2016 | modern | 54 | #34,678 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Stapleford, Ponton, Great, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham St Mary 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 | Stapleford | Derbyshire |
| 2 | Ponton, Great | Lincolnshire |
| 3 | Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard | Nottinghamshire |
| 4 | Nottingham St Mary | Nottinghamshire |
| 5 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Gollin 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 Gollin, 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 Gollin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Gollin 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, Gollin 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 Gollin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Gollin, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Gollin has its origins in Germany, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the German word "golle," which means "hill" or "mound." This suggests that the name may have initially been a locational surname given to someone who lived near a hilltop or elevated area.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Gollin can be found in the records of the city of Nuremberg, where a certain Hans Gollin was mentioned in a document from 1534. Another early instance comes from the records of the town of Augsburg, where a Johann Gollin was documented in 1572.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the surname Gollin began to spread across various regions of Germany. In 1683, a man named Georg Gollin was born in the town of Wittenberg, and later became a prominent theologian and author. Another notable figure from this period was Johann Christoph Gollin, a musician and composer who lived in Saxony in the early 18th century.
As the name continued to disperse throughout Germany, it also evolved into various spellings and regional variations. In some areas, it was recorded as "Gollen," "Gollen," or even "Güllein." This was a common occurrence with many surnames during that era, as spellings were often inconsistent and influenced by local dialects.
In the 19th century, the Gollin surname found its way to other parts of Europe and beyond. One notable individual was Carl Gollin, a Swedish-born explorer and adventurer who traveled extensively throughout Africa and Asia in the late 1800s. Another was Eugen Gollin, a German-born painter and artist who lived in the United States from 1892 until his death in 1925.
Throughout the centuries, there have been several other notable individuals bearing the surname Gollin. These include:
1. Johann Gollin (1625-1688), a German composer and organist from Saxony. 2. Friedrich Gollin (1830-1901), a German journalist and political activist. 3. Ida Gollin (1879-1949), a Swedish novelist and playwright. 4. Alfred Gollin (1908-1984), an American psychologist and author. 5. James Gollin (1921-2019), an American physicist and academic.
While the surname Gollin may have originated as a locational name in Germany, it has since spread far beyond its initial roots, carried by individuals who have made their mark in various fields throughout history.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gollin 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 35 Gollins recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.91x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Nottinghamshire | 35 | 45.91x |
| Lincolnshire | 14 | 15.48x |
| Lancashire | 6 | 0.89x |
| Derbyshire | 2 | 2.26x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.18x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stapleford in Nottinghamshire leads with 24 Gollins recorded in 1881 and an index of 3870.97x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Stapleford | 24 | 3870.97x |
| Nottingham St Mary | 7 | 35.50x |
| Spalding | 7 | 391.06x |
| Great Ponton | 6 | 6666.67x |
| Liverpool | 6 | 14.72x |
| Radford | 3 | 77.52x |
| Sandiacre | 2 | 625.00x |
| Chilwell | 1 | 500.00x |
| Ecclesall Bierlow | 1 | 8.77x |
| Spittlegate | 1 | 80.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Gollin 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 Gollin 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 Gollin households.
FAQ
In 1881, 58 people were recorded with the Gollin surname. That placed it at #25,428 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 54 in 2016. That gives Gollin a modern rank of #34,678.
An English and Jewish surname possibly derived from the German word for "golden" or the place name Gollin.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Gollin 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.