NameCensus.

UK surname

Hamlin

From an Old English place name meaning "home of a follower of a prince" or "settlement on a hill."

In the 1881 census there were 864 people recorded with the Hamlin surname, ranking it #4,378 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 997, ranked #5,813, down from #4,378 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bovey Tracey, Hennock, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Somerset, Babergh and North Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hamlin is 1,083 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.4%.

1881 census count

864

Ranked #4,378

Modern count

997

2016, ranked #5,813

Peak year

1911

1,083 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hamlin had 864 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,378 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 997 in 2016, ranked #5,813.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,083 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hamlin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hamlin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hamlin 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 450 #5,485
1861 historical 517 #5,061
1881 historical 864 #4,378
1891 historical 826 #4,913
1901 historical 958 #4,903
1911 historical 1,083 #4,286
1997 modern 1,042 #5,306
1998 modern 1,068 #5,379
1999 modern 1,079 #5,364
2000 modern 1,072 #5,374
2001 modern 1,035 #5,437
2002 modern 1,066 #5,406
2003 modern 1,041 #5,418
2004 modern 1,047 #5,405
2005 modern 1,010 #5,505
2006 modern 1,005 #5,548
2007 modern 974 #5,727
2008 modern 961 #5,829
2009 modern 997 #5,775
2010 modern 1,027 #5,753
2011 modern 1,030 #5,687
2012 modern 997 #5,749
2013 modern 1,022 #5,722
2014 modern 1,022 #5,755
2015 modern 996 #5,828
2016 modern 997 #5,813

Geography

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Where Hamlins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bovey Tracey, Hennock, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Somerset, Babergh, North Somerset and Winchester. 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 Bovey Tracey, Hennock Devon
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
4 London parishes London 1
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Somerset 017 South Somerset
2 Babergh 008 Babergh
3 Babergh 007 Babergh
4 North Somerset 023 North Somerset
5 Winchester 004 Winchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hamlin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hamlin

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Hamlin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hamlin 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Hamlin is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hamlin 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

Hamlin falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hamlin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hamlin

The surname Hamlin is of English origin and dates back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English words "ham" meaning a homestead or village, and "linn" meaning a pool, stream, or waterfall. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a stream or waterfall in a small hamlet or village.

Hamlin is thought to have originated in the county of Gloucestershire, England. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hameldon" and "Hamelune", referring to settlements in Gloucestershire.

In the 13th century, the name appeared as "Hamelyn" in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273. This spelling variation highlights the influence of Norman French on the English language during this period.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William Hamelyn, a wealthy merchant from Bristol, England, who was mentioned in records from the late 13th century.

During the 14th century, the name was also found in various spellings such as "Hamelyn" and "Hamelyne" in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.

In the 16th century, a notable bearer of the name was Giles Hamlin, born in England around 1550. He was one of the early English settlers in New England, arriving in Massachusetts in the 1630s.

Another significant figure was Eleazer Hamlin, born in Barnstable, Massachusetts in 1678. He served as a member of the Massachusetts General Court and was involved in the establishment of several towns in the colony.

In the 18th century, John Hamlin, born in 1722 in Massachusetts, fought in the French and Indian War and later became a prominent figure in the American Revolutionary War.

The 19th century saw the rise of Hannibal Hamlin, born in 1809 in Maine. He served as the 16th Vice President of the United States under President Abraham Lincoln from 1861 to 1865, during the American Civil War.

Throughout its history, the surname Hamlin has been associated with various place names in England, such as Hamlin in Gloucestershire, Hamlyn in Devon, and Hamlin Hill in Oxfordshire, reflecting the geographical origins of the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hamlin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hamlin 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. Somerset leads with 140 Hamlins recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.22x.

County Total Index
Somerset 140 10.22x
Surrey 115 2.77x
Devon 106 5.99x
Gloucestershire 86 5.15x
Middlesex 74 0.87x
Kent 52 1.79x
Sussex 51 3.56x
Lancashire 42 0.42x
Essex 27 1.61x
Wiltshire 19 2.53x
Berkshire 18 2.82x
Hampshire 15 0.86x
Yorkshire 15 0.18x
Warwickshire 13 0.61x
Cheshire 12 0.64x
Monmouthshire 12 1.95x
Glamorgan 11 0.74x
Denbighshire 10 3.11x
Renfrewshire 8 1.21x
Channel Islands 6 2.38x
Derbyshire 6 0.45x
Staffordshire 5 0.17x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.78x
Durham 4 0.16x
Dorset 3 0.54x
Northamptonshire 3 0.38x
Hertfordshire 2 0.34x
Lanarkshire 2 0.07x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.17x
Royal Navy 2 1.97x
Angus 1 0.13x
Ayrshire 1 0.16x
Cornwall 1 0.10x
Cumberland 1 0.14x
Lincolnshire 1 0.07x
Roxburghshire 1 0.65x
Suffolk 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Norton Sub Hamdon in Somerset leads with 29 Hamlins recorded in 1881 and an index of 1847.13x.

Place Total Index
Norton Sub Hamdon 29 1847.13x
Battersea 26 8.31x
Bibury 21 1044.78x
Bovey Tracey 21 339.26x
Brighton 20 6.91x
Cheltenham 20 15.54x
Lambeth 19 2.56x
West Ham 18 4.86x
Bermondsey 15 5.92x
Bridgewater 15 40.36x
Chelsea London 15 5.85x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 13 42.58x
Deptford St Paul 11 4.91x
Ramsgate 11 23.22x
Somerton 11 196.78x
Birkenhead 10 6.68x
Camberwell 10 1.84x
Croydon 10 4.35x
Exeter St Leonard 10 206.19x
Highweek 10 158.48x
Swindon 10 17.14x
Westbury On Trym 10 17.69x
Wrexham Regis 10 41.91x
Aberystruth 9 16.61x
Barking 9 18.32x
Hammersmith London 9 4.30x
Monckton Combe 9 205.48x
South Stoke 9 796.46x
Walcot 9 12.34x
Bedminster 8 6.22x
Kirklington With 8 1095.89x
Liverpool 8 1.31x
Aston 7 1.19x
Blackburn 7 2.61x
Clayton 7 129.63x
Effingham 7 409.36x
Otford 7 172.84x
Preston 7 27.96x
Sandford 7 161.66x
St Peter Cheesehill 7 283.40x
Tonbridge 7 6.69x
Toxteth Park 7 2.05x
Wolborough 7 31.28x
Wrington 7 152.51x
Crediton 6 35.76x
Derby St Alkmund 6 15.03x
Eastbourne 6 9.09x
Exeter St Mary Major 6 56.23x
Lewisham 6 3.88x
Roath 6 8.92x
Tiverton 6 19.67x
Weston Super Mare 6 17.36x
Balcombe 5 195.31x
Birmingham 5 0.70x
Bootle Cum Linacre 5 6.24x
Brightside Bierlow 5 3.02x
Bristol St James St Paul 5 8.99x
Cardiff St Mary 5 6.13x
Chiswick 5 10.76x
Clevedon 5 35.11x
Devizes St James 5 50.00x
Edington 5 393.70x
Hackney London 5 1.05x
Lydd 5 80.52x
Manchester 5 1.10x
Reading St Giles 5 7.98x
Reading St Lawrence 5 36.60x
Sonning 5 70.92x
St George Hanover Square 5 3.34x
St Martin 5 32.38x
Stonehouse 5 52.74x
Tickenham 5 515.46x
Harborne 4 4.35x
Islington London 4 0.49x
Kensington London 4 0.85x
Oxted 4 80.16x
Paddington London 4 1.28x
Southampton St Mary 4 3.65x
Stockley Pomeroy 4 784.31x
Yatton 4 75.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 48
John 38
George 36
Charles 30
Henry 25
James 19
Thomas 18
Frederick 15
Joseph 13
Alfred 12
Albert 11
Arthur 9
Edward 9
Samuel 9
Robert 7
Walter 7
Ernest 6
Harry 6
Frank 4
Philip 4
Chas. 3
Francis 3
Herbert 3
Richard 3
Wm. 3
Cornelius 2
David 2
Ebenezer 2
Edwin 2
J. 2
Michael 2
Oscar 2
Ralph 2
Sidney 2
Thos. 2
Thos.J. 2
Warneford 2
Bertie 1
Clifford 1
Colston 1
Daniel 1
Elias 1
Emanuel 1
Franklin 1
Fred 1
Jonathan 1
Leah 1
Lovell 1
Luke 1
Wm.Jno. 1

FAQ

Hamlin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hamlin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 864 people were recorded with the Hamlin surname. That placed it at #4,378 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hamlin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 997 in 2016. That gives Hamlin a modern rank of #5,813.

What does the Hamlin surname mean?

From an Old English place name meaning "home of a follower of a prince" or "settlement on a hill."

What does the Hamlin map show?

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