NameCensus.

UK surname

Hamlyn

An English surname derived from the medieval place name Hamelin or Hamlyn.

In the 1881 census there were 709 people recorded with the Hamlyn surname, ranking it #5,124 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 638, ranked #8,294, down from #5,124 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Ashburton and Bideford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Teignbridge, Sevenoaks and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hamlyn is 821 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.0%.

1881 census count

709

Ranked #5,124

Modern count

638

2016, ranked #8,294

Peak year

1911

821 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hamlyn had 709 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,124 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 638 in 2016, ranked #8,294.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 821 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hamlyn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hamlyn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hamlyn 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 552 #4,585
1861 historical 531 #4,945
1881 historical 709 #5,124
1891 historical 752 #5,296
1901 historical 791 #5,692
1911 historical 821 #5,364
1997 modern 646 #7,688
1998 modern 650 #7,904
1999 modern 673 #7,744
2000 modern 693 #7,545
2001 modern 678 #7,544
2002 modern 681 #7,677
2003 modern 665 #7,693
2004 modern 673 #7,643
2005 modern 636 #7,906
2006 modern 626 #8,029
2007 modern 630 #8,056
2008 modern 611 #8,284
2009 modern 648 #8,093
2010 modern 664 #8,104
2011 modern 663 #8,031
2012 modern 656 #8,011
2013 modern 661 #8,105
2014 modern 655 #8,203
2015 modern 645 #8,249
2016 modern 638 #8,294

Geography

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Where Hamlyns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Ashburton, Bideford, Widecombe-in-the-Moor and Buckfastleigh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Teignbridge, Sevenoaks and Cornwall. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Ashburton Devon
3 Bideford Devon
4 Widecombe-in-the-Moor Devon
5 Buckfastleigh Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Teignbridge 004 Teignbridge
2 Sevenoaks 012 Sevenoaks
3 Teignbridge 016 Teignbridge
4 Teignbridge 017 Teignbridge
5 Cornwall 016 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hamlyn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hamlyn

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hamlyn, 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 Hamlyn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hamlyn 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Hamlyn is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hamlyn is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hamlyn 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 Hamlyn is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hamlyn

The surname HAMLYN is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "ham" meaning a home or dwelling, and "lyn" meaning a small wood or grove. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a small wooded area or hamlet.

One of the earliest references to the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hamelinus" in several entries from counties such as Buckinghamshire and Gloucestershire. This suggests that the name was already established in various parts of England by the late 11th century.

In the 12th century, the name was recorded as "Hamelin" in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1166. This spelling variation highlights the evolving nature of surnames during this era. Another notable example is Hamelin Plantagenet (c. 1130-1202), an illegitimate son of Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou.

By the 13th century, the surname had taken on several forms, including "Hamelyn", "Hamelyn", and "Hamelyn". One notable bearer was Sir William Hamlyn (c. 1260-1328), a knight and landowner from Devonshire who served in the Wars of Scottish Independence under Edward I.

In the 14th century, the spelling "Hamlyn" became more prominent, as seen in records from Cornwall and Devon. Geoffrey Hamlyn (c. 1330-1395) was a wealthy merchant and landowner from Exeter who served as the city's mayor in 1375.

During the 16th century, the name continued to be associated with the West Country, particularly Devon and Cornwall. John Hamlyn (c. 1510-1580) was a prominent merchant and shipowner from Plymouth who played a role in the early English colonization efforts in North America.

Other notable individuals with the surname HAMLYN include Thomas Hamlyn (1624-1690), an English Puritan minister who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony, and Sir James Hamlyn Williams (1822-1891), a British naval officer and explorer who surveyed parts of the coast of Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hamlyn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hamlyn 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. Devon leads with 446 Hamlyns recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.85x.

County Total Index
Devon 446 30.85x
Middlesex 73 1.05x
Surrey 35 1.03x
Kent 29 1.22x
Yorkshire 26 0.38x
Cornwall 21 2.67x
Glamorgan 16 1.32x
Lancashire 11 0.13x
Somerset 11 0.98x
Northumberland 6 0.58x
Hampshire 5 0.35x
Gloucestershire 4 0.29x
Cheshire 3 0.20x
Durham 3 0.15x
Essex 3 0.22x
Montgomeryshire 3 1.89x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.32x
Royal Navy 3 3.62x
Sussex 3 0.26x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.31x
Hertfordshire 2 0.42x
Oxfordshire 1 0.23x
Staffordshire 1 0.04x
Warwickshire 1 0.06x
Worcestershire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Plymouth St Andrew in Devon leads with 42 Hamlyns recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.71x.

Place Total Index
Plymouth St Andrew 42 37.71x
Bideford 29 187.22x
Stoke Damerel 25 24.71x
Widdecombeinthe Moor 25 1288.66x
Buckfastleigh 22 329.84x
Lambeth 22 3.63x
Holy Trinity 20 12.08x
Tormoham 20 32.70x
Deptford St Paul 19 10.40x
Ashburton 17 246.02x
Newton Abbot St Mary 17 140.15x
Christow 16 1142.86x
Hackney London 16 4.11x
Islington London 16 2.38x
Northam 15 142.32x
Wolborough 15 82.06x
St Pancras London 14 2.50x
Walkhampton 13 942.03x
West Teignmouth 12 108.50x
Hartland 11 244.44x
Plymouth Charles The 11 17.27x
Clase 10 22.24x
Germansweek 9 1428.57x
Madron Penzance 9 31.48x
Beerferris 8 283.69x
Totnes 8 94.56x
Exeter St Mary Major 7 80.28x
Exeter St Sidwell 7 21.14x
Newton Abbot St Nicholas 7 236.49x
Ramsgate 7 18.10x
Bedminster 6 5.71x
Bishopsteignton 6 218.98x
Churston Ferrers 6 394.74x
Kenton 6 131.58x
Kirkdale 6 4.33x
Merthyr Tydfil 6 5.16x
Parkham 6 314.14x
Sutcombe 6 606.06x
Bickleigh 5 352.11x
Clerkenwell London 5 3.05x
Exeter St David 5 40.49x
Falmouth 5 17.97x
Ilsington 5 197.63x
Newbrough 5 273.22x
Newington 5 1.95x
Sculcoates 5 4.58x
Woodland 5 1351.35x
Woolfardisworthy 5 239.23x
Bridestow 4 261.44x
Buckland Monachorum 4 129.45x
Liverpool 4 0.80x
Paddington London 4 1.57x
Ruan Minor 4 579.71x
St Marylebone London 4 1.08x
Bridford 3 288.46x
Clapham 3 3.46x
Clifton 3 4.36x
Dartmouth St Saviour 3 72.64x
East Stonehouse 3 10.53x
Eastbourne 3 5.57x
Kensington London 3 0.78x
Lidford 3 46.23x
Little Hempston 3 566.04x
Llandysilio 3 206.90x
Norton 3 39.47x
Royal Navy 3 4.24x
St Andrew Holborn London 3 9.98x
St Helen Bishopsgate 3 434.78x
St Ives 3 19.49x
Woodhouse Hall 3 967.74x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 2 1.66x
Birkenhead 2 1.64x
Bovey Tracey 2 39.53x
Braunton 2 40.82x
Broxbourne 2 21.07x
Buckland Brewer 2 113.64x
Exeter St Paul 2 69.93x
Hennock 2 108.70x
Highweek 2 38.84x
Portsea 2 0.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 53
John 48
George 26
Thomas 16
James 15
Henry 14
Frederick 13
Robert 11
Arthur 10
Richard 10
Charles 9
Edwin 8
Joseph 8
Samuel 7
Edward 6
Ernest 6
Frank 5
Albert 4
Herbert 4
Walter 4
Alfred 3
Andrew 3
Fredrick 3
Harry 3
Wm. 3
Daniel 2
Elias 2
Francis 2
Fredk. 2
Freeman 2
Horatio 2
Jamin 2
Thos. 2
Albt.J. 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Ebenezer 1
Edgar 1
Fredc.E. 1
G. 1
L. 1
Leander 1
Lewis 1
Loveys 1
Montague 1
Nathaniel 1
Oliver 1
Osbert 1
Owen 1
Wm.Jno. 1

FAQ

Hamlyn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hamlyn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 709 people were recorded with the Hamlyn surname. That placed it at #5,124 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hamlyn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 638 in 2016. That gives Hamlyn a modern rank of #8,294.

What does the Hamlyn surname mean?

An English surname derived from the medieval place name Hamelin or Hamlyn.

What does the Hamlyn map show?

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