NameCensus.

UK surname

Heslin

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic personal name "Oisín", meaning "little fawn".

In the 1881 census there were 82 people recorded with the Heslin surname, ranking it #21,957 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 290, ranked #15,099, up from #21,957 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Hawick and Wilton and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Norfolk, Greenfield and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Heslin is 300 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 253.7%.

1881 census count

82

Ranked #21,957

Modern count

290

2016, ranked #15,099

Peak year

2013

300 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Heslin had 82 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,957 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 290 in 2016, ranked #15,099.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 131 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Heslin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Heslin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Heslin 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 42 #25,706
1861 historical 39 #29,099
1881 historical 82 #21,957
1891 historical 78 #27,035
1901 historical 131 #19,552
1911 historical 83 #24,531
1997 modern 217 #16,761
1998 modern 240 #16,117
1999 modern 263 #15,267
2000 modern 271 #14,910
2001 modern 262 #15,034
2002 modern 277 #14,764
2003 modern 282 #14,410
2004 modern 279 #14,578
2005 modern 283 #14,343
2006 modern 269 #14,952
2007 modern 273 #14,959
2008 modern 272 #15,152
2009 modern 281 #15,098
2010 modern 287 #15,195
2011 modern 283 #15,193
2012 modern 283 #15,115
2013 modern 300 #14,744
2014 modern 298 #14,911
2015 modern 288 #15,190
2016 modern 290 #15,099

Geography

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Where Heslins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Hawick and Wilton, Manchester, Prestonkirk and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Norfolk, Greenfield, County Durham and Breckland. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Prestonkirk Haddington
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Norfolk 003 North Norfolk
2 Greenfield Glasgow City
3 County Durham 008 County Durham
4 North Norfolk 005 North Norfolk
5 Breckland 002 Breckland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Heslin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Heslin

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Heslin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Heslin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Heslin 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

Heslin is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Heslin falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Heslin 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Heslin

The surname Heslin originated in Ireland, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic name "Ó hEislíne," meaning "descendant of Eislíne," which in turn is derived from the Old Irish word "eislen," meaning "wanderer" or "pilgrim."

The name was primarily found in the counties of Longford and Westmeath, where it is believed to have originated. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century.

One notable early bearer of the name was Seán Ó hEislíne, a 16th-century Irish poet and historian from County Westmeath. His works provide valuable insights into the cultural and political landscape of Ireland during that period.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the surname Heslin began to appear in various records, such as parish registers and land deeds. Notable individuals from this time period include Pádraig Ó hEislíne (1642-1721), a renowned Irish harper and composer, and Seán Ó hEislíne (1701-1784), a poet and scribe from County Longford.

As the surname spread across Ireland and beyond, it underwent various spelling variations, including Hesslin, Hesslene, and Hesling. One notable figure from the 19th century was Patrick Heslin (1822-1890), an Irish-born Catholic priest who served as the Bishop of Natchez, Mississippi, in the United States.

In the 20th century, the name continued to be prominent, with individuals such as Victor Heslin (1909-1992), an Irish politician and former member of the Irish Parliament, and Brendan Heslin (born 1962), an Irish former professional soccer player.

While the surname Heslin has a rich history rooted in Irish culture and tradition, it has also spread across the globe, with bearers of the name contributing to various fields and communities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Heslin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Heslin 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. Lancashire leads with 19 Heslins recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.00x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 19 2.00x
Durham 12 5.04x
East Lothian 10 94.43x
Midlothian 10 9.33x
West Lothian 10 82.99x
Roxburghshire 7 48.31x
Yorkshire 6 0.76x
Lanarkshire 4 1.55x
Cornwall 1 1.10x
Hampshire 1 0.61x
Warwickshire 1 0.50x
Worcestershire 1 0.96x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Everton in Lancashire leads with 10 Heslins recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.06x.

Place Total Index
Everton 10 33.06x
Linlithgow 10 649.35x
Prestonkirk 10 1886.79x
Hawick 7 216.05x
Crichton 6 2000.00x
Darlington 6 65.29x
Hipperholme Cum 6 172.41x
Tanfield 6 212.01x
Barony 4 6.11x
South Leith 3 24.88x
West Derby 3 10.80x
Aldershot 1 18.21x
Birmingham 1 1.49x
Broadway 1 222.22x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 6.63x
Edinburgh Canongate 1 36.63x
Falmouth 1 31.15x
Hindley 1 24.69x
Kirkdale 1 6.26x
Little Bolton 1 8.20x
Liverpool 1 1.73x
Manchester 1 2.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Sarah 4
Emma 3
Ann 2
Beatrice 1
Catherine 1
Emily 1
Florence 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Lilly 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
Francis 2
Michael 2
Thomas 2
William 2
Edward 1
Harry 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1

FAQ

Heslin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Heslin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 82 people were recorded with the Heslin surname. That placed it at #21,957 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Heslin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 290 in 2016. That gives Heslin a modern rank of #15,099.

What does the Heslin surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic personal name "Oisín", meaning "little fawn".

What does the Heslin map show?

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