NameCensus.

UK surname

Irvin

A surname of Scottish origin, derived from the Old English personal name Eoforwine, meaning "boar friend."

In the 1881 census there were 878 people recorded with the Irvin surname, ranking it #4,323 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 719, ranked #7,553, down from #4,323 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gateshead, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) and Hartlepool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Aylesbury Vale and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Irvin is 878 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 18.1%.

1881 census count

878

Ranked #4,323

Modern count

719

2016, ranked #7,553

Peak year

1881

878 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Irvin had 878 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,323 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 719 in 2016, ranked #7,553.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 878 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Irvin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Irvin surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Irvin 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 666 #3,899
1861 historical 662 #4,050
1881 historical 878 #4,323
1891 historical 809 #4,991
1901 historical 821 #5,503
1911 historical 789 #5,526
1997 modern 722 #7,068
1998 modern 731 #7,244
1999 modern 742 #7,208
2000 modern 698 #7,506
2001 modern 684 #7,497
2002 modern 711 #7,419
2003 modern 706 #7,331
2004 modern 686 #7,517
2005 modern 691 #7,421
2006 modern 685 #7,500
2007 modern 697 #7,441
2008 modern 687 #7,595
2009 modern 706 #7,595
2010 modern 723 #7,590
2011 modern 726 #7,491
2012 modern 718 #7,469
2013 modern 718 #7,593
2014 modern 725 #7,571
2015 modern 722 #7,543
2016 modern 719 #7,553

Geography

Back to top

Where Irvins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gateshead, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon), Hartlepool, Glasgow and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Aylesbury Vale, East Riding of Yorkshire and Luncarty and Dunkeld. 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 Gateshead Durham
2 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland
3 Hartlepool Durham
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Preston Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 052 County Durham
2 Aylesbury Vale 006 Aylesbury Vale
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 039 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 County Durham 008 County Durham
5 Luncarty and Dunkeld Perth and Kinross

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Irvin

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Irvin

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Irvin is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Irvin is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Irvin falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Irvin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Irvin

The surname Irvin has its origins in the ancient Anglo-Saxon territories of Britain. It is derived from the Old English personal name "Irvine", which was composed of the elements "yr" meaning "green" and "wine" meaning "friend". This name likely originated in the southwestern region of England during the 7th or 8th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where an individual named "Iruine" is listed as a landowner in Somerset. This suggests that the name had become established in the region by the late 11th century. Over time, various spellings emerged, such as Irvin, Irvine, and Irwin.

In the 13th century, the name is found in records from the county of Ayrshire in Scotland, suggesting that it had spread northward from its English origins. One notable bearer was Sir William de Irvine, who was granted lands in Ayrshire by King Robert the Bruce in the early 14th century.

The surname also has a strong association with the town of Irvine in Ayrshire, which likely took its name from a local landholder in the 12th century. Over the centuries, several prominent individuals have borne the name Irvin or its variants, including James Irvine (1540-1612), a Scottish Protestant reformer and scholar, and Christopher Irvin (1728-1786), an American Revolutionary War officer and landowner in Pennsylvania.

Another notable figure was William Irvine (1741-1804), an Irish-born American soldier and politician who served as a Brigadier General in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Additionally, Robert Irvin (1920-1995), an American mathematician and computer scientist, made significant contributions to the field of numerical analysis and computer programming.

In the 19th century, the name Irvin gained recognition through the work of Emily Jane Irvin Tuttle (1835-1899), an American writer and poet who published under the pseudonym "Nora Perry". Her literary works often explored themes of nature and rural life in the American Midwest.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Irvin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Irvin 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. Durham leads with 149 Irvins recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.84x.

County Total Index
Durham 149 5.84x
Lancashire 144 1.42x
Yorkshire 142 1.67x
Northumberland 82 6.43x
Lanarkshire 54 1.95x
Cumberland 48 6.50x
Middlesex 48 0.56x
Surrey 30 0.72x
Kent 24 0.82x
Ayrshire 17 2.65x
Essex 16 0.95x
Berkshire 14 2.18x
Glamorgan 13 0.87x
Gloucestershire 13 0.77x
Renfrewshire 11 1.66x
Warwickshire 8 0.37x
Aberdeenshire 7 0.88x
Dunbartonshire 6 2.60x
Suffolk 6 0.57x
Cheshire 5 0.26x
Devon 5 0.28x
Fife 5 0.99x
Pembrokeshire 4 1.47x
Sussex 4 0.28x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.58x
Somerset 3 0.22x
Hampshire 2 0.11x
Morayshire 2 1.50x
Shetland 2 2.28x
Westmorland 2 1.06x
Angus 1 0.13x
Dorset 1 0.18x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.53x
Midlothian 1 0.09x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.09x
Orkney 1 1.06x
Royal Navy 1 0.98x
Stirlingshire 1 0.32x
Wigtownshire 1 0.88x
Worcestershire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 37 Irvins recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.59x.

Place Total Index
Preston 37 13.59x
Tynemouth 36 52.69x
Hartlepool 35 96.55x
Chirton 23 79.67x
Islington London 20 2.41x
Glasgow 18 3.66x
Westoe 18 12.45x
Normanby In 16 70.45x
Lambeth 15 2.01x
Egremont 14 79.55x
Wolsingham 14 60.22x
Barony 12 1.71x
Hindley 12 27.66x
Newington 12 51.28x
Salford 12 4.01x
Sowerby In Halifax 12 43.20x
Darlington 10 10.15x
Kirkdale 10 5.84x
Toxteth Park 10 2.90x
Auckinleck 9 45.32x
Cowpen Bewley 9 311.42x
Hetton Le Hole 9 27.84x
Longbenton 9 16.65x
Chislet 8 242.42x
Cobham 8 116.62x
Halifax 8 6.41x
Hedleyhope 8 181.00x
Heptonstall 8 67.11x
Manchester 8 1.75x
Merthyr Tydfil 8 5.57x
Preston Quarter 8 38.67x
Rutherglen 8 19.67x
Workington 8 18.93x
Bishopwearmouth 7 3.20x
Elswick 7 6.87x
Richmond 7 52.71x
Southwick 7 28.97x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 6 4.04x
Brancepeth 6 129.59x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 3.79x
High Low Bishopside 6 79.58x
Kilmarnock 6 7.86x
Linthorpe 6 11.83x
Liverpool 6 0.97x
Monkwearmouth 6 24.57x
Parton 6 137.61x
Remenham 6 331.49x
Skelton In Guisbrough 6 26.11x
St Marylebone London 6 1.31x
Winkfield 6 56.18x
Drighlington 5 40.39x
Huddersfield 5 4.04x
Ipswich St Mathew 5 17.08x
Lancaster 5 8.26x
Lexden 5 73.64x
Llandaff 5 10.07x
Middlesbrough 5 4.52x
New Monkland 5 6.10x
Plumstead 5 5.13x
Romford 5 18.68x
Row 5 16.77x
St Andrews 5 21.65x
Widnes 5 6.81x
Woolwich 5 4.63x
Aughton 4 39.68x
Bewerley 4 114.29x
Birmingham 4 0.56x
Bristol St James In 4 16.17x
Carstairs 4 69.69x
Gateshead 4 2.09x
Hampstead London 4 3.00x
Horsforth 4 21.47x
Monkwearmouth Shore 4 8.03x
North Shields 4 15.71x
Ormesby 4 17.51x
Paisley Middle Church 4 10.34x
Warley 4 16.29x
Yapham With Meltonby 4 579.71x
Church 3 20.88x
Thornaby 3 9.45x

FAQ

Irvin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Irvin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 878 people were recorded with the Irvin surname. That placed it at #4,323 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Irvin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 719 in 2016. That gives Irvin a modern rank of #7,553.

What does the Irvin surname mean?

A surname of Scottish origin, derived from the Old English personal name Eoforwine, meaning "boar friend."

What does the Irvin map show?

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