NameCensus.

UK surname

Joslin

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "Jocelyn's land."

In the 1881 census there were 1,139 people recorded with the Joslin surname, ranking it #3,515 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,363, ranked #4,422, down from #3,515 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a and Great and Little Totham, Goldhanger, Heybridge, Tolleshunt Major, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Dar. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, North Devon and Maldon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Joslin is 1,546 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.7%.

1881 census count

1,139

Ranked #3,515

Modern count

1,363

2016, ranked #4,422

Peak year

1911

1,546 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Joslin had 1,139 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,515 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,363 in 2016, ranked #4,422.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,546 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Joslin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Joslin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Joslin 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 771 #3,468
1861 historical 658 #4,075
1881 historical 1,139 #3,515
1891 historical 1,194 #3,590
1901 historical 1,457 #3,498
1911 historical 1,546 #3,134
1997 modern 1,435 #4,061
1998 modern 1,492 #4,072
1999 modern 1,468 #4,160
2000 modern 1,470 #4,131
2001 modern 1,423 #4,167
2002 modern 1,445 #4,191
2003 modern 1,390 #4,243
2004 modern 1,398 #4,229
2005 modern 1,341 #4,325
2006 modern 1,345 #4,326
2007 modern 1,353 #4,347
2008 modern 1,348 #4,381
2009 modern 1,372 #4,396
2010 modern 1,398 #4,407
2011 modern 1,379 #4,412
2012 modern 1,356 #4,411
2013 modern 1,377 #4,432
2014 modern 1,394 #4,408
2015 modern 1,380 #4,399
2016 modern 1,363 #4,422

Geography

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Where Joslins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a, Great and Little Totham, Goldhanger, Heybridge, Tolleshunt Major, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Dar and Plymouth St Charles the Martyr. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, North Devon and Maldon. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex
4 Great and Little Totham, Goldhanger, Heybridge, Tolleshunt Major, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Dar Essex
5 Plymouth St Charles the Martyr Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 037 Cornwall
2 North Devon 005 North Devon
3 North Devon 012 North Devon
4 Maldon 006 Maldon
5 North Devon 007 North Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Joslin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Joslin

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Joslin is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Joslin is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Joslin 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 Joslin 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 Joslin, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Joslin

The surname JOSLIN has its origins in England, first emerging in the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French personal name "Joscelin" or "Goscelin," which itself comes from the Germanic elements "gos" meaning "goose" and "lind" meaning "tender" or "soft."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Curia Regis Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1199, where a Robert Joscelin is mentioned. The Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1230 also reference a William Joscelin. These early records suggest the name was concentrated in the eastern regions of England during the Middle Ages.

The JOSLIN surname has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Joslin's Grove in Oxfordshire and Joslin's Farm in Warwickshire. These locations likely took their names from early bearers of the surname, indicating their presence in those areas.

Notably, the JOSLIN name appears in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, which recorded landowners and tenants in England after the Norman Conquest. This inclusion underscores the surname's long history in the country.

Among notable individuals with the JOSLIN surname throughout history are:

1. John Joslin (c. 1615-1675), an early settler in New England who arrived in Boston in 1635 and later helped establish the town of Scituate, Massachusetts.

2. Benjamin Joslin (1692-1772), an American colonial soldier who fought in the French and Indian War and served as a captain in the Massachusetts militia.

3. Mary Joslin (1827-1914), an American educator and activist who co-founded the Hartford Female Seminary in Connecticut and advocated for women's rights and education.

4. Thomas Joslin (1836-1916), an English-born American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, one of the world's leading institutions for diabetes research and treatment.

5. Alice Joslin (1875-1966), an American painter and illustrator known for her portraiture and landscapes, particularly her works depicting scenes from New England.

While the JOSLIN surname has roots in England dating back to the 12th century, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through migration and the establishment of new settlements by early bearers of the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Joslin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Joslin 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. Essex leads with 408 Joslins recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.38x.

County Total Index
Essex 408 18.38x
Devon 266 11.36x
Middlesex 208 1.85x
Surrey 81 1.48x
Suffolk 45 3.28x
Kent 35 0.91x
Dorset 26 3.52x
Channel Islands 10 3.00x
Hampshire 9 0.39x
Lancashire 9 0.07x
Somerset 9 0.50x
Glamorgan 8 0.41x
Hertfordshire 7 0.90x
Durham 4 0.12x
Gloucestershire 4 0.18x
Royal Navy 4 2.98x
Sussex 4 0.21x
Cornwall 3 0.24x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.20x
Berkshire 2 0.24x
Norfolk 2 0.12x
Yorkshire 2 0.02x
Bedfordshire 1 0.17x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.15x
Monmouthshire 1 0.12x
Oxfordshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Plymouth Charles The in Devon leads with 35 Joslins recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.93x.

Place Total Index
Plymouth Charles The 35 33.93x
Camberwell 25 3.48x
Colchester St Giles 20 91.16x
Colchester St Leonard 20 279.72x
Heybridge 20 309.60x
Rivenhall 20 751.88x
Lambeth 19 1.94x
Plymouth St Andrew 19 10.54x
West Ham 19 3.88x
Boxford 18 708.66x
Hackney London 18 2.85x
Instow 18 711.46x
Islington London 18 1.65x
Marwood 18 578.78x
St Andrew Holborn London 17 34.91x
West Down 17 829.27x
Cressing 16 769.23x
Hammersmith London 16 5.77x
East Ham 15 36.41x
Portland 15 37.79x
Bethnal Green London 13 2.66x
Boreham 13 339.43x
St Luke London 13 7.21x
Braintree 12 60.18x
Hadleigh 12 90.29x
Tawstock 12 288.46x
Barking 11 16.93x
Great Tey 11 408.92x
Halstead 11 42.47x
Maldon St Peter 11 97.26x
Shoreditch London 11 2.26x
Croydon 10 3.29x
Deptford St Paul 10 3.38x
St Helier 10 9.22x
Ardleigh 9 146.10x
Exeter Holy Trinity 9 98.15x
Farringdon 9 775.86x
Fordington 9 56.60x
Fremington 9 189.47x
Great Leighs 9 310.34x
Kingsteignton 9 138.25x
Little Waltham 9 403.59x
Stow Maries 9 1097.56x
Tottenham 9 5.02x
Battersea 8 1.93x
Colchester St Botolph 8 42.37x
Egham 8 23.77x
Exeter St David 8 40.00x
Hazeleigh 8 1702.13x
Paddington London 8 1.93x
St Giles In The Wood 8 229.23x
West Thurrock 8 108.40x
Atherington 7 351.76x
Bedminster 7 4.11x
Bradwell 7 184.21x
Clerkenwell London 7 2.64x
Exeter St George The 7 271.32x
Exeter St Thomas The 7 29.33x
Great Baddow 7 88.61x
Great Warley 7 139.17x
Mile End Old Town London 7 2.92x
Staines 7 39.30x
Walthamstow 7 8.76x
Westminster St John 7 5.11x
Willesden 7 6.60x
Acton 6 9.10x
Bocking 6 44.94x
Braunton 6 75.57x
Clavering 6 149.25x
Crediton 6 27.05x
Exeter St Sidwell 6 11.19x
Ipswich St Clement 6 17.23x
Little Totham 6 491.80x
Maidstone 6 5.25x
Orsett 6 103.63x
Great Waltham 5 55.31x
Haslingden 5 9.05x
Ilfracombe 5 20.75x
St George Hanover Square 5 2.52x
Tonbridge 5 3.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 60
Elizabeth 55
Emma 39
Eliza 31
Sarah 31
Ellen 23
Emily 23
Alice 21
Ann 18
Charlotte 18
Jane 17
Annie 12
Hannah 11
Maria 11
Louisa 9
Ada 8
Edith 8
Eleanor 8
Susan 8
Caroline 7
Fanny 6
Kate 6
Martha 6
Clara 5
Florence 5
Lydia 5
Rose 5
Amelia 4
Esther 4
Lucy 4
Agnes 3
Carrie 3
Elizth. 3
Grace 3
Harriet 3
Helen 3
Lilly 3
Margaret 3
Maud 3
Minnie 3
Phebe 3
Priscilla 3
Rebecca 3
Rosa 3
Ruth 3
Bessie 2
Eliz. 2
Henrietta 2
Lizzie 2
Mahala 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 79
George 54
John 50
Thomas 35
James 31
Charles 24
Henry 19
Alfred 17
Joseph 16
Frederick 13
Albert 12
Arthur 12
Samuel 11
Walter 11
Edward 10
Robert 9
Frank 8
David 7
Herbert 7
Richard 7
Ernest 6
Peter 6
Benjamin 5
Francis 5
Thos. 5
Harry 4
Wm. 4
Daniel 3
Geo. 3
Henery 3
Hugh 3
Willm. 3
Edwd. 2
Fredrick 2
Josiah 2
Luke 2
Mark 2
Reginald 2
Shadrack 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
Thos 2
Cornelious 1
Eazra 1
Florence 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Frederic 1
Lennard 1
Wm.T. 1

FAQ

Joslin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Joslin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,139 people were recorded with the Joslin surname. That placed it at #3,515 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Joslin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,363 in 2016. That gives Joslin a modern rank of #4,422.

What does the Joslin surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "Jocelyn's land."

What does the Joslin map show?

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