NameCensus.

UK surname

Kevin

Of Irish origin, meaning "handsome birth" or "beautiful descendant."

In the 1881 census there were 46 people recorded with the Kevin surname, ranking it #27,188 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 206, ranked #19,183, up from #27,188 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Jarrow, Wigan and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Paisley South, Barnet and Dacorum.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kevin is 206 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 347.8%.

1881 census count

46

Ranked #27,188

Modern count

206

2016, ranked #19,183

Peak year

2016

206 bearers

Map years

3

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kevin had 46 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,188 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 206 in 2016, ranked #19,183.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 111 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Kevin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kevin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kevin 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 10 #31,497
1861 historical 111 #19,429
1881 historical 46 #27,188
1891 historical 68 #28,300
1901 historical 31 #30,616
1911 historical 38 #29,147
1997 modern 91 #28,215
1998 modern 75 #30,471
1999 modern 81 #30,037
2000 modern 82 #29,922
2001 modern 70 #31,016
2002 modern 74 #31,048
2003 modern 86 #29,752
2004 modern 89 #29,623
2005 modern 100 #28,025
2006 modern 109 #26,872
2007 modern 111 #26,954
2008 modern 117 #26,351
2009 modern 119 #26,637
2010 modern 131 #25,656
2011 modern 136 #24,819
2012 modern 158 #22,460
2013 modern 173 #21,486
2014 modern 187 #20,570
2015 modern 187 #20,502
2016 modern 206 #19,183

Geography

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Where Kevins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Jarrow, Wigan, Manchester, St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Paisley South, Barnet, Dacorum, Epsom and Ewell and Reigate and Banstead. 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 Jarrow Durham
2 Wigan Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford London (South Districts)
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Paisley South Renfrewshire
2 Barnet 027 Barnet
3 Dacorum 001 Dacorum
4 Epsom and Ewell 003 Epsom and Ewell
5 Reigate and Banstead 003 Reigate and Banstead

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kevin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kevin

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Kevin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Kevin 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 includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Kevin 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

Kevin 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

Kevin 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 Kevin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Kevin

The surname Kevin is of Irish origin, first appearing in the counties of Wicklow and Wexford in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old Irish word "caemhghein," which means "birth of beauty" or "noble-born." The name may have originated from a personal name given to a child born into a wealthy or noble family.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Kevin can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a historic chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals mention a "Domhnall Mac Kevin" in the year 1162, who was a member of the Uí Cheinnsealaigh, a prominent family in County Wexford.

In the 14th century, the surname Kevin appears in various legal documents and records from the counties of Wicklow and Wexford. For example, a "John Keven" is mentioned in a land deed from 1387 in the town of Arklow, County Wicklow.

Over the centuries, the surname has been spelled in various ways, including Kevan, Kevane, Kevyn, and Keveen. These variations reflect the local dialects and pronunciations in different parts of Ireland.

One notable individual with the surname Kevin was John Kevan (c. 1560-1628), an Irish Catholic priest and scholar who served as the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland from 1624 until his death. He played a significant role in preserving the Catholic faith in Ireland during the tumultuous years of the Reformation.

Another prominent figure was Sir Nicholas Kevyn (c. 1570-1643), a landowner and member of the Irish Parliament who represented County Wexford in the early 17th century. He was involved in the struggles between the English and Irish during the Irish Rebellion of 1641.

In the 18th century, a family named Kevin resided in the town of Enniscorthy, County Wexford. One member, Michael Kevin (1732-1812), was a successful merchant and landowner who bequeathed a significant portion of his estate to establish a school for the education of poor children in the area.

During the 19th century, the surname Kevin became more widespread in Ireland and began to appear in other parts of the world due to Irish emigration. James Kevin (1823-1898), born in County Wexford, was a prominent businessman and politician in New York City, serving as a member of the city's Board of Aldermen.

Another notable figure was Mary Kevin (1851-1932), an Irish-born nurse who worked in London and became a pioneer in the field of district nursing, providing healthcare services to the poor and underprivileged in their homes.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kevin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kevin 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. Staffordshire leads with 10 Kevins recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.46x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 10 6.46x
Kent 9 5.75x
Lanarkshire 9 6.07x
Middlesex 7 1.53x
Ayrshire 5 14.58x
Lancashire 3 0.55x
Leicestershire 1 1.97x
Renfrewshire 1 2.82x
Royal Navy 1 18.32x
Wigtownshire 1 16.42x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 10 Kevins recorded in 1881 and an index of 60.94x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 10 60.94x
Deptford St Paul 9 74.63x
Govan 6 16.37x
Stevenston 5 561.80x
St Luke London 4 54.42x
Barony 3 8.00x
Wapping London 3 857.14x
Everton 2 11.54x
Clawson 1 833.33x
Gorton 1 19.57x
Neilston 1 56.18x
Royal Navy 1 21.41x
Sorbie 1 370.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Susan 2
Agnes 1
Anney 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Diana 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Katchirine 1
Lizzie 1
Margaret 1
Mary 1
Matilda 1

Top male names

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

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Kevin households.

FAQ

Kevin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kevin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 46 people were recorded with the Kevin surname. That placed it at #27,188 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kevin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 206 in 2016. That gives Kevin a modern rank of #19,183.

What does the Kevin surname mean?

Of Irish origin, meaning "handsome birth" or "beautiful descendant."

What does the Kevin map show?

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