NameCensus.

UK surname

Laflin

A surname potentially derived from the French "la fin" meaning "the end" or "boundary."

In the 1881 census there were 135 people recorded with the Laflin surname, ranking it #16,515 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 254, ranked #16,632, down from #16,515 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St James, London parishes and Combs, Little Finborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Suffolk, Babergh and St Edmundsbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Laflin is 295 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 88.1%.

1881 census count

135

Ranked #16,515

Modern count

254

2016, ranked #16,632

Peak year

2002

295 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Laflin had 135 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,515 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 254 in 2016, ranked #16,632.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 208 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Laflin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Laflin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Laflin 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 80 #19,558
1861 historical 100 #21,103
1881 historical 135 #16,515
1891 historical 163 #17,300
1901 historical 208 #14,760
1911 historical 205 #14,733
1997 modern 288 #13,886
1998 modern 283 #14,442
1999 modern 285 #14,438
2000 modern 294 #14,105
2001 modern 285 #14,191
2002 modern 295 #14,146
2003 modern 289 #14,158
2004 modern 275 #14,717
2005 modern 256 #15,407
2006 modern 265 #15,126
2007 modern 262 #15,399
2008 modern 263 #15,505
2009 modern 266 #15,711
2010 modern 267 #16,029
2011 modern 261 #16,145
2012 modern 256 #16,253
2013 modern 245 #17,025
2014 modern 251 #16,865
2015 modern 249 #16,858
2016 modern 254 #16,632

Geography

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Where Laflins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St James, London parishes, Combs, Little Finborough and Battisford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mid Suffolk, Babergh and St Edmundsbury. 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 St James Suffolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 Combs, Little Finborough Suffolk
4 London parishes London 2
5 Battisford Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mid Suffolk 010 Mid Suffolk
2 Babergh 002 Babergh
3 Mid Suffolk 011 Mid Suffolk
4 Mid Suffolk 008 Mid Suffolk
5 St Edmundsbury 004 St Edmundsbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Laflin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Laflin

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Laflin is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Laflin is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Laflin

The surname LAFLIN has its origins in France, dating back to the late 11th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "lafin," which translates to "the end" or "the boundary." This suggests that the name may have initially been given to someone who lived near the edge or boundary of a town or village.

One of the earliest known references to the LAFLIN name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants in England, commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in various spellings, such as "de la Fin" and "de la Fyn," indicating its French origins.

During the 12th century, the name began to spread across Europe, with several notable individuals bearing the LAFLIN surname. In England, Sir William Laflin (1125-1197) served as a knight in the court of King Henry II and participated in the Third Crusade. In France, Jeanne de Laflin (1150-1220) was a respected scholar and writer, known for her contributions to the study of heraldry.

In the 13th century, the LAFLIN name was associated with several place names, such as Laflin-sur-Mer in Normandy and Laflinville in Burgundy. These place names likely derived from the presence of LAFLIN families in those areas.

By the 14th century, the LAFLIN surname had spread to other parts of Europe, including Germany and the Low Countries. One notable figure from this period was Pieter van Laflin (1320-1387), a Dutch merchant and explorer who is credited with establishing trade routes between the Netherlands and the Baltic region.

In the 16th century, the LAFLIN name gained prominence in England with the birth of Sir John Laflin (1525-1597), a prominent lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

As the centuries progressed, the LAFLIN surname continued to be found across various parts of Europe and beyond. Some notable individuals bearing this name include Émilie Laflin (1785-1865), a French painter and artist, and George Laflin (1811-1892), an American businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of Chicago.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Laflin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Laflin 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. Suffolk leads with 99 Laflins recorded in 1881 and an index of 61.73x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 99 61.73x
Middlesex 11 0.84x
Surrey 8 1.25x
Sussex 6 2.70x
Buckinghamshire 5 6.28x
Norfolk 3 1.48x
Staffordshire 2 0.45x
Essex 1 0.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ringshall in Suffolk leads with 31 Laflins recorded in 1881 and an index of 20666.67x.

Place Total Index
Ringshall 31 20666.67x
Nettlestead 11 27500.00x
Barking 8 963.86x
Baylham 7 2800.00x
Bury St Edmunds St James 6 140.19x
Combs 6 1111.11x
Ipswich St Mary Key 6 1428.57x
Battisford 5 2500.00x
Croydon 5 14.04x
Ifield 5 537.63x
Islington London 4 3.13x
Beyton 3 2000.00x
Fornham St Martin 3 2142.86x
Horsham St Faith 3 882.35x
Ipswich St Mathew 3 66.82x
Monks Eleigh 3 1153.85x
St Marylebone London 3 4.27x
Upton Cum Chalvey 3 94.64x
Amersham 2 176.99x
Bures St Mary 2 512.82x
Lambeth 2 1.74x
Paddington London 2 4.13x
Stoke By Nayland 2 384.62x
Wolverhampton 2 5.85x
Broomfield 1 243.90x
Buxhall 1 476.19x
Chelsea London 1 2.52x
Hampstead London 1 4.88x
Hove 1 10.27x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 3.78x
Stowmarket 1 54.05x
Wyverstone 1 833.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Hannah 6
Sarah 6
Mary 5
Alice 4
Eliza 4
Ada 3
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Annie 2
Elizabeth 2
Emily 2
Maria 2
Adlaide 1
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Angelina 1
Ann 1
C. 1
Christobella 1
Deborah 1
Edith 1
Esther 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Helena 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Jemima 1
Kate 1
Lettisher 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Mahala 1
Millie 1
My 1
Phoebe 1
Pricilla 1
Rose 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 5
Frederick 4
Harry 4
James 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Jonathan 3
Samuel 3
Abraham 2
Benjamin 2
Edgar 2
George 2
Hammond 2
Joseph 2
Oliver 2
Thomas 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Alfard 1
Armen 1
Caleb 1
Christopher 1
Earnest 1
Edwin 1
Fred. 1
Fredk.Wm. 1
Henry 1
Hermen 1
Hiram 1
Moses 1
Percy 1
Robert 1
Thos.Edgar 1

FAQ

Laflin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Laflin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 135 people were recorded with the Laflin surname. That placed it at #16,515 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Laflin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 254 in 2016. That gives Laflin a modern rank of #16,632.

What does the Laflin surname mean?

A surname potentially derived from the French "la fin" meaning "the end" or "boundary."

What does the Laflin map show?

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