NameCensus.

UK surname

Lambkin

A surname referring to a person who worked with or raised lambs.

In the 1881 census there were 135 people recorded with the Lambkin surname, ranking it #16,515 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 139, ranked #25,001, down from #16,515 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Dartford and Ashford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swale, Ashford and Shropshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lambkin is 265 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.0%.

1881 census count

135

Ranked #16,515

Modern count

139

2016, ranked #25,001

Peak year

1901

265 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lambkin had 135 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,515 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 139 in 2016, ranked #25,001.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 265 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Lambkin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lambkin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lambkin 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 110 #16,093
1861 historical 58 #26,585
1881 historical 135 #16,515
1891 historical 217 #14,062
1901 historical 265 #12,652
1911 historical 246 #13,054
1997 modern 167 #19,722
1998 modern 174 #19,729
1999 modern 179 #19,539
2000 modern 173 #19,889
2001 modern 164 #20,279
2002 modern 178 #19,671
2003 modern 174 #19,760
2004 modern 179 #19,523
2005 modern 165 #20,468
2006 modern 163 #20,789
2007 modern 165 #20,893
2008 modern 164 #21,137
2009 modern 169 #21,190
2010 modern 171 #21,481
2011 modern 168 #21,563
2012 modern 147 #23,567
2013 modern 149 #23,765
2014 modern 144 #24,504
2015 modern 142 #24,617
2016 modern 139 #25,001

Geography

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Where Lambkins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Dartford, Ashford, Upchurch and Bredgar. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swale, Ashford, Shropshire, Chichester and Cornwall. 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 3
2 Dartford Kent
3 Ashford Kent
4 Upchurch Kent
5 Bredgar Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swale 004 Swale
2 Ashford 009 Ashford
3 Shropshire 011 Shropshire
4 Chichester 004 Chichester
5 Cornwall 062 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lambkin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lambkin

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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Lambkin 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

Lambkin 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

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

Meaning and origin of Lambkin

The surname Lambkin is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "lamb" and "kin" or "kind," meaning a small or young lamb. This name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who was considered gentle, meek, or innocent like a lamb.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Lambkin date back to the 13th century in various regions of England, particularly in counties such as Yorkshire, Norfolk, and Lincolnshire. It is believed that the name may have been initially used to refer to a shepherd or someone associated with the care or rearing of lambs.

In the Hundredorum Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, there is a mention of a Richard Lambkin, one of the earliest known bearers of this surname. The Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301 also include a reference to a John Lambkin.

During the 14th century, the surname Lambkin appeared in various spellings, including Lambkyn, Lambkyne, and Lambekyn, reflecting the phonetic variations common in that era. One notable individual from this period was William Lambkyn, who was recorded as a resident of Nottinghamshire in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334.

In the 15th century, the surname Lambkin continued to be found across various parts of England. The Inquisitiones Post Mortem of Yorkshire from 1485 mentions a John Lambkyn, while the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1524 include a reference to a Thomas Lambkyn.

One of the most prominent figures bearing the surname Lambkin was Sir Nicholas Lambkin (1545-1618), a respected English politician and landowner from Lincolnshire. He served as a Member of Parliament and was knighted by King James I in 1603.

Another notable individual was Thomas Lambkin (1624-1691), a English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "The Doctrine of Repentance" and "The Whole Duty of Man."

In the 18th century, the Lambkin surname was found in various parts of England, including London, where John Lambkin (1712-1784) was a successful merchant and philanthropist.

Moving into the 19th century, William Lambkin (1820-1896) was a prominent English architect who designed several notable buildings, including churches and schools, in the Gothic Revival style. He was also a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lambkin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lambkin 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. Kent leads with 102 Lambkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.71x.

County Total Index
Kent 102 22.71x
Middlesex 9 0.68x
Surrey 6 0.94x
Sussex 6 2.70x
Essex 4 1.54x
Warwickshire 4 1.20x
Hampshire 2 0.74x
Northumberland 1 0.51x
Staffordshire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bredgar in Kent leads with 23 Lambkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 8214.29x.

Place Total Index
Bredgar 23 8214.29x
Dartford 12 261.44x
Upchurch 8 1568.63x
Luddenham 7 6363.64x
Chatham 6 48.54x
Islington London 6 4.70x
Strood 6 234.38x
Ashford 5 114.42x
Brenenden 5 862.07x
Minster In Sheppey 5 67.20x
Birmingham 4 3.61x
Chithurst 4 2666.67x
Cranbrook 4 210.53x
Kenardington 3 3750.00x
Leyton Low 3 56.82x
Rotherhithe 3 18.44x
Wimbledon 3 41.67x
Cliffe 2 198.02x
Horsemonden 2 303.03x
Kensington London 2 2.73x
Stockbury 2 714.29x
West Malling 2 198.02x
Amble 1 112.36x
Beckenham 1 17.04x
Chislehurst 1 41.49x
Darenth 1 144.93x
Handsworth 1 9.13x
Hollingbourn 1 192.31x
Hound 1 54.64x
Ore 1 60.61x
Portsea 1 1.89x
Preston Next Faversham 1 94.34x
Ramsgate 1 13.64x
Rye 1 47.39x
Sittingbourne 1 28.17x
Smarden 1 196.08x
St Lawrence 1 32.36x
Teddington London 1 33.56x
Teynham 1 123.46x
West Ham 1 1.74x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10
James 8
Thomas 7
Frederick 6
Henry 6
Charles 4
George 4
John 4
Walter 4
Harry 3
Frank 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Amos 1
Benjamin 1
Bertie 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Leonard 1
Louis 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Lambkin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lambkin surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Lambkin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 139 in 2016. That gives Lambkin a modern rank of #25,001.

What does the Lambkin surname mean?

A surname referring to a person who worked with or raised lambs.

What does the Lambkin map show?

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