NameCensus.

UK surname

Lavin

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Laimhín, meaning "descendant of Laimhín," derived from a diminutive of "lamh" meaning "hand."

In the 1881 census there were 531 people recorded with the Lavin surname, ranking it #6,470 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,608, ranked #3,868, up from #6,470 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newlyn, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St. Helens, Bassetlaw and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lavin is 1,723 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 202.8%.

1881 census count

531

Ranked #6,470

Modern count

1,608

2016, ranked #3,868

Peak year

2010

1,723 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lavin had 531 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,470 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,608 in 2016, ranked #3,868.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 850 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Lavin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lavin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lavin 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 198 #10,483
1861 historical 260 #9,516
1881 historical 531 #6,470
1891 historical 647 #5,998
1901 historical 769 #5,824
1911 historical 850 #5,222
1997 modern 1,646 #3,604
1998 modern 1,714 #3,612
1999 modern 1,718 #3,626
2000 modern 1,692 #3,660
2001 modern 1,629 #3,710
2002 modern 1,670 #3,698
2003 modern 1,609 #3,740
2004 modern 1,612 #3,758
2005 modern 1,581 #3,768
2006 modern 1,617 #3,706
2007 modern 1,645 #3,683
2008 modern 1,661 #3,670
2009 modern 1,711 #3,646
2010 modern 1,723 #3,704
2011 modern 1,677 #3,759
2012 modern 1,629 #3,777
2013 modern 1,649 #3,806
2014 modern 1,641 #3,858
2015 modern 1,617 #3,867
2016 modern 1,608 #3,868

Geography

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Where Lavins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newlyn, London parishes, Edinburgh, Manchester and Wigan. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St. Helens, Bassetlaw, Wigan, West Pilton and Pembrokeshire. 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 Newlyn Cornwall
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Wigan Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St. Helens 003 St. Helens
2 Bassetlaw 004 Bassetlaw
3 Wigan 015 Wigan
4 West Pilton City of Edinburgh
5 Pembrokeshire 003 Pembrokeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lavin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lavin

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Lavin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Lavin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Lavin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lavin 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

Lavin 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 Lavin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Lavin

The surname Lavin is believed to have originated in Ireland. It is a variant spelling of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Leamhain, which means "descendant of Leamhain." Leamhain was a personal name derived from the old Irish word "leamh," meaning "elm tree."

The earliest recorded instances of the name Lavin can be traced back to the 12th century in County Cavan, Ireland. The name appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a famous medieval Irish chronicle, which mentions a chieftain named Muircheartach Ó Leamhain who lived in the 12th century.

In the 16th century, the name Lavin was also found in County Monaghan, where it was anglicized from the Irish Ó Leamhain. Records from this time period show various spellings, including Levyn, Levin, and Lavyn.

One notable figure with the surname Lavin was Patrick Lavin, an Irish Franciscan friar who lived in the 17th century. He was a renowned scholar and author, known for his work on Irish hagiography (the study of saints' lives).

Another prominent individual was Jeremiah Lavin, an Irish-American businessman and philanthropist born in 1833. He made his fortune in the tobacco industry and was a significant benefactor to various educational and charitable institutions in the United States.

In the 19th century, the name Lavin gained wider recognition through the work of James Lavin, an Irish poet and playwright born in 1828. He was celebrated for his plays and poems that captured the spirit of Irish life and culture.

John Lavin, born in 1854, was a notable Irish-American politician who served as the Mayor of New Haven, Connecticut, from 1901 to 1905. He played a crucial role in the city's development during his tenure.

Mary Lavin, born in 1912, was an acclaimed Irish writer and short story author. Her works, which often explored the lives of ordinary Irish people, earned her numerous literary awards and recognition.

The surname Lavin has a rich history rooted in Ireland, with connections to various notable figures across different fields, from literature and religion to business and politics.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lavin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lavin 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. Lancashire leads with 169 Lavins recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.78x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 169 2.78x
Cornwall 75 12.91x
Yorkshire 63 1.24x
Midlothian 35 5.09x
Staffordshire 24 1.39x
Cheshire 23 2.03x
Durham 23 1.51x
Lanarkshire 21 1.27x
Warwickshire 12 0.93x
Ayrshire 11 2.86x
Nottinghamshire 10 1.45x
Middlesex 9 0.18x
Stirlingshire 7 3.70x
Devon 5 0.47x
Northumberland 5 0.66x
Renfrewshire 4 1.01x
Essex 3 0.30x
Hampshire 3 0.29x
Kent 3 0.17x
Pembrokeshire 3 1.84x
Surrey 3 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.64x
Derbyshire 2 0.25x
Hertfordshire 2 0.57x
Leicestershire 2 0.35x
Cumberland 1 0.23x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.88x
Gloucestershire 1 0.10x
Northamptonshire 1 0.21x
Royal Navy 1 1.64x
Shropshire 1 0.23x
Worcestershire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Salford in Lancashire leads with 21 Lavins recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.73x.

Place Total Index
Salford 21 11.73x
Manchester 19 6.94x
Perranzabuloe 18 359.28x
Tranmere 17 40.85x
Auckinleck 11 92.51x
Leeds 11 3.83x
Newcastle Under Lyme 11 35.89x
Bradford 10 35.09x
Westoe 10 11.56x
Ashton Under Lyne 9 6.76x
Birmingham 9 2.09x
St Gluvias Penryn 9 193.55x
Widnes 9 20.50x
Barony 8 1.91x
Glasgow 8 2.72x
Gomersal 8 33.71x
Great Bolton 8 9.92x
Horton In Bradford 8 10.08x
Aspull 7 48.88x
Chorlton Cum Hardy 7 173.27x
Eccleston In Prescot 7 22.91x
Hucknall Torkard 7 39.91x
Kenwyn 7 46.08x
Madron Penzance 7 33.14x
St Agnes 7 86.00x
Toxteth Park 7 3.40x
York St Helen On Walls 7 843.37x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 6.20x
Edinburgh Canongate 6 34.31x
Edinburgh New 6 112.36x
Edinburgh Tron Church 6 186.34x
Falkirk 6 13.54x
Farnworth 6 16.45x
Hetton Le Hole 6 31.02x
Hunslet 6 7.57x
Newlyn 6 241.94x
St Gluvias 6 184.62x
Wolstanton 6 11.41x
Dewsbury 5 9.59x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 1.81x
Ince In Makerfield 5 17.65x
Wigan 5 5.88x
Eston 4 36.13x
Kea 4 92.38x
Kirkdale 4 3.91x
Lasswade 4 25.45x
Liverpool 4 1.08x
Neilston 4 20.04x
Pemberton 4 16.47x
Sharples 4 60.61x
Southcoates 4 14.17x
Whalley 4 45.10x
Basford 3 9.41x
Borthwick 3 97.72x
Dalserf 3 18.12x
Edinburgh St Johns 3 69.12x
Gwennap 3 27.37x
Hackney London 3 1.04x
Lee 3 11.80x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 3 6.58x
Pembroke St Mary 3 14.29x
St Columb Minor 3 61.48x
Sutton Stoneferry 3 20.62x
Warrington 3 4.16x
West Ham 3 1.34x
Barrow In Furness 2 2.42x
Bishopwearmouth 2 1.53x
Blackrod 2 26.42x
Coxhoe 2 46.19x
Devonport 2 16.30x
Holbeck 2 5.94x
Ibstock 2 48.43x
Iver 2 50.00x
Ogley Hay 2 55.56x
Paddington London 2 1.06x
Portsea 2 0.97x
Sutton Coldfield 2 14.71x
Tywardreath 2 53.62x
Wolstanton Oldcott 2 31.90x
Worsley 2 5.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 41
Sarah 19
Elizabeth 11
Annie 10
Bridget 10
Catherine 10
Margaret 8
Ann 7
Ellen 7
Eliza 6
Hannah 5
Jane 5
Kate 4
Agnes 3
Anne 3
Catharine 3
Grace 3
Rose 3
Winifred 3
Alice 2
Bessie 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Julia 2
Maria 2
Selina 2
Beatrice 1
Cathrine 1
Celia 1
Christiana 1
Esther 1
Eveline 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Georgiana 1
Hariett 1
Harry 1
Janee 1
Jessie 1
Katherine 1
Lucy 1
Margeret 1
Margret 1
Martha 1
Nancy 1
Phillippa 1
Priscilla 1
Sabina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 45
Thomas 37
Patrick 22
James 21
William 21
Michael 15
Edward 7
Martin 6
Owen 5
Andrew 4
Charles 4
Joseph 4
Francis 3
George 3
Ambrose 2
Arthur 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Peter 2
Robert 2
Thos. 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Ambron 1
Bartholomew 1
Bernard 1
Byron 1
Denis 1
Dennis 1
Domanic 1
Dominick 1
Earnest 1
Edwin 1
Edwn. 1
Ernest 1
Fredrick 1
Harold 1
Henry 1
Matthew 1
Mickeal 1
Pat 1
Pathrick 1
Patk.J. 1
Samuel 1
Simon 1
Timothy 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Lavin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lavin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 531 people were recorded with the Lavin surname. That placed it at #6,470 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lavin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,608 in 2016. That gives Lavin a modern rank of #3,868.

What does the Lavin surname mean?

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Laimhín, meaning "descendant of Laimhín," derived from a diminutive of "lamh" meaning "hand."

What does the Lavin map show?

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