NameCensus.

UK surname

Malin

Derived from the Old French word "malin," meaning "clever" or "cunning," as a nickname for a shrewd person.

In the 1881 census there were 992 people recorded with the Malin surname, ranking it #3,932 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,547, ranked #4,003, down from #3,932 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory and Nuneaton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stratford-on-Avon, South Northamptonshire and Warwick.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Malin is 1,599 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 55.9%.

1881 census count

992

Ranked #3,932

Modern count

1,547

2016, ranked #4,003

Peak year

2010

1,599 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Malin had 992 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,932 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,547 in 2016, ranked #4,003.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,336 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Malin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Malin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Malin 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 642 #4,049
1861 historical 577 #4,568
1881 historical 992 #3,932
1891 historical 956 #4,327
1901 historical 1,176 #4,160
1911 historical 1,336 #3,579
1997 modern 1,481 #3,949
1998 modern 1,538 #3,966
1999 modern 1,544 #3,981
2000 modern 1,551 #3,952
2001 modern 1,513 #3,956
2002 modern 1,556 #3,960
2003 modern 1,491 #4,023
2004 modern 1,509 #3,976
2005 modern 1,522 #3,900
2006 modern 1,518 #3,926
2007 modern 1,519 #3,952
2008 modern 1,511 #4,001
2009 modern 1,563 #3,964
2010 modern 1,599 #3,951
2011 modern 1,584 #3,946
2012 modern 1,534 #3,999
2013 modern 1,562 #4,001
2014 modern 1,581 #3,977
2015 modern 1,551 #4,009
2016 modern 1,547 #4,003

Geography

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Where Malins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, Nuneaton, Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken and Bulkington,Wolvey, Burton Hastings (Burbage, Leicestershire). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stratford-on-Avon, South Northamptonshire and Warwick. 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 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
3 Nuneaton Warwickshire
4 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire
5 Bulkington,Wolvey, Burton Hastings (Burbage, Leicestershire) Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stratford-on-Avon 012 Stratford-on-Avon
2 Stratford-on-Avon 006 Stratford-on-Avon
3 South Northamptonshire 003 South Northamptonshire
4 Warwick 013 Warwick
5 Warwick 008 Warwick

Forenames

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First names often paired with Malin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Malin

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Malin 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

Malin is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Malin falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Malin 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 Malin, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Malin

The surname Malin originates from France and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "maline," which means "malicious" or "cunning." This name was likely given as a nickname to someone who was considered sly or crafty.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several mentions of places with similar names, such as Malling and Mallingbury. These names may have been related to the Malin surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Malin surname is in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, which mention a person named Richard Malin. Another early example is from the Curia Regis Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1212, which include a reference to a William Malin.

During the Middle Ages, the Malin surname was prevalent in various parts of France, particularly in the northern regions. Some notable individuals with this surname from that period include Jean Malin (c. 1330 – 1410), a French poet and composer, and Guillaume Malin (c. 1380 – 1460), a French cleric and theologian.

In the 16th century, the Malin surname began to spread to other parts of Europe, including England and Scotland. One prominent figure from this time was John Malin (c. 1520 – 1592), an English Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the Elizabethan period.

In the 17th century, the Malin surname gained prominence in Ireland, where it was sometimes anglicized as "Mallon." One notable individual was Patrick Mallon (c. 1630 – 1685), an Irish Catholic priest and historian who wrote extensively about the history of Ireland.

As the surname spread further throughout Europe and beyond, it occasionally evolved into different spellings such as Maline, Mallin, and Mallyn. One significant figure from the 18th century was Jacob Mallin (1722 – 1803), a Swedish botanist and explorer who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in Sweden.

By the 19th century, the Malin surname had become well-established in various parts of the world, including the United States and Canada. One notable American with this surname was Claude Malin (1857 – 1923), a politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Indiana.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Malin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Malin 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. Warwickshire leads with 300 Malins recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.27x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 300 12.27x
Middlesex 105 1.08x
Northamptonshire 94 10.31x
Worcestershire 75 5.92x
Yorkshire 56 0.58x
Lancashire 54 0.47x
Derbyshire 49 3.23x
Hertfordshire 33 4.94x
Staffordshire 27 0.82x
Buckinghamshire 22 3.75x
Oxfordshire 21 3.51x
Surrey 19 0.40x
Gloucestershire 15 0.79x
Kent 12 0.36x
Leicestershire 11 1.02x
Northumberland 11 0.76x
Ayrshire 9 1.24x
Berkshire 7 0.96x
Essex 7 0.37x
Lanarkshire 7 0.22x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.54x
Channel Islands 6 2.09x
Sussex 6 0.37x
Cambridgeshire 5 0.81x
Devon 4 0.20x
Lincolnshire 4 0.26x
Midlothian 4 0.31x
West Lothian 4 2.74x
Wiltshire 4 0.47x
Hampshire 3 0.15x
Somerset 3 0.19x
Bedfordshire 2 0.40x
Cheshire 2 0.09x
Glamorgan 2 0.12x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.52x
Perthshire 1 0.23x
Shropshire 1 0.12x
Suffolk 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 41 Malins recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.09x.

Place Total Index
Aston 41 6.09x
Birmingham 41 5.03x
Wolvey 26 1000.00x
Ware 23 120.04x
Islington London 21 2.23x
Nether Hallam 19 14.62x
Leamington Priors 18 29.92x
Northampton All Sts 16 51.70x
Yelvertoft 16 952.38x
Northampton St Sepulchre 15 32.33x
Napton On Hill 14 476.19x
Warwick St Mary 14 65.94x
Hackney London 13 2.39x
Aylesbury 12 46.19x
Coventry St Michael 12 15.28x
Yardley 12 37.04x
Bethnal Green London 11 2.61x
Claverdon 11 575.92x
Pendleton In Salford 11 8.02x
Westminster St James 11 11.04x
Bow London 10 8.10x
St Pancras London 10 1.28x
Badsey 9 468.75x
Emmington 9 3600.00x
Milverton 9 125.52x
Roade 9 376.57x
West Kilbride 9 130.25x
Birkdale 8 27.48x
Broadway 8 146.79x
Coventry Holy Trinity 8 10.96x
Deptford St Paul 8 3.14x
Horninglow 8 51.88x
Morpeth 8 47.17x
Nether Heyford 8 297.40x
Rugby 8 24.18x
Sculcoates 8 5.25x
Staveley 8 29.68x
Edgbaston 7 9.23x
Hampton In Arden 7 325.58x
Harbury 7 176.32x
Hemel Hempstead 7 23.25x
Kingswinford 7 5.89x
Kirkdale 7 3.62x
Leamington 7 43.21x
Leeds 7 1.29x
Monks Kirby 7 130.11x
New Monkland 7 7.55x
Northampton Priory St 7 12.79x
Rouse Lench 7 714.29x
Rowington 7 254.55x
Brailes 6 160.00x
Castleton 6 5.22x
Dale Abbey 6 444.44x
Grouville 6 74.91x
Harvington 6 368.10x
Heckmondwike 6 19.42x
Lambeth 6 0.71x
Leicester St Margaret 6 2.29x
Northampton St Giles 6 17.27x
Sheffield 6 1.96x
Willoughby 6 588.24x
Alderminster 5 306.75x
Belper 5 16.99x
Chichester All Sts 5 458.72x
Cotgrave 5 183.82x
Curdworth 5 223.21x
Derby St Werburgh 5 5.70x
Exhall 5 134.77x
Farthingstone 5 485.44x
Great Little Hampton 5 236.97x
Mickleton 5 200.00x
Reading St Mary 5 8.58x
Shepreth 5 413.22x
St George Bloomsbury 5 8.99x
Warrington 5 3.67x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 0.77x
Haselor 4 350.88x
North Meols 4 3.55x
West Ham 4 0.95x
Wolfhampcote 4 363.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 62
William 56
Thomas 52
George 47
Charles 29
James 24
Joseph 20
Edward 14
Alfred 13
Frederick 13
Henry 12
Walter 12
Arthur 10
Samuel 8
Robert 7
Harry 5
Richard 5
Ernest 4
Albert 3
Benjamin 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Fredrick 3
A. 2
Chas. 2
David 2
Fredk. 2
Herbert 2
Peter 2
Augustus 1
Benj. 1
Christopher 1
Clifford 1
Earnest 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Ellen 1
Emanuel 1
Francois 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Howard 1
I.T. 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Jacob 1
Job 1
Joe 1
Jonathan 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Malin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Malin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 992 people were recorded with the Malin surname. That placed it at #3,932 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Malin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,547 in 2016. That gives Malin a modern rank of #4,003.

What does the Malin surname mean?

Derived from the Old French word "malin," meaning "clever" or "cunning," as a nickname for a shrewd person.

What does the Malin map show?

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