NameCensus.

UK surname

Mallen

A locational surname originating from Mallin, a parish in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

In the 1881 census there were 441 people recorded with the Mallen surname, ranking it #7,422 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 887, ranked #6,366, up from #7,422 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rowley Regis, Gateshead and St Werburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dudley, Northumberland and Cannock Chase.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mallen is 916 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 101.1%.

1881 census count

441

Ranked #7,422

Modern count

887

2016, ranked #6,366

Peak year

2010

916 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mallen had 441 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,422 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 887 in 2016, ranked #6,366.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 612 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mallen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mallen surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mallen 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 291 #7,827
1861 historical 417 #6,163
1881 historical 441 #7,422
1891 historical 537 #7,007
1901 historical 558 #7,458
1911 historical 612 #6,734
1997 modern 815 #6,441
1998 modern 853 #6,417
1999 modern 882 #6,306
2000 modern 868 #6,347
2001 modern 861 #6,273
2002 modern 873 #6,330
2003 modern 864 #6,266
2004 modern 847 #6,368
2005 modern 836 #6,377
2006 modern 839 #6,380
2007 modern 826 #6,523
2008 modern 841 #6,484
2009 modern 877 #6,400
2010 modern 916 #6,307
2011 modern 888 #6,376
2012 modern 850 #6,527
2013 modern 874 #6,493
2014 modern 867 #6,557
2015 modern 883 #6,401
2016 modern 887 #6,366

Geography

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Where Mallens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rowley Regis, Gateshead, St Werburgh, Oldswinford and Cannock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dudley, Northumberland, Cannock Chase and Bolsover. 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 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
2 Gateshead Durham
3 St Werburgh Derbyshire
4 Oldswinford Worcestershire
5 Cannock Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dudley 021 Dudley
2 Northumberland 004 Northumberland
3 Cannock Chase 011 Cannock Chase
4 Dudley 017 Dudley
5 Bolsover 001 Bolsover

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mallen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mallen

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Mallen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Mallen household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Mallen is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mallen 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

Mallen 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 Mallen 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
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mallen

The surname Mallen is believed to have originated in Ireland, where it first appeared in the early medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Gaelic words 'mala' meaning 'brow' and 'lann' meaning 'enclosure', suggesting a potential meaning of 'one who dwells on the brow of a hill'.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a person named Mallen in the year 1181. The name also appears in various other historical records and manuscripts from Ireland during the 12th and 13th centuries.

In the 16th century, the Mallen surname was particularly prevalent in County Westmeath, Ireland, where it was associated with the Gaelic family of O'Mallen. During this time, the name was sometimes anglicized to Mullen or Mullan, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation that were common in those days.

One notable figure bearing the Mallen surname was John Mallen, an Irish Jesuit priest who lived from 1615 to 1678. He was a prominent writer and philosopher, known for his works on theology and metaphysics.

Another historical figure was Edmond Mallen, born in 1709 in County Westmeath. He was a prominent landowner and member of the Irish Parliament in the mid-18th century, representing the borough of Trim.

In the 19th century, the Mallen surname spread beyond Ireland due to immigration. Peter Mallen, born in 1824 in County Mayo, was a successful businessman who established a successful brewing company in New York City after immigrating to the United States.

Mary Mallen, born in 1853 in County Sligo, was an influential Irish philanthropist and advocate for women's rights. She founded several charitable organizations and worked tirelessly to improve the lives of impoverished women and children in Ireland.

While the Mallen surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since been carried to various parts of the world by Irish emigrants and their descendants, becoming a part of the rich tapestry of global surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mallen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mallen 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 142 Mallens recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.78x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 142 9.78x
Worcestershire 43 7.65x
Lancashire 29 0.57x
Durham 25 1.95x
Roxburghshire 23 29.52x
Kent 22 1.50x
Selkirkshire 19 48.82x
Berwickshire 15 28.80x
Lanarkshire 15 1.08x
Middlesex 15 0.35x
Devon 14 1.56x
Northumberland 14 2.19x
Midlothian 13 2.26x
Essex 12 1.41x
Derbyshire 11 1.63x
Yorkshire 11 0.26x
Gloucestershire 6 0.71x
Warwickshire 5 0.46x
Channel Islands 2 1.57x
Cheshire 2 0.21x
Lincolnshire 2 0.29x
Cumberland 1 0.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kingswinford in Staffordshire leads with 88 Mallens recorded in 1881 and an index of 166.92x.

Place Total Index
Kingswinford 88 166.92x
Rowley Regis 17 42.01x
Stourbridge 16 110.73x
Cannock 15 59.19x
West Ham 12 6.40x
Litchurch 11 40.59x
Melrose 10 102.04x
Tipton 10 22.49x
Eckford 9 666.67x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 9 3.88x
Lye 9 96.26x
Galashiels 8 55.59x
Liverpool 8 2.58x
Ancroft 7 311.11x
Kelso 7 90.21x
Woolwich 7 12.91x
Earlston 6 229.89x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 6 10.82x
Kidderminster Foreign 6 75.57x
Melrose 6 89.02x
Plymouth Charles The 6 15.21x
Salford 6 4.00x
St Pancras London 6 1.73x
Tavistock 6 58.82x
Barony 5 1.42x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 6.29x
Darlaston 5 24.91x
Glasgow 5 2.02x
Gordon 5 406.50x
Greenwich 5 7.30x
Heworth 5 19.83x
Shoreditch London 5 2.68x
Willington 5 67.66x
Bolehall Glascote 4 86.96x
Bromsgrove 4 21.15x
Longbenton 4 14.75x
Mertoun 4 396.04x
Old Monkland 4 7.25x
Stow 4 135.14x
Warehorne 4 512.82x
Willenhall 4 14.71x
Beverley St Nicholas 3 85.71x
Dudley 3 4.39x
Newton 3 7.63x
Openshaw 3 12.55x
Walsall Foreign 3 4.00x
West Wickham 3 211.27x
Wolverley 3 60.85x
Ellerbeck 2 1818.18x
Gateshead 2 2.09x
Gradley 2 73.80x
Hulme 2 1.88x
Macclesfield 2 4.74x
North Meols 2 4.00x
Plumstead 2 4.09x
St Marylebone London 2 0.87x
St Peter Port 2 8.48x
Stoke Damerel 2 3.19x
Wallsend 2 9.85x
Armley 1 5.32x
Birmingham 1 0.28x
Bishopwearmouth 1 0.91x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 2.47x
Bristol St George 1 2.56x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.23x
Cockermouth 1 12.82x
Cottingham 1 10.88x
Darlington 1 2.02x
East Chevington 1 46.95x
Eccleston In Prescot 1 3.90x
Govan 1 0.29x
Hawick 1 5.73x
Leeds 1 0.42x
Nether Hallam 1 1.73x
Preston 1 0.73x
Scunthorpe 1 32.36x
Selkirk 1 9.12x
Stockton On Tees 1 1.62x
Stoke Newington London 1 2.98x
Wolsingham 1 8.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Sarah 11
Ann 9
Elizabeth 9
Ellen 8
Alice 6
Annie 6
Jane 5
Eliza 4
Emma 4
Louisa 4
Martha 4
Clara 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Susan 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Beatrice 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Esther 2
Isabella 2
Kate 2
Laura 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Albertina 1
Bessie 1
Blanche 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Dinah 1
Dorothy 1
E. 1
Edith 1
Elisa 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.A. 1
Florry 1
Gwendoline 1
Helen 1
Henetta 1
Jemima 1
Jenny 1
Julia 1
Yipper 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 20
James 14
William 14
John 12
Samuel 12
Thomas 11
Joseph 9
Henry 8
Edward 7
David 5
Michael 5
Albert 4
Arthur 4
Charles 4
Richard 4
Benjamin 3
Isaac 3
Patrick 3
Alfred 2
Daniel 2
Stephen 2
Alexander 1
Anthony 1
Barnard 1
Benj. 1
Captain 1
Christopher 1
Domnick 1
Elias 1
Enoch 1
Frederick 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Infant 1
J.T. 1
Jonathan 1
Jos.C. 1
Paul 1
Robert 1
Saml. 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Mallen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mallen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 441 people were recorded with the Mallen surname. That placed it at #7,422 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mallen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 887 in 2016. That gives Mallen a modern rank of #6,366.

What does the Mallen surname mean?

A locational surname originating from Mallin, a parish in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

What does the Mallen map show?

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