NameCensus.

UK surname

Marlin

A surname derived from a nickname for a passionate or fierce person, from the Germanic word "mar" meaning "famous".

In the 1881 census there were 268 people recorded with the Marlin surname, ranking it #10,542 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 153, ranked #23,408, down from #10,542 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Tunbridge, Bidborough and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pollok South and West, Fishcross, Devon Village and Coalsnaughton and Mount Florida.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Marlin is 470 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 42.9%.

1881 census count

268

Ranked #10,542

Modern count

153

2016, ranked #23,408

Peak year

1891

470 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Marlin had 268 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,542 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 153 in 2016, ranked #23,408.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 470 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Marlin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Marlin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Marlin 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 215 #9,860
1861 historical 447 #5,786
1881 historical 268 #10,542
1891 historical 470 #7,798
1901 historical 182 #16,057
1911 historical 119 #20,535
1997 modern 116 #24,688
1998 modern 135 #23,118
1999 modern 140 #22,789
2000 modern 134 #23,358
2001 modern 126 #23,883
2002 modern 126 #24,393
2003 modern 126 #24,146
2004 modern 126 #24,335
2005 modern 133 #23,502
2006 modern 145 #22,420
2007 modern 145 #22,693
2008 modern 139 #23,635
2009 modern 147 #23,248
2010 modern 155 #22,985
2011 modern 153 #22,996
2012 modern 154 #22,870
2013 modern 157 #22,904
2014 modern 160 #22,824
2015 modern 153 #23,413
2016 modern 153 #23,408

Geography

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Where Marlins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Tunbridge, Bidborough, St Pancras and St Philip and Jacob. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pollok South and West, Fishcross, Devon Village and Coalsnaughton, Mount Florida, Milton Keynes and Keppochhill. 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 1
2 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pollok South and West Glasgow City
2 Fishcross, Devon Village and Coalsnaughton Clackmannanshire
3 Mount Florida Glasgow City
4 Milton Keynes 020 Milton Keynes
5 Keppochhill Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Marlin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Marlin

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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Marlin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Marlin 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

Marlin 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 Marlin 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Marlin

The surname Marlin is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "merlin," meaning "blackbird" or "falcon." It is believed to have originated in the 12th century as a nickname or occupational name for a falconer or someone who trained and cared for falcons.

The name Marlin can be traced back to the Normandy region of France, where it was first recorded in the 12th century. It is possible that the name was brought to England by Norman settlers during the Norman Conquest of 1066.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Marlin can be found in the Domesday Book, a record of land ownership in England compiled by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name is listed as "Merlinus," a variation of the modern spelling.

In the 13th century, the name Marlin appeared in various French records, such as the "Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Redon" (Cartulary of the Abbey of Redon) from Brittany, which mentions a "Robertus Merlinus" in 1236.

Notable individuals with the surname Marlin throughout history include Jacques Marlin (1605-1676), a French engraver and illustrator known for his works on architecture and engineering. Another notable figure was John Marlin (1673-1737), an English Protestant minister and author who published several religious works.

In the 19th century, Jean-Baptiste Marlin (1807-1890) was a French gunsmith and inventor, best known for developing the Marlin rifle, a popular and influential firearm design. His company, Marlin Firearms, continues to produce firearms to this day.

Other notable individuals include Charles Louis Marlin (1826-1896), a French politician and lawyer who served as a member of the French National Assembly, and Jacqueline Marlin (1928-2002), a French artist and painter known for her abstract expressionist works.

While the surname Marlin is of French origin, it has been carried by individuals across various countries and cultures throughout history, reflecting the global spread and diversity of this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Marlin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Marlin 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. Middlesex leads with 36 Marlins recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.42x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 36 1.42x
Kent 25 2.89x
Surrey 25 2.02x
Lanarkshire 22 2.68x
Lancashire 17 0.56x
Hampshire 16 3.08x
Devon 13 2.46x
Yorkshire 11 0.44x
Sussex 8 1.87x
Derbyshire 7 1.76x
Essex 7 1.40x
Northamptonshire 7 2.93x
Glamorgan 6 1.36x
Staffordshire 6 0.70x
Clackmannanshire 5 23.88x
Durham 5 0.66x
Nottinghamshire 4 1.17x
Stirlingshire 4 4.28x
Warwickshire 4 0.63x
Worcestershire 4 1.21x
Berkshire 3 1.58x
Cumberland 3 1.37x
Midlothian 3 0.88x
Norfolk 3 0.77x
Northumberland 3 0.80x
Gloucestershire 2 0.40x
Huntingdonshire 2 3.97x
Renfrewshire 2 1.02x
Wiltshire 2 0.89x
Ayrshire 1 0.53x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.65x
Denbighshire 1 1.04x
Leicestershire 1 0.36x
Oxfordshire 1 0.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 13 Marlins recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.37x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 13 6.37x
Old Monkland 10 30.72x
Hulme 8 12.73x
Swanscombe 8 205.66x
Tonbridge 8 25.63x
Glasgow 7 4.81x
Middleton In Oldham 7 77.61x
East Teignmouth 6 277.78x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 14.75x
Roath 6 29.91x
Tottenham 6 14.86x
Broadwater 5 50.97x
Clackmannan 5 126.26x
Handsworth 5 23.70x
Holy Trinity 5 8.27x
Portsea 5 4.91x
Shoreditch London 5 4.55x
West Ham 5 4.52x
Barony 4 1.93x
Birmingham 4 1.88x
Codnor Loscoe 4 127.39x
Fareham 4 64.00x
Glinton 4 1176.47x
Kensington London 4 2.84x
Millbrook 4 30.56x
New Windsor 4 727.27x
Newington 4 4.27x
Uxbridge 4 137.93x
Bedlington 3 23.81x
Camberwell 3 1.85x
Campsie 3 58.48x
Cliffe 3 208.33x
East Peckham 3 166.67x
Leeds 3 2.11x
Norwich St Stephen 3 83.80x
South Leith 3 7.85x
Charlton Next Woolwich 2 22.17x
Croydon 2 2.92x
Egremont 2 38.39x
Eynesbury 2 170.94x
Lambeth 2 0.90x
Lenton 2 24.84x
Lingfield 2 82.99x
Maidstone 2 7.76x
Newbold Dunston 2 53.05x
Old Windsor 2 90.91x
Southwark Christchurch 2 16.84x
St George Hanover 2 6.04x
Wellingborough 2 16.68x
Whickham 2 28.82x
Battersea 1 1.07x
Bermondsey 1 1.32x
Carisbrooke 1 13.85x
Cheltenham 1 2.61x
Clewer 1 12.82x
Darlington 1 3.43x
Droitwich St Nicholas 1 81.30x
Edwinstowe 1 123.46x
Gravesend 1 13.64x
Hammersmith London 1 1.60x
Hunslet 1 2.55x
Inkberrow 1 74.63x
Keele 1 109.89x
Kingston On Thames 1 3.37x
Leicester St Margaret 1 1.46x
Leigh 1 57.47x
Llandrillo Yn Rhos 1 70.42x
Margate St John Baptist 1 6.31x
Northfield 1 15.92x
Preston 1 1.24x
Pucklechurch 1 89.29x
Putney 1 8.65x
Quainton 1 133.33x
Slamannan 1 19.53x
Southampton All Sts 1 11.21x
Stratford Under Castle 1 357.14x
Tormoham 1 4.48x
Wanborough 1 129.87x
West Derby 1 1.14x
Westoe 1 2.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 11
Mary 11
Elizabeth 8
Sarah 8
Ellen 7
Alice 6
Eliza 6
Louisa 6
Margaret 6
Annie 5
Jane 5
Emily 4
Ann 3
Betsy 3
Charlotte 3
Hannah 3
Matilda 3
Ada 2
Maria 2
Susan 2
A. 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Anna 1
Annah 1
Anne 1
Bertha 1
Besser 1
Bessie 1
Catherine 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Lessie 1
Lilian 1
Lilly 1
Lizzy 1
Lousia 1
Martha 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 15
William 13
George 11
James 6
Thomas 6
Alfred 5
Henry 4
Charles 3
Edward 3
Harry 3
Chas. 2
Frederick 2
Samuel 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Anes 1
Arthur 1
Edwin 1
Ekin 1
Ernest 1
Fredc. 1
Isaac 1
J.H. 1
Jonthan 1
Joseph 1
Michael 1
Moses 1
W. 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Marlin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Marlin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 268 people were recorded with the Marlin surname. That placed it at #10,542 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Marlin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 153 in 2016. That gives Marlin a modern rank of #23,408.

What does the Marlin surname mean?

A surname derived from a nickname for a passionate or fierce person, from the Germanic word "mar" meaning "famous".

What does the Marlin map show?

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