NameCensus.

UK surname

Marvin

Derived from the Welsh name Merfyn, meaning "marrow" or "settlement near the sea."

In the 1881 census there were 566 people recorded with the Marvin surname, ranking it #6,126 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 863, ranked #6,496, down from #6,126 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newchurch, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hinckley and Bosworth, Bedford and South Kesteven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Marvin is 875 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.5%.

1881 census count

566

Ranked #6,126

Modern count

863

2016, ranked #6,496

Peak year

1911

875 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Marvin had 566 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,126 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 863 in 2016, ranked #6,496.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 875 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Marvin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Marvin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Marvin 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 318 #7,293
1861 historical 283 #8,866
1881 historical 566 #6,126
1891 historical 520 #7,194
1901 historical 713 #6,189
1911 historical 875 #5,082
1997 modern 849 #6,247
1998 modern 864 #6,350
1999 modern 862 #6,411
2000 modern 837 #6,537
2001 modern 835 #6,434
2002 modern 835 #6,547
2003 modern 819 #6,526
2004 modern 786 #6,768
2005 modern 757 #6,905
2006 modern 760 #6,908
2007 modern 753 #7,031
2008 modern 733 #7,238
2009 modern 785 #6,989
2010 modern 835 #6,787
2011 modern 834 #6,706
2012 modern 829 #6,656
2013 modern 848 #6,650
2014 modern 854 #6,633
2015 modern 848 #6,619
2016 modern 863 #6,496

Geography

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Where Marvins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newchurch, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Morton (incl. Hanthorpe). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hinckley and Bosworth, Bedford, South Kesteven and Oadby and Wigston. 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 Newchurch Hampshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Morton (incl. Hanthorpe) Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hinckley and Bosworth 007 Hinckley and Bosworth
2 Hinckley and Bosworth 006 Hinckley and Bosworth
3 Bedford 018 Bedford
4 South Kesteven 008 South Kesteven
5 Oadby and Wigston 005 Oadby and Wigston

Forenames

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First names often paired with Marvin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Marvin

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Marvin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Marvin is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Marvin falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Marvin

The surname Marvin originated in England during the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English personal name "Mærwine," composed of the elements "mære" meaning "famous" and "wine" meaning "friend." This name was often bestowed upon individuals who were friendly or sociable.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Marvin can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where it is spelled as "Merewine." This suggests that the name may have originated in or around the county of Gloucestershire.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various historical records, such as the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1244, where it was spelled "Merwin." The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 also mention a John Merewyn from Oxfordshire.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain the surname Marvin. However, it does include the name "Merewin," which may be a precursor to the modern spelling.

Notable individuals throughout history with the surname Marvin include:

1. Andrew Marvin (1786-1868), an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from New York. 2. Charles Marvin (1858-1935), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club. 3. Dwight Marvin (1848-1940), an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Marvin Manufacturing Company. 4. Frederic Rowland Marvin (1808-1890), an American educator and author, known for his work on popular education. 5. Walter Marvin (1912-1988), a British actor and playwright, best known for his roles in films like "Whisky Galore!" and "The Cruel Sea."

The surname Marvin is also associated with various place names, such as Marvin County in North Carolina, which was named after a local landowner, and the village of Mervyn in Hertfordshire, England, which may share a similar etymology.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Marvin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Marvin 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. Leicestershire leads with 189 Marvins recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.15x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 189 31.15x
Middlesex 87 1.59x
Hampshire 50 4.46x
Lincolnshire 44 5.03x
Nottinghamshire 28 3.80x
Essex 26 2.41x
Staffordshire 22 1.19x
Lancashire 20 0.31x
Surrey 18 0.68x
Wiltshire 17 3.51x
Kent 12 0.64x
Yorkshire 11 0.20x
Lanarkshire 8 0.45x
Bedfordshire 6 2.12x
Shropshire 6 1.27x
Devon 4 0.35x
Northumberland 4 0.49x
Cardiganshire 2 1.50x
Rutland 2 4.98x
Sussex 2 0.22x
Derbyshire 1 0.12x
Hertfordshire 1 0.27x
Worcestershire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 62 Marvins recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.90x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 62 41.90x
Leicester St Mary 31 63.24x
Hackney London 26 8.47x
Harborne 22 37.16x
Earl Shilton 21 1590.91x
Ratby 21 690.79x
Sheepshed 20 240.38x
Morton In Bourn 18 1011.24x
Ryde 17 70.57x
Islington London 15 2.83x
Trowbridge 13 60.78x
Chorlton On Medlock 10 9.69x
Portsea 10 4.55x
Radford 10 26.69x
Fareham 9 66.77x
Spittlegate 9 74.38x
Edmonton 8 18.14x
Great Stambridge 8 1428.57x
Northwood 8 50.09x
Battersea 7 3.48x
Tottenham 7 8.03x
Willoughby Waterless 7 1186.44x
Aswarby 6 2500.00x
Carisbrooke 6 38.54x
Govan 6 1.37x
Hawkwell 6 1200.00x
Higham Gobion 6 2608.70x
Kirkby Mallory Earl 6 206.19x
Leicester St Leonard 6 104.53x
Nottingham St Mary 6 3.15x
Shrewsbury St Mary 6 32.15x
Basford 5 14.71x
Bourn 5 70.72x
Clerkenwell London 5 3.87x
Lambeth 5 1.05x
Monk Bretton 5 91.07x
Westminster St 5 24.79x
Bagworth 4 353.98x
Brightside Bierlow 4 3.76x
Newington 4 1.98x
Spindleston 4 1739.13x
St George Hanover 4 5.60x
St Marylebone London 4 1.37x
St Pancras London 4 0.91x
Bradfield 3 196.08x
Bulwell 3 18.70x
Charlton Next Woolwich 3 15.41x
Gillingham 3 7.79x
Great Grimsby 3 5.40x
Halstead 3 23.81x
Leicester Black Friars 3 75.95x
Oldham 3 1.43x
Plumstead 3 4.82x
Snenton 3 10.35x
Walton On Hill 3 8.53x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 3.88x
Glasgow 2 0.64x
Holy Trinity Less 2 169.49x
Liddington 2 202.02x
Lledrod Upper 2 222.22x
Nailstone 2 144.93x
Stoke 2 43.38x
Stoke Damerel 2 2.51x
Surfleet 2 109.89x
Sutton Veney 2 147.06x
Thundersley 2 206.19x
West Ham 2 0.84x
Willesden 2 3.88x
Bradfield 1 4.78x
Colchester St Botolph 1 10.88x
Hampstead London 1 1.17x
Hugglescote 1 11.20x
Kensington London 1 0.33x
Long Whatton 1 76.34x
Oxted 1 31.15x
Peatling Parva 1 357.14x
Salford 1 0.52x
St Matthew Friday 1 1666.67x
Swanscombe 1 11.92x
York St Sampson 1 86.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 30
John 27
George 20
Thomas 19
Albert 12
Alfred 11
Charles 11
Edward 11
Henry 11
James 10
Joseph 9
Arthur 8
Edwin 8
Samuel 8
Herbert 7
Robert 6
Frederick 5
Walter 5
Ernest 4
Francis 4
Bernard 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Matthew 2
Owen 2
Reginald 2
Richard 2
Wm. 2
Ambrose 1
Archibald 1
Chas. 1
Clarke 1
Douglas 1
Enoch 1
Florance 1
Fred. 1
Frederic 1
Geo.E.N. 1
Georg 1
German 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
Leonard 1
Marmaduke 1
Mathew 1
Michael 1
Patrick 1
Percival 1
Philip 1
Wm.Jas. 1

FAQ

Marvin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Marvin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 566 people were recorded with the Marvin surname. That placed it at #6,126 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Marvin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 863 in 2016. That gives Marvin a modern rank of #6,496.

What does the Marvin surname mean?

Derived from the Welsh name Merfyn, meaning "marrow" or "settlement near the sea."

What does the Marvin map show?

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