NameCensus.

UK surname

Mullens

Anglicized form of Irish Ó Maoláin, meaning "descendant of Maolán," a personal name derived from "maol," meaning "bald" or "devotee."

In the 1881 census there were 384 people recorded with the Mullens surname, ranking it #8,195 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 239, ranked #17,322, down from #8,195 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Compton Abbas, Portsmouth, Portsea and Brighton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Enfield, Plymouth and Westminster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mullens is 384 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 37.8%.

1881 census count

384

Ranked #8,195

Modern count

239

2016, ranked #17,322

Peak year

1881

384 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mullens had 384 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,195 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 239 in 2016, ranked #17,322.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 384 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Mullens surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mullens surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Mullens 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 339 #6,922
1861 historical 228 #10,703
1881 historical 384 #8,195
1891 historical 380 #9,231
1901 historical 334 #10,818
1911 historical 284 #11,862
1997 modern 261 #14,849
1998 modern 275 #14,715
1999 modern 270 #14,992
2000 modern 251 #15,692
2001 modern 252 #15,452
2002 modern 264 #15,236
2003 modern 249 #15,653
2004 modern 248 #15,779
2005 modern 240 #16,092
2006 modern 231 #16,636
2007 modern 227 #17,041
2008 modern 228 #17,146
2009 modern 240 #16,896
2010 modern 247 #16,931
2011 modern 252 #16,543
2012 modern 245 #16,745
2013 modern 243 #17,114
2014 modern 241 #17,338
2015 modern 241 #17,235
2016 modern 239 #17,322

Geography

Back to top

Where Mullens' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Compton Abbas, Portsmouth, Portsea, Brighton, Stanwell, Harmondsworth and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Enfield, Plymouth, Westminster, Wandsworth and Lewisham. 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 Compton Abbas Dorset
2 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
3 Brighton Sussex
4 Stanwell, Harmondsworth Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Enfield 010 Enfield
2 Plymouth 021 Plymouth
3 Westminster 011 Westminster
4 Wandsworth 027 Wandsworth
5 Lewisham 019 Lewisham

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Mullens

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Mullens

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Mullens is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mullens 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

Mullens 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 Mullens 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 Mullens, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mullens

The surname Mullens is of Irish origin, deriving from the Gaelic personal name Muiris, a diminutive form of the name Muireadhaigh. This name ultimately derives from the Old Irish muir, meaning "sea."

The Mullens surname is thought to have originated in County Kerry, located in the southwest of Ireland. It is believed to have emerged as a hereditary surname in the 11th or 12th century, as Irish families began adopting surnames based on personal names or characteristics.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Mullens surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the entry for the year 1172, a member of the Mullens family is mentioned as having participated in a battle against the Norman invaders.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Mullens family held lands in County Kerry and County Cork. They were among the many Irish families who faced persecution and dispossession during the Tudor and Cromwellian conquests of Ireland.

Notable individuals bearing the Mullens surname throughout history include Dermot Mullens (c. 1550-1630), a renowned Irish priest and scholar who authored several works on Irish history and language. Another notable figure was John Mullens (1667-1721), an Irish-born soldier who fought in the Williamite War and later served as a member of the British Parliament.

In the 18th century, Patrick Mullens (1738-1811) was a prominent Irish-American merchant and landowner in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War, providing supplies and financial support to the Continental Army.

Other notable figures include Mary Mullens (1820-1892), an Irish-American labor activist and one of the founders of the Knights of Labor, a prominent labor union in the late 19th century. In the field of literature, Patrick Mullens (1862-1928) was an Irish poet and journalist known for his works celebrating Irish culture and heritage.

The Mullens surname has also been found in various spellings throughout history, such as Mullen, Mullin, and Mullins, reflecting regional variations and scribal practices of the time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Mullens families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mullens 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 95 Mullens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.53x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 95 2.53x
Wiltshire 35 10.54x
Yorkshire 29 0.78x
Lancashire 28 0.63x
Hampshire 25 3.25x
Dorset 21 8.52x
Durham 21 1.88x
Surrey 21 1.15x
Essex 16 2.16x
Devon 15 1.92x
Kent 12 0.94x
Midlothian 12 2.39x
Sussex 12 1.90x
Derbyshire 9 1.53x
Gloucestershire 8 1.09x
Somerset 5 0.83x
Northumberland 4 0.72x
Berkshire 3 1.06x
Buteshire 3 13.19x
Glamorgan 2 0.31x
Suffolk 2 0.44x
Argyllshire 1 0.96x
Hertfordshire 1 0.39x
Lanarkshire 1 0.08x
Leicestershire 1 0.24x
Renfrewshire 1 0.34x
Warwickshire 1 0.11x
Worcestershire 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Martin in Wiltshire leads with 16 Mullens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2424.24x.

Place Total Index
Martin 16 2424.24x
Limehouse London 15 36.38x
Harmondsworth 14 600.86x
Donhead St Mary 12 710.06x
Leeds 12 5.71x
Bishopwearmouth 10 10.43x
West Thurrock 9 365.85x
Westminster St James 9 23.31x
Buriton 8 540.54x
Manchester 8 3.99x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 7 58.82x
Hackney London 7 3.32x
St Marylebone London 7 3.49x
Awliscombe 6 869.57x
Brighton 6 4.70x
Chesterfield 6 27.22x
Droylsden 6 41.27x
Fulham London 6 11.02x
Holdenhurst 6 29.72x
Lambeth 6 1.83x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 9.96x
Stoke Newington London 6 20.51x
Cann 5 694.44x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 2.47x
Hetton Le Hole 5 35.31x
Islington London 5 1.37x
Bromley London 4 4.84x
Camberwell 4 1.67x
Chiswick 4 19.49x
Conside Knitsley 4 46.03x
Deptford St Paul 4 4.05x
Doncaster 4 14.71x
Gussage St Michael 4 1212.12x
Mitcheldean 4 439.56x
Newton In Makerfield 4 29.30x
Portsea 4 2.65x
South Stoneham 4 23.95x
Tatsfield 4 1818.18x
Teddington London 4 47.00x
Westgate 4 11.56x
Witchampton 4 634.92x
Eastbourne 3 10.30x
Fairfield 3 76.34x
Kensington London 3 1.44x
Lewisham 3 4.39x
Manningham 3 6.54x
Marlborough 3 535.71x
Nuthurst 3 285.71x
Rothesay 3 27.22x
Sherborne 3 41.32x
Shinfield 3 180.72x
Walcot 3 9.32x
Acton Turville 2 526.32x
Barnsley 2 5.21x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 2.88x
Bromley 2 10.24x
Chelsea London 2 1.77x
Corfe Mullen 2 224.72x
Egham 2 17.81x
Farnworth 2 7.49x
Gateshead 2 2.39x
Holy Trinity 2 2.23x
Hulme 2 2.15x
Moss Side 2 8.53x
Nettlestead 2 1538.46x
Portland 2 15.09x
Prittlewell 2 19.47x
Salisbury St Edmund 2 37.52x
Southampton St Mary 2 4.13x
Spotland 2 4.04x
St George Hanover 2 4.08x
Stow Maries 2 740.74x
Tottenham 2 3.34x
Wandsworth 2 5.53x
West Ham 2 1.22x
Bathwick 1 14.95x
Chew Magna 1 47.17x
Glasgow 1 0.46x
Salisbury St Martin 1 28.90x
Southwark St Saviour 1 5.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 43
Elizabeth 14
Margaret 11
Ellen 10
Sarah 9
Jane 8
Ann 6
Bridget 6
Annie 5
Eliza 5
Anne 4
Fanny 4
Alice 3
Charlotte 3
Eleanor 3
Emily 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Maria 3
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Emma 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Isabella 2
Julia 2
Rhoda 2
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Bryget 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Clara 1
Clarissa 1
Dina 1
Dorah 1
Eada 1
Edith 1
Emmie 1
Ethel 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Honora 1
Janie 1
Jessie 1
Justina 1
Kattie 1
Laura 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 18
William 18
George 15
James 13
Thomas 8
Henry 7
Charles 6
Joseph 6
Edward 4
Francis 4
Michael 4
Arthur 3
Harry 3
Patrick 3
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Henery 2
Herbert 2
J. 2
Robert 2
Allged 1
Andrew 1
Benjaman 1
David 1
Dennis 1
E. 1
E.G. 1
Edwar 1
Emmanuel 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Harold 1
Harrey 1
Hugh 1
Johns 1
Lawrince 1
Mark 1
Maurice 1
Micheal 1
Noah 1
Philip 1
Phillip 1
R.H. 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Sarah 1
Sidney 1
Tam 1

FAQ

Mullens surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mullens surname in 1881?

In 1881, 384 people were recorded with the Mullens surname. That placed it at #8,195 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mullens surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 239 in 2016. That gives Mullens a modern rank of #17,322.

What does the Mullens surname mean?

Anglicized form of Irish Ó Maoláin, meaning "descendant of Maolán," a personal name derived from "maol," meaning "bald" or "devotee."

What does the Mullens map show?

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