NameCensus.

UK surname

Mullin

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

In the 1881 census there were 1,340 people recorded with the Mullin surname, ranking it #3,059 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,236, ranked #2,904, up from #3,059 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pollok North and East, Hyndburn and Kirklees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mullin is 2,286 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 66.9%.

1881 census count

1,340

Ranked #3,059

Modern count

2,236

2016, ranked #2,904

Peak year

2010

2,286 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mullin had 1,340 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,059 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,236 in 2016, ranked #2,904.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,430 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Mullin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mullin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mullin 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 873 #3,129
1861 historical 1,162 #2,428
1881 historical 1,340 #3,059
1891 historical 1,242 #3,477
1901 historical 1,430 #3,554
1911 historical 1,141 #4,091
1997 modern 1,965 #3,099
1998 modern 2,053 #3,092
1999 modern 2,114 #3,043
2000 modern 2,083 #3,068
2001 modern 2,035 #3,073
2002 modern 2,112 #3,032
2003 modern 2,102 #2,979
2004 modern 2,121 #2,957
2005 modern 2,127 #2,913
2006 modern 2,120 #2,926
2007 modern 2,171 #2,890
2008 modern 2,183 #2,899
2009 modern 2,218 #2,929
2010 modern 2,286 #2,913
2011 modern 2,214 #2,957
2012 modern 2,171 #2,948
2013 modern 2,198 #2,969
2014 modern 2,239 #2,932
2015 modern 2,213 #2,931
2016 modern 2,236 #2,904

Geography

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Where Mullins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and Prestwich. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pollok North and East, Hyndburn, Kirklees and Stockport. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Prestwich Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pollok North and East Glasgow City
2 Hyndburn 001 Hyndburn
3 Kirklees 052 Kirklees
4 Stockport 020 Stockport
5 Stockport 029 Stockport

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mullin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mullin

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Mullin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Mullin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Mullin 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

Mullin 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

Mullin 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 Mullin 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mullin

The surname Mullin is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic personal name "O'Maoilinn," meaning "descendant of the tonsured one." It likely originated in the 10th or 11th century and was initially concentrated in County Fermanagh and surrounding areas of Ulster.

The name is thought to be related to the Irish word "maol," meaning "bald" or "tonsured," which suggests it may have been applied to a cleric or monk who had taken religious vows and shaved the crown of their head. Alternatively, it could refer to a secular individual with a distinguishing bald or tonsured appearance.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name is found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a "Mael-Muire Ua Maoilinn" in the year 1164. This entry suggests that the surname was in use by the 12th century.

The name underwent various spelling variations over the centuries, including Mullen, Mullan, Mulline, and Mullins, reflecting regional dialects and scribal interpretations. Some records indicate that the name may have been associated with particular locations, such as Mullin in County Fermanagh or Mullinahone in County Tipperary.

Notable historical figures bearing the Mullin surname include:

1. Thomas Mullin (c. 1683-1738), an Irish-born Anglican clergyman who served as the Bishop of Killaloe from 1720 until his death.

2. Patrick Mullin (1765-1824), an Irish-born merchant and landowner who immigrated to Newfoundland and became a prominent figure in the fishing industry.

3. John Mullin (1841-1923), an Irish-born politician who served as a member of the New Zealand Parliament from 1890 to 1893.

4. Michael Mullin (1860-1934), an Irish-born prelate who served as the Bishop of Tobago from 1909 to 1934.

5. Brendan Mullin (1923-2015), an Irish-born Roman Catholic priest and author who wrote extensively on Irish history and culture.

While the Mullin surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to various parts of the world through emigration, with significant populations now found in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mullin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mullin 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. Lancashire leads with 543 Mullins recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.49x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 543 3.49x
Lanarkshire 211 4.98x
Yorkshire 86 0.66x
Durham 76 1.95x
Cheshire 48 1.66x
Middlesex 48 0.37x
Renfrewshire 35 3.45x
Ayrshire 32 3.26x
Derbyshire 27 1.32x
Midlothian 26 1.48x
Northumberland 26 1.33x
Warwickshire 24 0.73x
Cumberland 17 1.51x
Devon 14 0.51x
Gloucestershire 14 0.54x
Staffordshire 14 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 12 0.68x
Dunbartonshire 11 3.12x
Lincolnshire 9 0.43x
Argyllshire 6 1.65x
Glamorgan 6 0.26x
Somerset 6 0.28x
Clackmannanshire 5 4.62x
Denbighshire 5 1.01x
Hampshire 5 0.19x
Kirkcudbrightshire 4 2.11x
Perthshire 4 0.68x
Stirlingshire 4 0.83x
Suffolk 4 0.25x
Essex 3 0.12x
Surrey 3 0.05x
Angus 2 0.16x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.24x
Worcestershire 2 0.12x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.19x
Channel Islands 1 0.26x
Cornwall 1 0.07x
Fife 1 0.13x
Flintshire 1 0.28x
Isle of Man 1 0.41x
Kent 1 0.02x
Monmouthshire 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 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. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 144 Mullins recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.25x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 144 15.25x
Glasgow 56 7.44x
Barony 39 3.64x
Everton 33 6.66x
Manchester 33 4.72x
Oldham 33 6.58x
Govan 30 2.86x
Irvine 22 80.79x
New Monkland 20 15.97x
Warrington 18 9.77x
Wigan 18 8.29x
Ashton Under Lyne 15 4.42x
Salford 15 3.28x
Sheffield 15 3.63x
Bothwell 14 12.18x
Brightside Bierlow 14 5.50x
Gateshead 13 4.46x
Great Bolton 13 6.31x
Burnley 12 9.17x
Erskine 12 162.60x
West Derby 12 2.64x
Gorton 11 7.53x
Kirkdale 11 4.21x
Leamington Priors 11 13.53x
Leeds 11 1.50x
Old Monkland 11 6.54x
Toxteth Park 11 2.09x
West Calder 11 31.80x
Farnworth 10 10.74x
Limehouse London 10 6.95x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 10 8.59x
Batley 9 7.30x
Birkenhead 9 3.90x
Blackrod 9 46.58x
Bootle Cum Linacre 9 7.29x
Huddersfield 9 4.76x
Nottingham St Mary 9 1.97x
South Leith 9 4.56x
Barton Upon Irwell 8 6.84x
Cheadle 8 14.48x
Darlington 8 5.32x
Dukinfield 8 5.99x
Ludworth 8 82.82x
Pendleton In Salford 8 4.32x
Alford 7 53.93x
Billinge Chapel End 7 80.28x
Blatchinworth 7 19.77x
Cambusnethan 7 7.44x
Dawdon 7 14.60x
Glossop Dale 7 7.29x
Hamilton 7 5.92x
Moore 7 393.26x
St Clement Danes 7 33.00x
Upholland 7 35.14x
Bedminster 6 3.03x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 2.48x
Conside Knitsley 6 19.80x
Dawlish 6 29.50x
Derby St Alkmund 6 9.76x
East Greenock 6 6.26x
Gorbals 6 23.86x
Little Bolton 6 3.00x
Mearns 6 33.73x
Pennington In Leigh 6 20.11x
Shettleston 6 15.82x
Thornley 6 42.55x
Westminster St 6 12.42x
Abbey 5 3.23x
Alloa 5 9.53x
Aveton Gifford 5 126.58x
Beswick 5 12.58x
Dalserf 5 11.83x
Dunoon Kilmun 5 17.58x
Fawdon Clinch Hartside 5 675.68x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 5 2.96x
Ince In Makerfield 5 6.91x
Islington London 5 0.39x
Old Kilpatrick 5 12.02x
Widnes 5 4.46x
Wrexham Regis 5 13.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 106
Ann 36
Elizabeth 33
Margaret 30
Sarah 30
Catherine 28
Bridget 24
Ellen 20
Alice 11
Annie 11
Jane 10
Maria 10
Emma 7
Hannah 7
Kate 7
Julia 6
Eliza 5
Margt. 5
Lucy 4
Elizth. 3
Martha 3
Rose 3
Sophia 3
Anne 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Elizebeth 2
Isabella 2
Jessie 2
Lydia 2
Marion 2
Matilda 2
Rosanna 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
Winifred 2
Ada 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Barbara 1
Beatrice 1
Bee 1
Celia 1
Clin 1
El. 1
Eliz. 1
Honria 1
Irena 1
James 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 99
Thomas 60
James 55
Patrick 31
Michael 28
William 28
Robert 14
George 13
Henry 12
Peter 11
Edward 10
Joseph 10
Charles 9
Martin 8
Francis 7
Andrew 5
Daniel 5
Bernard 4
Owen 4
Richard 4
Arthur 3
Frank 3
Hugh 3
Wm. 3
Alexander 2
Alfred 2
Archibald 2
Barnard 2
Dennis 2
Jno. 2
Lewis 2
Luke 2
Mathew 2
Ralph 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Willie 2
Anthony 1
Bryan 1
C. 1
C.W. 1
Dominick 1
E. 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Faithful 1
Festus 1
Jas. 1
Jas.W. 1
Jno.W. 1

FAQ

Mullin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mullin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,340 people were recorded with the Mullin surname. That placed it at #3,059 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mullin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,236 in 2016. That gives Mullin a modern rank of #2,904.

What does the Mullin surname mean?

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

What does the Mullin map show?

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