NameCensus.

UK surname

Mullins

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Maoláin, meaning "descendant of the devotee of Saint John."

In the 1881 census there were 2,842 people recorded with the Mullins surname, ranking it #1,572 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,148, ranked #1,317, up from #1,572 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rotherham, Rossendale and North Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mullins is 5,340 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 81.1%.

1881 census count

2,842

Ranked #1,572

Modern count

5,148

2016, ranked #1,317

Peak year

2010

5,340 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mullins had 2,842 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,572 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,148 in 2016, ranked #1,317.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,928 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Mullins surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mullins surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mullins 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 1,538 #1,861
1861 historical 1,672 #1,711
1881 historical 2,842 #1,572
1891 historical 2,767 #1,706
1901 historical 3,582 #1,562
1911 historical 3,928 #1,306
1997 modern 5,033 #1,303
1998 modern 5,225 #1,299
1999 modern 5,241 #1,303
2000 modern 5,172 #1,311
2001 modern 5,054 #1,312
2002 modern 5,223 #1,304
2003 modern 5,106 #1,298
2004 modern 5,074 #1,303
2005 modern 5,007 #1,305
2006 modern 4,982 #1,313
2007 modern 5,063 #1,302
2008 modern 5,102 #1,304
2009 modern 5,231 #1,303
2010 modern 5,340 #1,304
2011 modern 5,242 #1,308
2012 modern 5,084 #1,321
2013 modern 5,168 #1,324
2014 modern 5,201 #1,323
2015 modern 5,160 #1,315
2016 modern 5,148 #1,317

Geography

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Where Mullins' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rotherham, Rossendale, North Dorset and Rhondda Cynon Taf. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rotherham 020 Rotherham
2 Rotherham 018 Rotherham
3 Rossendale 003 Rossendale
4 North Dorset 003 North Dorset
5 Rhondda Cynon Taf 009 Rhondda Cynon Taf

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mullins

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mullins

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Mullins surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Mullins household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Mullins is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mullins 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mullins

The surname Mullins is an English name that originated in medieval times. It is derived from the Old English word "muln" or "mulne," meaning a mill or grinding mill. This suggests that the original bearers of the name were likely associated with the operation or ownership of a mill.

In the early days, the name appeared in various spellings, including Mulin, Mullin, and Mullyn. These variations were common due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions during that period.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century. One notable example is found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1273, where a certain William Mullin is mentioned.

The Mullins name has also been linked to certain place names. For instance, the village of Mullinburn in Hertfordshire, England, may have derived its name from the Mullins family who resided there.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Mullins surname. One such person was Giles Mullins (c. 1550 - c. 1600), an English merchant and one of the earliest settlers of Virginia in the United States.

Another prominent figure was Priscilla Mullins (c. 1602 - c. 1680), who was among the Mayflower passengers and one of the few survivors of the harsh first winter in the Plymouth Colony.

In the world of literature, Mary Mullins (1914 - 1988) was an American writer and poet, best known for her Newbery Medal-winning book "A Ring of Endless Light."

The arts have also seen notable Mullins, such as Robert Mullins (1925 - 2008), an American painter and printmaker renowned for his abstract expressionist works.

Lastly, in the realm of sports, Terrance Mullins (born 1959) was a professional basketball player who played in the NBA for several teams, including the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers.

While the Mullins name has its roots in medieval England, it has since spread globally, with bearers of this surname found in various parts of the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mullins families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mullins 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 380 Mullins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.36x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 380 1.36x
Yorkshire 302 1.09x
Lancashire 282 0.85x
Somerset 221 4.91x
Wiltshire 186 7.53x
Surrey 171 1.26x
Hampshire 156 2.72x
Dorset 133 7.25x
Kent 125 1.31x
Gloucestershire 115 2.10x
Warwickshire 88 1.25x
Glamorgan 79 1.62x
Derbyshire 78 1.78x
Devon 78 1.34x
Staffordshire 53 0.56x
Cheshire 49 0.79x
Durham 40 0.48x
Monmouthshire 32 1.58x
Essex 28 0.51x
Leicestershire 23 0.74x
Shropshire 22 0.91x
Berkshire 20 0.95x
Lanarkshire 15 0.17x
Lincolnshire 13 0.29x
Pembrokeshire 13 1.46x
Cornwall 12 0.38x
Renfrewshire 12 0.55x
Roxburghshire 12 2.37x
Royal Navy 10 3.00x
Channel Islands 9 1.09x
Cumberland 9 0.37x
Norfolk 9 0.21x
Buckinghamshire 8 0.47x
Oxfordshire 8 0.46x
Midlothian 7 0.19x
Rutland 7 3.41x
Sussex 7 0.15x
Worcestershire 7 0.19x
Selkirkshire 6 2.37x
Argyllshire 5 0.64x
Ayrshire 4 0.19x
Herefordshire 4 0.35x
Hertfordshire 4 0.21x
Stirlingshire 4 0.39x
Isle of Man 3 0.58x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 0.74x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.08x
Bedfordshire 2 0.14x
Northamptonshire 2 0.08x
Northumberland 2 0.05x
Berwickshire 1 0.30x
Buteshire 1 0.59x
Denbighshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 64 Mullins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.72x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 64 2.72x
Lambeth 40 1.64x
Portsea 29 2.58x
Hammersmith London 28 4.07x
Cheltenham 27 6.38x
Greenwich 27 6.07x
Islington London 27 1.00x
Merthyr Tydfil 26 5.56x
Teffont Magna 26 938.63x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 25 4.84x
Sheffield 25 2.84x
Toxteth Park 25 2.23x
St Marylebone London 24 1.61x
Donhead St Mary 23 183.12x
Liverpool 23 1.14x
Deptford St Paul 21 2.86x
Macclesfield 21 7.66x
Southwark St George Martyr 20 3.56x
Brightside Bierlow 19 3.50x
St George In East 19 9.99x
Wardour 19 262.43x
Woolwich 19 5.39x
Leeds 18 1.15x
Roath 18 8.14x
Alverstoke 17 8.20x
Batley 17 6.46x
Doncaster 17 8.40x
Everton 17 1.61x
Poplar London 17 3.22x
Newington 16 1.55x
Paddington London 16 1.56x
Newton In Makerfield 15 14.77x
St Pancras London 15 0.67x
Wadworth 15 274.73x
Westminster St John 15 4.41x
Willesden 15 5.69x
Kensington London 14 0.90x
Kingston On Thames 14 4.28x
Tottenham 14 3.15x
Walcot 14 5.84x
Wormhill 14 152.84x
Aston 13 0.67x
Bedminster 13 3.08x
Castleton 13 3.93x
Compton Abbas 13 290.18x
Fulham London 13 3.21x
Plymouth St Andrew 13 2.90x
Staveley 13 16.74x
Stourton 13 244.82x
Wardleworth 13 6.86x
Wellington 13 21.31x
West Derby 13 1.34x
Aston Cum Aughton 12 52.98x
Bourton 12 149.44x
Hawkchurch 12 210.53x
Hulme 12 1.73x
Mile End Old Town 12 2.72x
Spitalfields London 12 5.71x
St Giles In Fields 12 12.45x
Sturminster 12 67.49x
Westbury On Trym 12 6.46x
Aldershot 11 5.73x
Battersea 11 1.07x
Bedwellty 11 3.08x
Bermondsey 11 1.32x
Beswick 11 12.97x
Harthill Cum Woodall 11 103.68x
Holdenhurst 11 7.32x
Normanton 11 13.22x
Salisbury St Martin 11 42.77x
Chorlton On Medlock 10 1.90x
Colerne 10 98.72x
Dewsbury 10 3.52x
Rushall 10 18.01x
Salford 10 1.03x
Spaxton 10 114.16x
St George Hanover 10 2.74x
St Gilesin Fields 10 61.43x
Teffont Evias 10 862.07x
Wokingham 10 20.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 221
Elizabeth 99
Ellen 60
Sarah 59
Ann 49
Margaret 48
Jane 46
Annie 42
Eliza 38
Emma 38
Alice 35
Catherine 35
Emily 29
Kate 23
Bridget 22
Hannah 22
Martha 18
Edith 17
Harriet 17
Louisa 17
Lucy 14
Maria 14
Anne 13
Charlotte 13
Matilda 13
Susan 13
Ada 12
Agnes 11
Florence 11
Frances 11
Rose 11
Fanny 10
Amelia 8
Caroline 8
Harriett 8
Julia 8
Lydia 8
Catharine 7
Bessie 6
Isabel 6
Isabella 6
Margret 6
Anna 5
Clara 5
Elizth. 5
Esther 5
Katherine 5
Margt. 5
Hester 4
Maude 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 168
William 146
Thomas 114
James 95
George 85
Henry 65
Charles 42
Joseph 36
Edward 30
Michael 29
Patrick 26
Robert 24
Alfred 23
Richard 23
Albert 20
Edwin 18
Frank 18
Arthur 17
Daniel 16
Harry 16
Francis 14
Frederick 13
Walter 11
Timothy 10
David 9
Ernest 9
Martin 9
Tom 9
Stephen 8
Thos. 8
Wm. 8
Matthew 7
Peter 7
Fred 6
Herbert 6
Sidney 6
Andrew 5
Mark 5
Anthony 4
Dennis 4
Lawrence 4
Samuel 4
Benjamin 3
Hugh 3
Luke 3
Maurice 3
Noah 3
J. 2
Job 2
Laurence 2

FAQ

Mullins surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mullins surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,842 people were recorded with the Mullins surname. That placed it at #1,572 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mullins surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,148 in 2016. That gives Mullins a modern rank of #1,317.

What does the Mullins surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Maoláin, meaning "descendant of the devotee of Saint John."

What does the Mullins map show?

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