NameCensus.

UK surname

Mulrine

From the Scots Gaelic meaning "summit" or "headland".

In the 1881 census there were 14 people recorded with the Mulrine surname, ranking it #31,604 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 133, ranked #25,765, up from #31,604 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carfin North, Ruchill and Brighton and Hove.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mulrine is 141 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 850.0%.

1881 census count

14

Ranked #31,604

Modern count

133

2016, ranked #25,765

Peak year

2010

141 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mulrine had 14 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,604 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 133 in 2016, ranked #25,765.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 51 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mulrine surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mulrine surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mulrine 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 32 #27,570
1861 historical 30 #30,188
1881 historical 14 #31,604
1891 historical 46 #30,657
1901 historical 51 #28,492
1911 historical 16 #31,804
1997 modern 88 #28,611
1998 modern 94 #28,435
1999 modern 93 #28,711
2000 modern 100 #27,695
2001 modern 101 #27,252
2002 modern 110 #26,412
2003 modern 113 #25,797
2004 modern 113 #25,999
2005 modern 117 #25,433
2006 modern 120 #25,269
2007 modern 122 #25,353
2008 modern 125 #25,249
2009 modern 126 #25,686
2010 modern 141 #24,460
2011 modern 135 #24,922
2012 modern 122 #26,696
2013 modern 121 #27,255
2014 modern 127 #26,634
2015 modern 131 #25,979
2016 modern 133 #25,765

Geography

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Where Mulrines are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carfin North, Ruchill, Brighton and Hove, Coventry and IZ09. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carfin North North Lanarkshire
2 Ruchill Glasgow City
3 Brighton and Hove 028 Brighton and Hove
4 Coventry 011 Coventry
5 IZ09 West Dunbartonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mulrine

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mulrine

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Mulrine surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mulrine household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Challenged Inner London Communities

Within London, Mulrine is most associated with areas classed as Challenged Inner London Communities, 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

Resident in some of Inner London’s most over-crowded communities, many families have children and marriage/civil partnership rates are above the Supergroup average. Other adults such as students live in communal establishments. Few residents have Level 4 educational qualifications, levels of unemployment are above the Supergroup average, and employment is concentrated in service occupations such as distribution, hotels and restaurants. Relative to the Supergroup average, fewer residents identify as being of mixed/multiple ethnicities, Black or Other Asian.

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

Mulrine is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mulrine falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mulrine is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mulrine

The surname Mulrine has its origins in Ireland, with the earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to derive from the Irish Gaelic "Ó Maolruaidh," which translates to "descendant of the servant of the red one." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname for someone with reddish hair or a ruddy complexion.

In the early 17th century, variations of the name such as Mulrin, Mulryne, and Mulrein can be found in historical records from counties like Mayo, Sligo, and Leitrim in the western province of Connacht. The Mulrine family was particularly concentrated in the parish of Drumcliff, County Sligo, where they were among the principal landowners and gentry.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was John Mulryne, a merchant and landowner in Sligo who was recorded in the Fiants of Elizabeth I in 1592. Another notable figure was Captain Mulrine, a commander in the Irish Confederate Catholic forces during the Irish Confederate War (1641-1653).

In the 18th century, the name appeared in the Elphin Diocese Records, which documented the lives and activities of the Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Elphin, encompassing parts of Sligo, Roscommon, and Mayo. Reverend James Mulrine, who served as the Parish Priest of Drumcliff from 1744 to 1791, is mentioned in these records.

During the 19th century, several individuals with the surname Mulrine gained prominence. Patrick Mulrine (1788-1863), a Catholic priest and educator, founded the Mulrine Academy in Sligo, which became one of the leading schools in the region. Another notable figure was James Mulrine (1824-1900), a merchant and ship owner based in Sligo who was actively involved in local politics and served as a Justice of the Peace.

Other historical figures include Michael Mulrine (1847-1914), a successful businessman and community leader in Sligo, and Mary Mulrine (1856-1942), a teacher and activist who played a significant role in the Irish revolutionary period and the fight for Irish independence.

While the Mulrine surname is relatively uncommon outside of Ireland, it has been carried by individuals who have made notable contributions in various fields, reflecting the diverse experiences and achievements of those who bear this name with deep historical roots in the Irish diaspora.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mulrine families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mulrine 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. Lanarkshire leads with 7 Mulrines recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.87x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 7 15.87x
West Lothian 5 243.90x
Midlothian 1 5.47x
Perthshire 1 16.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 7 Mulrines recorded in 1881 and an index of 64.16x.

Place Total Index
Govan 7 64.16x
Boness 5 1785.71x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 13.61x
Perth East Church 1 172.41x

FAQ

Mulrine surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mulrine surname in 1881?

In 1881, 14 people were recorded with the Mulrine surname. That placed it at #31,604 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mulrine surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 133 in 2016. That gives Mulrine a modern rank of #25,765.

What does the Mulrine surname mean?

From the Scots Gaelic meaning "summit" or "headland".

What does the Mulrine map show?

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