NameCensus.

UK surname

Murrin

An Irish surname derived from the Irish word "muirne" meaning "affection" or "love".

In the 1881 census there were 178 people recorded with the Murrin surname, ranking it #13,840 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 334, ranked #13,640, up from #13,840 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Tormoham with Torquay and Kingsteignton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Devon, Solihull and Mid Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Murrin is 368 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 87.6%.

1881 census count

178

Ranked #13,840

Modern count

334

2016, ranked #13,640

Peak year

2000

368 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Murrin had 178 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,840 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 334 in 2016, ranked #13,640.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 282 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Murrin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Murrin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Murrin 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 141 #13,507
1861 historical 79 #23,702
1881 historical 178 #13,840
1891 historical 204 #14,702
1901 historical 256 #12,934
1911 historical 282 #11,915
1997 modern 341 #12,407
1998 modern 358 #12,349
1999 modern 351 #12,582
2000 modern 368 #12,130
2001 modern 354 #12,274
2002 modern 346 #12,733
2003 modern 345 #12,549
2004 modern 337 #12,818
2005 modern 344 #12,521
2006 modern 349 #12,473
2007 modern 343 #12,773
2008 modern 347 #12,786
2009 modern 356 #12,800
2010 modern 367 #12,775
2011 modern 349 #13,108
2012 modern 336 #13,376
2013 modern 341 #13,425
2014 modern 338 #13,624
2015 modern 335 #13,622
2016 modern 334 #13,640

Geography

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Where Murrins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Tormoham with Torquay, Kingsteignton, London parishes and Teingrace. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Devon, Solihull and Mid Devon. 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 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
2 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
3 Kingsteignton Devon
4 London parishes London 3
5 Teingrace Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Devon 001 West Devon
2 West Devon 002 West Devon
3 Solihull 008 Solihull
4 West Devon 007 West Devon
5 Mid Devon 009 Mid Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Murrin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Murrin

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Murrin is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Murrin is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Murrin falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Murrin

The surname Murrin is believed to have originated in Scotland, with roots dating back to the early medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Gaelic word "muirichinn," which translates to "belonging to the sea" or "of the sea." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived near the coast or made their living from the sea.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents and records from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is the mention of a John Murrin in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1296. Additionally, the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a series of documents containing the names of Scottish nobles and landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Murrin was particularly prevalent in the regions of Ayrshire and Dumfriesshire in southwestern Scotland. Several families bearing this surname were known to have held lands and properties in these areas, although specific records are scarce.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Murrin was William Murrin, born in 1587 in Ayrshire. He was a prominent landowner and played a role in local affairs during the tumultuous times of the Scottish Reformation.

Another notable figure was James Murrin, born in 1643 in Dumfriesshire. He was a renowned scholar and theologian who served as a minister in the Church of Scotland and authored several influential works on religious doctrine.

In the 18th century, the name Murrin gained prominence with the birth of Robert Murrin (1742-1815), a Scottish merchant and entrepreneur who made his fortune in the textile trade. His business ventures and philanthropic endeavors left a lasting impact on the city of Glasgow.

As the centuries progressed, the surname Murrin spread beyond Scotland, with many bearers of the name immigrating to other parts of the British Isles, as well as to North America and other regions of the world. Some variations in spelling, such as Murren and Murin, also emerged over time.

Despite its relatively small presence compared to more common Scottish surnames, the name Murrin has maintained its place in history, carrying with it the legacy of its coastal origins and the achievements of its notable bearers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Murrin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Murrin 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. Devon leads with 126 Murrins recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.67x.

County Total Index
Devon 126 34.67x
Kent 10 1.68x
Middlesex 10 0.57x
Lancashire 8 0.39x
Somerset 6 2.13x
Cheshire 4 1.04x
Lanarkshire 4 0.71x
Yorkshire 4 0.23x
Durham 2 0.39x
Gloucestershire 2 0.58x
Ayrshire 1 0.77x
Cornwall 1 0.51x
Royal Navy 1 4.81x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wolborough in Devon leads with 29 Murrins recorded in 1881 and an index of 631.81x.

Place Total Index
Wolborough 29 631.81x
Kingsteignton 20 1980.20x
Exeter St Edmund 10 1282.05x
Greenwich 8 28.78x
Hatherleigh 7 777.78x
Iddesleigh 7 2800.00x
Lifton 7 795.45x
Plymouth Charles The 7 43.72x
Teigngrace 6 6000.00x
Bedminster 5 18.93x
Exeter St Thomas The 5 134.77x
Upton Pyne 5 2083.33x
West Teignmouth 5 179.86x
Govan 4 2.86x
Tattenhall 4 606.06x
Combeinteignhead 3 1153.85x
Dolton 3 666.67x
St Marylebone London 3 3.22x
St Pancras London 3 2.13x
Deptford St Paul 2 4.35x
Everton 2 3.03x
Horton In Bradford 2 7.40x
Kensington London 2 2.06x
Kirkdale 2 5.74x
Liverpool 2 1.59x
Paddington London 2 3.12x
Sheffield 2 3.63x
Tiverton 2 31.95x
Tunstall 2 77.22x
Barrow In Furness 1 3.55x
Dawlish 1 36.90x
Exeter St Leonard 1 101.01x
Exeter St Sidwell 1 12.02x
Falmouth 1 14.29x
Ilminster 1 51.02x
Instow 1 256.41x
Kelly 1 714.29x
Lamerton 1 144.93x
Largs 1 32.47x
North Tawton 1 89.29x
Okehampton 1 72.99x
Olveston 1 104.17x
Royal Navy 1 5.62x
St Budeaux 1 88.50x
Stoke Damerel 1 3.93x
Toxteth Park 1 1.43x
Westbury On Trym 1 8.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 20
John 10
Thomas 5
James 4
Charles 3
Frank 3
Richard 3
Robert 3
Arscott 2
Edward 2
Frederick 2
George 2
Josiah 2
Alfred 1
Bertie 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
H. 1
Harry 1
Heber 1
Henry 1
Hubert 1
Jas. 1
Jonah 1
Joseph 1
Lewis 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Percival 1
Percy 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
T. 1
T.H. 1
Theodore 1

FAQ

Murrin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Murrin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 178 people were recorded with the Murrin surname. That placed it at #13,840 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Murrin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 334 in 2016. That gives Murrin a modern rank of #13,640.

What does the Murrin surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Irish word "muirne" meaning "affection" or "love".

What does the Murrin map show?

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