NameCensus.

UK surname

Palin

A Greek surname referring to a return, recurrence, or repetition.

In the 1881 census there were 1,304 people recorded with the Palin surname, ranking it #3,139 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,853, ranked #3,426, down from #3,139 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolstanton, Sandbach and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Palin is 1,968 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.1%.

1881 census count

1,304

Ranked #3,139

Modern count

1,853

2016, ranked #3,426

Peak year

2010

1,968 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Palin had 1,304 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,139 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,853 in 2016, ranked #3,426.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,709 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Palin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Palin surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Palin 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 711 #3,671
1861 historical 650 #4,130
1881 historical 1,304 #3,139
1891 historical 1,252 #3,449
1901 historical 1,566 #3,289
1911 historical 1,709 #2,872
1997 modern 1,760 #3,396
1998 modern 1,845 #3,382
1999 modern 1,900 #3,318
2000 modern 1,880 #3,333
2001 modern 1,868 #3,290
2002 modern 1,917 #3,286
2003 modern 1,855 #3,307
2004 modern 1,830 #3,347
2005 modern 1,826 #3,322
2006 modern 1,836 #3,318
2007 modern 1,867 #3,302
2008 modern 1,882 #3,301
2009 modern 1,914 #3,323
2010 modern 1,968 #3,316
2011 modern 1,926 #3,339
2012 modern 1,873 #3,367
2013 modern 1,897 #3,386
2014 modern 1,900 #3,395
2015 modern 1,863 #3,425
2016 modern 1,853 #3,426

Geography

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Where Palins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolstanton, Sandbach, Manchester, Great Budworth (Witton with Twambrook), Davenham (Leftwich) and Middlewich. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire East. 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 Wolstanton Staffordshire
2 Sandbach Cheshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Great Budworth (Witton with Twambrook), Davenham (Leftwich) Cheshire
5 Middlewich Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 037 Cheshire East
2 Cheshire East 036 Cheshire East
3 Cheshire East 035 Cheshire East
4 Cheshire East 039 Cheshire East
5 Cheshire East 041 Cheshire East

Forenames

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First names often paired with Palin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Palin

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

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Palin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Palin 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Palin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Palin is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Palin

The surname Palin is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval era. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "pæling," which referred to a fence or palisade made of wooden stakes driven into the ground. This word later evolved into "paleing" or "paling," giving rise to the surname.

Historically, surnames derived from occupations were common, and Palin likely referred to someone who built or maintained palisades or fences. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries, such as the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire (1273) and the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire (1327).

One notable early bearer of the surname was John Palin, a prominent landowner in Oxfordshire, England, who was mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334. Another early record is of Richard Palin, listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire in 1380.

Over the centuries, the surname has undergone various spellings, including Palen, Pallyn, and Paulin, reflecting regional variations and the evolution of the English language.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in historical records associated with the village of Palin in Shropshire, suggesting a connection between the surname and this place name.

One of the most famous bearers of the Palin surname was William Palin, a renowned English architect and stonemason born in 1717. He was responsible for the design and construction of several notable buildings, including the Radcliffe Observatory in Oxford.

Another notable figure was Sir Joseph Palin, a British politician and Member of Parliament for Bury St. Edmunds from 1807 to 1830. He played a significant role in the debates surrounding the Reform Act of 1832.

In the literary world, Henry Palin (1825-1895) was a respected English poet and writer, known for his collections of poems and works of fiction.

The Palin surname has also been associated with the family of Michael Palin, the renowned British actor, writer, and member of the iconic Monty Python comedy troupe, born in 1943.

Throughout history, the Palin surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, from landowners and architects to politicians and artists, contributing to the rich tapestry of English heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Palin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Palin 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. Cheshire leads with 545 Palins recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.71x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 545 19.71x
Lancashire 167 1.12x
Staffordshire 148 3.50x
Shropshire 120 11.09x
Nottinghamshire 78 4.62x
Middlesex 35 0.28x
Durham 33 0.89x
Kent 26 0.61x
Lincolnshire 23 1.15x
Herefordshire 21 4.09x
Derbyshire 15 0.77x
Yorkshire 13 0.10x
Surrey 10 0.16x
Northumberland 9 0.48x
Gloucestershire 6 0.24x
Essex 5 0.20x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.79x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.50x
Denbighshire 4 0.85x
Hampshire 4 0.16x
Northamptonshire 3 0.25x
Glamorgan 2 0.09x
Ayrshire 1 0.11x
Devon 1 0.04x
Dorset 1 0.12x
Hertfordshire 1 0.12x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Midlothian 1 0.06x
Royal Navy 1 0.67x
Warwickshire 1 0.03x
Westmorland 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Church Coppenhall in Cheshire leads with 104 Palins recorded in 1881 and an index of 841.42x.

Place Total Index
Church Coppenhall 104 841.42x
Monks Coppenhall 42 40.26x
Lilleshall 32 193.47x
Sandbach 27 114.50x
Stoke Upon Trent 27 6.02x
Stoke Upon Tern 24 601.50x
Wolstanton 22 17.13x
Nottingham St Mary 21 4.81x
Warmingham 20 1459.85x
Bishopwearmouth 19 5.94x
Eccleshall 19 118.53x
Burslem 17 14.04x
Widnes 17 15.86x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 17 69.08x
Bromley 16 24.57x
Haslington 16 205.66x
Newton In Northwich 16 190.02x
Shavington Cum Gresty 16 350.11x
Leighton In Nantwich 15 2027.03x
Birkenhead 14 6.35x
Spurstow 14 725.39x
Wellington 14 23.02x
Dorstone 13 677.08x
Bradford 11 15.81x
Kirklington 11 1170.21x
Minshull Vernon 11 780.14x
Shifnal 11 37.44x
Hucknall Torkard 10 23.36x
Hulme 10 3.22x
Parr 10 18.81x
Ashley 9 545.45x
Kinderton Cum Hulme 9 387.93x
Runcorn 9 14.12x
Wheelock 9 263.93x
Willesden 9 7.62x
Wolstanton Chesterton 9 41.65x
Droylsden 8 16.50x
Everton 8 1.69x
Failsworth 8 23.53x
Frodsham 8 74.70x
Hornsey 8 5.05x
Nantwich 8 24.90x
Navenby 8 194.65x
Over 8 28.47x
Welbourn 8 336.13x
Wirksworth 8 44.87x
Anderton 7 476.19x
Betchton 7 197.18x
Bollin Fee 7 57.10x
Castle Northwich 7 76.50x
Linton In Newent 7 176.32x
Norton Canes 7 45.43x
Toxteth Park 7 1.39x
Trentham 7 19.47x
Westoe 7 3.31x
Barnton 6 90.91x
Brightside Bierlow 6 2.46x
Bulwell 6 16.35x
Clifton 6 4.83x
Colwich 6 59.70x
Hartford 6 95.85x
Kirkdale 6 2.40x
Knutsford Nether 6 35.91x
Newark Upon Trent 6 9.89x
Seghill 6 65.65x
St Marylebone London 6 0.90x
Warrington 6 3.41x
Wavertree 6 12.61x
Wharton 6 39.84x
Wolverhampton 6 1.85x
Wybunbury 6 235.29x
Basford 5 6.43x
Beswick 5 13.15x
Bletchingley 5 62.81x
Chorley In Macclesfield 5 59.38x
Marston 5 175.44x
Norbury 5 549.45x
North Meols 5 3.44x
Paddington London 5 1.09x
Rostherne 5 304.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 92
Elizabeth 63
Sarah 57
Ann 44
Jane 27
Martha 25
Annie 22
Eliza 20
Emma 20
Hannah 20
Margaret 19
Ellen 17
Alice 16
Emily 16
Louisa 11
Fanny 10
Betsy 9
Clara 9
Harriet 9
Catherine 8
Edith 8
Agnes 7
Caroline 7
Harriett 6
Julia 6
Kate 6
Ada 5
Florence 5
Lucy 5
Amelia 4
Amy 4
Ethel 4
Helen 4
Anne 3
Gertrude 3
Margret 3
Rebecca 3
Rose 3
Brita 2
Charlotte 2
E. 2
Eleanor 2
Elizth. 2
Esther 2
Infant 2
Jemima 2
Jessie 2
Lizzie 2
Mabel 2
Marion 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 85
William 79
Thomas 52
George 43
James 32
Joseph 31
Samuel 29
Charles 18
Henry 18
Alfred 13
Arthur 12
Robert 12
Richard 11
Frank 10
Herbert 10
Frederick 9
Albert 7
David 7
Thos. 6
Wm. 6
Harry 5
Benjamin 4
Ernest 4
Walter 4
Willm. 4
Edwin 3
Francis 3
Stephen 3
Aaron 2
Andrew 2
Edward 2
Gilbert 2
Henery 2
Infant 2
Owen 2
Ralph 2
Reuben 2
Richd. 2
Timothy 2
W.H. 2
Allen 1
Benjm. 1
Bernard 1
Caleb 1
Fred 1
Geo. 1
Geroge 1
Margret 1
Moses 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Palin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Palin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,304 people were recorded with the Palin surname. That placed it at #3,139 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Palin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,853 in 2016. That gives Palin a modern rank of #3,426.

What does the Palin surname mean?

A Greek surname referring to a return, recurrence, or repetition.

What does the Palin map show?

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