NameCensus.

UK surname

Paulin

A French surname derived from the Latin name Paulus, meaning "small" or "humble."

In the 1881 census there were 278 people recorded with the Paulin surname, ranking it #10,259 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 264, ranked #16,172, down from #10,259 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ladykirk, Edinburgh and Ayton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Black Isle North, Doon Valley South and Rother.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Paulin is 330 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 5.0%.

1881 census count

278

Ranked #10,259

Modern count

264

2016, ranked #16,172

Peak year

1901

330 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Paulin had 278 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,259 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 264 in 2016, ranked #16,172.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 330 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Paulin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Paulin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Paulin 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 264 #8,419
1861 historical 270 #9,216
1881 historical 278 #10,259
1891 historical 314 #10,694
1901 historical 330 #10,899
1911 historical 253 #12,776
1997 modern 266 #14,658
1998 modern 269 #14,941
1999 modern 270 #14,992
2000 modern 272 #14,868
2001 modern 261 #15,066
2002 modern 270 #15,010
2003 modern 266 #14,987
2004 modern 264 #15,156
2005 modern 252 #15,551
2006 modern 261 #15,289
2007 modern 262 #15,399
2008 modern 259 #15,688
2009 modern 265 #15,756
2010 modern 286 #15,231
2011 modern 271 #15,708
2012 modern 274 #15,498
2013 modern 275 #15,719
2014 modern 271 #15,986
2015 modern 264 #16,186
2016 modern 264 #16,172

Geography

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Where Paulins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ladykirk, Edinburgh, Ayton, Bucklebury and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Black Isle North, Doon Valley South, Rother, Castlehill and Kincaidston and Chirnside and Area. 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 Ladykirk Berwick
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Ayton Berwick
4 Bucklebury Berkshire
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Black Isle North Highland
2 Doon Valley South East Ayrshire
3 Rother 007 Rother
4 Castlehill and Kincaidston South Ayrshire
5 Chirnside and Area Scottish Borders

Forenames

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First names often paired with Paulin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Paulin

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Paulin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Paulin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Paulin is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Paulin 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

Paulin falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Paulin

The surname Paulin originated in France during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Latin name Paulinus, which itself comes from the Roman family name Paulus, meaning "small" or "humble". The earliest known spelling variations of the name include Paulyn, Paulyne, and Paulyn de Rohan.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the Paulin surname was Paulin de Nole, a 5th-century Christian poet and bishop of Nola in Italy. In England, the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Paulinus, the name of a landholder in Somerset.

During the Middle Ages, the Paulin name was particularly prominent in the region of Brittany, France. Paulin de Rohan (1415-1491) was a notable member of the powerful Rohan family and served as the Bishop of Léon in Brittany.

In the 16th century, Jean Paulin (1510-1591) was a French Protestant clergyman and writer who played a role in the French Wars of Religion. Another famous bearer of the name was Isaac Paulin (1630-1696), a French lawyer and writer who authored several legal treatises.

In the 18th century, Pierre Paulin (1719-1799) was a French architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings in Paris, including the Petit Trianon at Versailles.

Moving into the 19th century, Pierre-Joseph Paulin (1825-1891) was a French politician who served as a deputy in the National Assembly and was involved in the development of the French railway system.

Throughout its history, the Paulin surname has also been associated with various place names in France, such as Paulin in the Ardennes region and Pauliny in the Côte-d'Or region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Paulin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Paulin 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 45 Paulins recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.61x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 45 1.61x
Northumberland 45 10.84x
Berwickshire 31 91.77x
Midlothian 24 6.42x
Essex 18 3.27x
Lancashire 15 0.45x
Worcestershire 14 3.84x
Berkshire 13 6.21x
Buckinghamshire 12 7.12x
Oxfordshire 11 6.39x
Ross-shire 8 10.44x
Surrey 8 0.59x
Durham 6 0.72x
Isle of Man 6 11.58x
Ayrshire 5 2.40x
Lanarkshire 5 0.55x
Hampshire 4 0.70x
Angus 3 1.16x
Hertfordshire 3 1.56x
Perthshire 2 1.60x
Royal Navy 2 6.02x
Sussex 2 0.43x
Yorkshire 2 0.07x
Fife 1 0.61x
Monmouthshire 1 0.50x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 18 Paulins recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.97x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 18 11.97x
Kensington London 18 11.61x
Ladykirk 15 3571.43x
Yardley 14 150.21x
Byker 12 58.48x
West Ham 12 9.87x
Berwick Upon Tweed 10 113.77x
Toxteth Park 10 8.92x
Bow London 9 25.35x
Bedlington 8 57.72x
Rosskeen 8 221.61x
Ayton 7 357.14x
Turville 7 1750.00x
German 6 212.01x
West Thurrock 6 327.87x
Harpsden 5 2173.91x
Irvine 5 86.21x
Morpeth 5 102.46x
Westoe 5 10.63x
Westruther 5 781.25x
Elswick 4 12.07x
St Bartholomew Hyde 4 291.97x
Swinton 4 434.78x
Bradfield 3 270.27x
Broxbourne 3 78.74x
Carshalton 3 57.69x
Edinburgh St Stephens 3 40.76x
Edmonton 3 13.35x
Gorbals 3 55.97x
Henley On Thames 3 84.99x
Liverpool 3 1.49x
Newbury 3 44.71x
North Leith 3 17.35x
Thatcham 3 92.88x
Westgate 3 11.67x
Arbroath 2 23.36x
Bermondsey 2 2.41x
Bromley London 2 3.26x
Eastbourne 2 9.24x
Enfield 2 10.93x
Fawley 2 689.66x
Lambeth 2 0.82x
Moss Side 2 11.48x
Muckhart 2 344.83x
Newcastle On Tyne St 2 9.30x
St Marylebone London 2 1.34x
Barony 1 0.44x
Beaconsfield 1 64.10x
Bensington 1 90.91x
Chelsea London 1 1.19x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.52x
Ealing 1 4.01x
Easthampstead 1 89.29x
Fulham London 1 2.47x
Govan 1 0.45x
Hackney London 1 0.64x
Halifax 1 2.46x
Hambleden 1 69.44x
Hammersmith London 1 1.46x
Hartlepool 1 8.48x
Huntwick Cum Nostell 1 181.82x
Mapledurham 1 250.00x
Markinch 1 17.83x
Mile End Old Town 1 2.27x
Montrose 1 6.39x
Newport 1 10.40x
Pangbourn 1 140.85x
Rotherfield Greys 1 54.95x
Shaw Cum Donnington 1 149.25x
Southwark St Olave 1 46.95x
St Martin In Fields 1 5.99x
Wargrave 1 55.56x
West Lilburn 1 476.19x
Westminster St 1 9.73x
Wycombe 1 7.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Elizabeth 6
Jane 6
Margaret 6
Alice 5
Sarah 5
Ann 4
Annie 4
Isabella 4
Emily 3
Jemima 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Caroline 2
Elspit 2
Fanny 2
Hannah 2
Julia 2
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Bessy 1
Catherine 1
Celia 1
Clara 1
Dorcas 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Georgine 1
Grace 1
Hay 1
Helen 1
Hetty 1
Isabel 1
Lillian 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Mabel 1
Maggy 1
Margt.N. 1
Maria 1
May 1
Nellie 1
Phebe 1
Polly 1
Samuel 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 21
George 15
John 13
James 9
Stephen 5
Alfred 4
Charles 4
Thomas 3
Alexander 2
David 2
Fredk. 2
Henry 2
Herbert 2
Robert 2
Albert 1
Alex. 1
Earnest 1
Frederick 1
Joseph 1
Thos.Geo. 1

FAQ

Paulin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Paulin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 278 people were recorded with the Paulin surname. That placed it at #10,259 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Paulin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 264 in 2016. That gives Paulin a modern rank of #16,172.

What does the Paulin surname mean?

A French surname derived from the Latin name Paulus, meaning "small" or "humble."

What does the Paulin map show?

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