NameCensus.

UK surname

Robin

A surname derived from the French personal name Robin, a diminutive of Robert, meaning "bright fame."

In the 1881 census there were 287 people recorded with the Robin surname, ranking it #10,014 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 712, ranked #7,619, up from #10,014 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Logie, London parishes and Alva. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Whitlawburn and Greenlees, Ross and Cromarty South West and Paisley North East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Robin is 712 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 148.1%.

1881 census count

287

Ranked #10,014

Modern count

712

2016, ranked #7,619

Peak year

2016

712 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Robin had 287 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,014 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 712 in 2016, ranked #7,619.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 525 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Robin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Robin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Robin 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 255 #8,652
1861 historical 525 #4,992
1881 historical 287 #10,014
1891 historical 413 #8,638
1901 historical 377 #9,876
1911 historical 292 #11,674
1997 modern 483 #9,549
1998 modern 519 #9,327
1999 modern 538 #9,134
2000 modern 514 #9,424
2001 modern 492 #9,592
2002 modern 527 #9,285
2003 modern 503 #9,446
2004 modern 515 #9,312
2005 modern 518 #9,208
2006 modern 530 #9,074
2007 modern 547 #8,941
2008 modern 563 #8,801
2009 modern 595 #8,649
2010 modern 627 #8,493
2011 modern 614 #8,526
2012 modern 651 #8,066
2013 modern 687 #7,855
2014 modern 697 #7,798
2015 modern 692 #7,798
2016 modern 712 #7,619

Geography

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Where Robins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Logie, London parishes, Alva and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Whitlawburn and Greenlees, Ross and Cromarty South West, Paisley North East, Lancaster and Lochlash. 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 Logie Stirling
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Alva Stirling
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Whitlawburn and Greenlees South Lanarkshire
2 Ross and Cromarty South West Highland
3 Paisley North East Renfrewshire
4 Lancaster 019 Lancaster
5 Lochlash Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Robin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Robin

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Robin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Robin 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Robin 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

Robin 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

Robin falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Robin

The surname Robin is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "robin" meaning a small bird, specifically the European Robin. The name first emerged in Normandy, northern France, during the 12th century.

The name was likely initially a nickname given to someone who resembled the small, reddish-breasted bird in appearance or behavior. It may have also been used as an occupational name for those who caught or sold robins. The surname spread throughout France and eventually to other parts of Europe and beyond.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Robin can be found in the Rolls of the Parliament of Paris from 1313, which mentions a "Jehan Robin." The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also lists a "Robertus dictus Robin" in Oxfordshire, England.

In England, the surname Robin has been present since at least the 13th century. It was often anglicized as "Robyn" or "Robbins." The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296 include a "Thomas Robyn," while the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379 list a "John Robyn."

Some notable historical figures with the surname Robin include:

1. Gilles Robin (c. 1520-1585), a French mathematician and astronomer. 2. Jean Robin (1550-1629), a French botanist and herbalist, best known for his work on the classification of plants. 3. Vespasien Robin (1579-1662), a French lawyer and author of several legal treatises. 4. Claude Robin (1679-1751), a French physician and anatomist, known for his research on the lymphatic system. 5. Jean-Baptiste Robin (1767-1847), a French lawyer and politician who served as a member of the National Convention during the French Revolution.

The name Robin has also been associated with various place names, particularly in France, such as Robin in Normandy, Robion in Provence, and Robinet in Burgundy. These place names may have influenced the spread and evolution of the surname in certain regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Robin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Robin 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. Channel Islands leads with 309 Robins recorded in 1881 and an index of 179.66x.

County Total Index
Channel Islands 309 179.66x
Lanarkshire 64 3.41x
Renfrewshire 39 8.67x
Perthshire 27 10.36x
Middlesex 26 0.45x
Midlothian 16 2.06x
Essex 15 1.31x
Lancashire 13 0.19x
Surrey 12 0.42x
Yorkshire 9 0.16x
Cheshire 7 0.55x
Clackmannanshire 6 12.52x
Dunbartonshire 6 3.85x
Stirlingshire 6 2.80x
Wiltshire 6 1.17x
Hampshire 5 0.42x
Angus 4 0.74x
Gloucestershire 3 0.26x
Devon 2 0.17x
Kent 2 0.10x
Norfolk 2 0.22x
Sussex 2 0.20x
Warwickshire 2 0.14x
Ayrshire 1 0.23x
Cardiganshire 1 0.71x
Cornwall 1 0.15x
Cumberland 1 0.20x
Denbighshire 1 0.46x
Dorset 1 0.26x
Fife 1 0.29x
Glamorgan 1 0.10x
Herefordshire 1 0.42x
Northamptonshire 1 0.18x
Shropshire 1 0.20x
Worcestershire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Peter Port in Channel Islands leads with 114 Robins recorded in 1881 and an index of 358.27x.

Place Total Index
St Peter Port 114 358.27x
St Sampson 75 967.74x
St Michaelinthe Vale 40 651.47x
Barony 36 7.58x
St Saviour 29 304.94x
Paisley High Church 17 47.47x
St Peterinthe Wood 16 686.70x
St Maryde Castro 15 354.61x
Abbey 11 16.03x
Bothwell 11 21.61x
Crieff 11 113.52x
Paisley Middle Church 10 38.18x
Liverpool 9 2.15x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 8 2.56x
Hamilton 8 15.28x
St Martin 8 75.90x
Radwinter 7 416.67x
South Leith 6 6.86x
Stratton St Margaret 6 76.24x
Tillicoultry 6 56.29x
Woodchurch 6 2400.00x
Dunblane 5 80.26x
Enfield 5 13.13x
Logie 5 53.48x
Portsea 5 2.14x
St Helier 5 8.93x
Alva 4 39.18x
East Ham 4 18.81x
Liff Benvie 4 4.90x
Maryhill 4 10.88x
New Kilpatrick 4 26.95x
Newington 4 1.87x
St Anne 4 130.29x
West Clayton 4 139.86x
Camberwell 3 0.81x
Chelsea London 3 1.72x
Kinnoull 3 43.80x
Mile End Old Town 3 3.27x
West Ham 3 1.19x
Doncaster 2 4.76x
Fulham London 2 2.38x
Kensington London 2 0.62x
Lambeth 2 0.40x
Old Monkland 2 2.68x
Row 2 9.91x
Sark 2 173.91x
Sheffield 2 1.09x
Spitalfields London 2 4.58x
St Pancras London 2 0.43x
West Derby 2 0.99x
Atherstone 1 13.37x
Barnstaple 1 5.27x
Birmingham 1 0.21x
Brighton 1 0.51x
Cardiff St John 1 3.03x
Chester St Oswald 1 4.31x
Clapham 1 1.38x
Cliffe 1 22.37x
Eastbourne 1 2.22x
Hackney London 1 0.31x
Hellesdon 1 60.98x
Leyton Low 1 4.29x
Llanfwrog 1 37.17x
Middle Temple London 1 526.32x
Muthill 1 29.41x
N Lydbury 1 51.28x
North Meols 1 1.48x
Northampton St Giles 1 4.81x
Richmond 1 2.52x
Ruislip 1 34.60x
St Devereux 1 250.00x
St Leonards 1 64.94x
St Levan 1 84.03x
Stirling 1 3.71x
Stoke Newington London 1 2.21x
Trinity Gask 1 126.58x
Vainor Lower 1 84.03x
West Dean 1 5.41x
Wymondham 1 10.95x
York St Mary 1 4.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 24
Thomas 17
William 15
Peter 12
Nicholas 8
Henry 7
Arthur 6
Charles 6
Francis 5
George 5
James 5
Walter 5
Daniel 4
Philip 4
Abraham 3
Edward 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
Joseph 3
Samuel 3
Adolphus 2
Albert 2
Andrew 2
Benjamin 2
Edmund 2
Martin 2
Richard 2
Chester 1
Eli 1
Ezekiel 1
Ferdinand 1
Frances 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Fritz 1
Geo. 1
Gustave 1
Hanary 1
Herbert 1
Leonard 1
Loius 1
Nico 1
Nicolas 1
Norman 1
Percival 1
Percy 1
Pryes 1
Ralph 1
Rolin 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Robin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Robin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 287 people were recorded with the Robin surname. That placed it at #10,014 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Robin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 712 in 2016. That gives Robin a modern rank of #7,619.

What does the Robin surname mean?

A surname derived from the French personal name Robin, a diminutive of Robert, meaning "bright fame."

What does the Robin map show?

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