NameCensus.

UK surname

Skillin

A variant spelling of the occupational surname Skillin(g), meaning a skillful person.

In the 1881 census there were 44 people recorded with the Skillin surname, ranking it #27,447 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 126, ranked #26,686, up from #27,447 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Orbiston, Bellshill South and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Skillin is 144 in 2008. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 186.4%.

1881 census count

44

Ranked #27,447

Modern count

126

2016, ranked #26,686

Peak year

2008

144 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Skillin had 44 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,447 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 126 in 2016, ranked #26,686.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 80 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Skillin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Skillin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Skillin 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 20 #29,743
1861 historical 37 #29,339
1881 historical 44 #27,447
1891 historical 65 #28,660
1901 historical 80 #25,251
1911 historical 65 #26,343
1997 modern 123 #23,792
1998 modern 125 #24,198
1999 modern 133 #23,487
2000 modern 134 #23,358
2001 modern 129 #23,557
2002 modern 129 #24,021
2003 modern 131 #23,553
2004 modern 132 #23,625
2005 modern 142 #22,577
2006 modern 143 #22,619
2007 modern 142 #23,025
2008 modern 144 #23,037
2009 modern 141 #23,907
2010 modern 137 #24,907
2011 modern 134 #25,050
2012 modern 129 #25,705
2013 modern 128 #26,336
2014 modern 131 #26,089
2015 modern 130 #26,093
2016 modern 126 #26,686

Geography

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Where Skillins 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 Orbiston, Bellshill South, Liverpool and Rossendale. 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 Orbiston North Lanarkshire
2 Bellshill South North Lanarkshire
3 Liverpool 059 Liverpool
4 Rossendale 007 Rossendale
5 Liverpool 058 Liverpool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Skillin

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Skillin

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Skillin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Skillin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Skillin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

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

Skillin is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Skillin 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 Skillin 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Skillin

The surname Skillin is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. The name is believed to have derived from the old English word "scylling," which referred to a shilling or a small coin. It is likely that the name was originally an occupational surname given to a minter, money changer, or someone involved in coining or handling money.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a person named Roger Skyling is mentioned. This suggests that variations of the name were already in use by the late 12th century. Other early spellings include Skilling, Skillyng, and Skyllynge.

In the 13th century, records show a Robert Skilling residing in Oxfordshire, while a John Skillyng was documented in Huntingdonshire in 1273. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also mention a Richard Skyling in Oxfordshire, indicating the widespread use of the name across various counties during that time.

The surname Skillin has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded was William Skillin, born in 1585 in Somerset, England, who later immigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the early 17th century. Another early figure was John Skillin, born in 1620 in Falmouth, Maine, who played a significant role in the settlement and development of that area.

In the 18th century, Samuel Skillin, born in 1724 in Falmouth, Maine, was a prominent merchant and shipbuilder, contributing to the local economy. Later, in the 19th century, Thomas Skillin, born in 1837 in Maine, served as a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War, participating in several major battles.

One of the most notable individuals with the surname Skillin was John Skillin, born in 1838 in Maine, who became a successful businessman and philanthropist. He co-founded the Skillin's Grain and Milling Company and made significant contributions to educational institutions and charities in his home state.

While the surname Skillin has its origins in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and immigration. However, its historical roots and connection to the old English word "scylling" remain an integral part of its etymology and significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Skillin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Skillin 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. Cumberland leads with 16 Skillins recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.11x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 16 38.11x
Ayrshire 8 21.92x
Middlesex 8 1.64x
Isle of Man 6 66.30x
Selkirkshire 5 113.38x
Renfrewshire 4 10.58x
Lancashire 2 0.35x
Lanarkshire 1 0.63x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cleator in Cumberland leads with 7 Skillins recorded in 1881 and an index of 400.00x.

Place Total Index
Cleator 7 400.00x
Kilmaurs 6 967.74x
Maughold 6 857.14x
Selkirk 5 403.23x
Whitehaven 5 223.21x
Eastwood 4 171.67x
St Cuthbert W O Upperby 4 3636.36x
St George Hanover 4 62.89x
St Marylebone London 3 11.53x
Ballantrae 2 833.33x
Govan 1 2.56x
Kirkdale 1 10.28x
St George In East 1 30.12x
Toxteth Park 1 5.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 3
Catherine 2
Elizabeth 2
Susan 2
Elizth. 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Madalane 1
Margaret 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Andrew 2
George 2
James 2
David 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Patrick 1
Richard 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Skillin households.

FAQ

Skillin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Skillin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 44 people were recorded with the Skillin surname. That placed it at #27,447 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Skillin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 126 in 2016. That gives Skillin a modern rank of #26,686.

What does the Skillin surname mean?

A variant spelling of the occupational surname Skillin(g), meaning a skillful person.

What does the Skillin map show?

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