NameCensus.

UK surname

Splaine

A variant spelling of the Irish surname Splain, derived from the Gaelic words "split" meaning "portion" and "abhann" meaning "river."

In the 1881 census there were 19 people recorded with the Splaine surname, ranking it #30,872 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 102, ranked #30,722, up from #30,872 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan, Salford and Rochdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Splaine is 123 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 436.8%.

1881 census count

19

Ranked #30,872

Modern count

102

2016, ranked #30,722

Peak year

1999

123 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Splaine had 19 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,872 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016, ranked #30,722.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 61 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Splaine surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Splaine surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Splaine 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 33 #27,390
1861 historical 35 #29,571
1881 historical 19 #30,872
1891 historical 30 #31,889
1901 historical 49 #28,696
1911 historical 61 #26,724
1997 modern 116 #24,688
1998 modern 112 #25,856
1999 modern 123 #24,643
2000 modern 123 #24,585
2001 modern 120 #24,615
2002 modern 119 #25,231
2003 modern 109 #26,361
2004 modern 111 #26,293
2005 modern 110 #26,430
2006 modern 104 #27,646
2007 modern 110 #27,087
2008 modern 112 #27,061
2009 modern 116 #27,062
2010 modern 110 #28,666
2011 modern 107 #28,979
2012 modern 105 #29,362
2013 modern 105 #29,916
2014 modern 107 #29,827
2015 modern 99 #31,168
2016 modern 102 #30,722

Geography

Back to top

Where Splaines 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 Wigan, Salford and Rochdale. 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 Wigan 017 Wigan
2 Wigan 022 Wigan
3 Salford 012 Salford
4 Salford 009 Salford
5 Rochdale 004 Rochdale

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Splaine

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Splaine

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Splaine 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

Splaine is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Splaine 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 Splaine is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Splaine

The surname Splaine has its origins in Ireland, tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to be an Anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name "O'Splaine," derived from the Irish word "splaingc," meaning a thin or slender person.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Fiants of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth I, where a "Donill O'Splaine" is mentioned in the year 1597. This record suggests that the name was prevalent in parts of Ireland during the late 16th century.

The name Splaine is thought to have originated in County Mayo, located in the western region of Ireland. Some historical records indicate that the Splaine family was part of the Ui Briuin race, a prominent group in ancient Ireland.

In the 17th century, the Splaine name appeared in various Irish records, such as the Petty Census of 1659, where several individuals with the surname were documented in different parts of the country.

Notable individuals with the surname Splaine include Patrick Splaine (1753-1829), an Irish poet and writer known for his works in the Irish language. Another prominent figure was Michael Splaine (1776-1848), an Irish politician and member of the British House of Commons.

In the 18th century, the name Splaine was also found in parts of Scotland, likely due to Irish immigration. One such example is Thomas Splaine (1720-1795), a Scottish merchant and landowner who resided in Leith, near Edinburgh.

As the centuries progressed, the Splaine name spread to other parts of the world, including the United States and Australia. One noteworthy individual was John Splaine (1870-1950), an Australian politician and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.

Another significant figure was Thomas Splaine (1841-1917), an Irish-American Catholic priest who served as the Bishop of Kansas City, Missouri, from 1898 until his death.

While the Splaine surname may have evolved from its Irish Gaelic roots, it has maintained a presence throughout history, with individuals bearing this name making notable contributions in various fields across different parts of the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Splaine families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Splaine 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. Lancashire leads with 8 Splaines recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.64x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 8 3.64x
Middlesex 5 2.70x
Nottinghamshire 4 16.02x
Gloucestershire 1 2.75x
Kent 1 1.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Accrington in Lancashire leads with 4 Splaines recorded in 1881 and an index of 200.00x.

Place Total Index
Accrington 4 200.00x
Clarborough 4 2105.26x
Hampstead London 3 104.17x
Nether Wyresdale 2 5000.00x
Aighton Bailey 1 909.09x
Bristol St Michael 1 322.58x
Charlton 1 238.10x
Kensington London 1 9.71x
Paddington London 1 14.68x
Preston 1 17.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 2
Mary 2
Elizabeth 1
Harriet 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
Cyprian 1
James 1
Justin 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
William 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 Splaine households.

FAQ

Splaine surname: questions and answers

How common was the Splaine surname in 1881?

In 1881, 19 people were recorded with the Splaine surname. That placed it at #30,872 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Splaine surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016. That gives Splaine a modern rank of #30,722.

What does the Splaine surname mean?

A variant spelling of the Irish surname Splain, derived from the Gaelic words "split" meaning "portion" and "abhann" meaning "river."

What does the Splaine map show?

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