NameCensus.

UK surname

Timlin

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "the timely or fortunate meadow."

In the 1881 census there were 211 people recorded with the Timlin surname, ranking it #12,407 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 561, ranked #9,145, up from #12,407 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ford, Earsdon and Hartlepool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hartlepool, Wakefield and Shotts.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Timlin is 601 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 165.9%.

1881 census count

211

Ranked #12,407

Modern count

561

2016, ranked #9,145

Peak year

2010

601 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Timlin had 211 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,407 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 561 in 2016, ranked #9,145.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 301 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Timlin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Timlin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Timlin 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 82 #19,317
1861 historical 102 #20,797
1881 historical 211 #12,407
1891 historical 224 #13,760
1901 historical 263 #12,717
1911 historical 301 #11,422
1997 modern 548 #8,679
1998 modern 568 #8,704
1999 modern 589 #8,548
2000 modern 576 #8,641
2001 modern 563 #8,654
2002 modern 572 #8,723
2003 modern 552 #8,814
2004 modern 548 #8,890
2005 modern 546 #8,827
2006 modern 539 #8,954
2007 modern 542 #8,991
2008 modern 552 #8,940
2009 modern 562 #9,013
2010 modern 601 #8,774
2011 modern 585 #8,861
2012 modern 565 #8,993
2013 modern 575 #9,014
2014 modern 578 #9,034
2015 modern 566 #9,096
2016 modern 561 #9,145

Geography

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Where Timlins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ford, Earsdon, Hartlepool, Liverpool and Cockpen. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hartlepool, Wakefield and Shotts. 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 Ford Northumberland
2 Earsdon Northumberland
3 Hartlepool Durham
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Cockpen Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hartlepool 006 Hartlepool
2 Wakefield 037 Wakefield
3 Wakefield 025 Wakefield
4 Hartlepool 001 Hartlepool
5 Shotts North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Timlin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Timlin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Timlin, 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 Timlin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Timlin 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Timlin is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Timlin 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

Timlin 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 Timlin 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Timlin

The surname Timlin finds its origins in Ireland, emerging in the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Irish Gaelic word "timcheall," which translates to "around" or "circuit." The name likely referred to someone who lived near a circular enclosure or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Timlin appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The entry mentions a "Timlin O'Donnell" who was a member of the O'Donnell clan, a prominent family in County Donegal.

The Timlin surname was particularly concentrated in the northern counties of Ireland, such as Antrim, Derry, and Tyrone. However, it also had a presence in other parts of the country, including County Cork.

In the 17th century, a notable figure named Thomas Timlin (1633-1704) was a Protestant minister and author who served as the Dean of Ardagh in County Longford. His works included religious treatises and sermons.

During the 18th century, the name Timlin appeared in various records, including parish registers and land deeds. One example is John Timlin (1725-1795), a landowner from County Tyrone, whose estate was mentioned in the Griffith's Valuation, a 19th-century survey of property values in Ireland.

In the 19th century, the Timlin surname gained recognition through the achievements of individuals like William Timlin (1810-1886), a successful businessman and philanthropist from County Antrim. He made substantial donations to educational institutions and charitable organizations.

Another notable figure was Patrick Timlin (1842-1921), a Irish-American Catholic priest who served as the Bishop of Scranton, Pennsylvania. He played a significant role in the growth of the Catholic Church in northeastern Pennsylvania.

As the Irish diaspora spread worldwide, the Timlin surname traveled to various countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. However, its roots can be traced back to the ancient Gaelic traditions of Ireland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Timlin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Timlin 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 63 Timlins recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.58x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 63 2.58x
Yorkshire 57 2.79x
Northumberland 38 12.41x
Durham 20 3.27x
Midlothian 17 6.17x
Renfrewshire 6 3.76x
Staffordshire 6 0.86x
Hampshire 2 0.47x
Dunbartonshire 1 1.81x
Lanarkshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Haslingden in Lancashire leads with 22 Timlins recorded in 1881 and an index of 217.61x.

Place Total Index
Haslingden 22 217.61x
Cockpen 17 527.95x
Hartlepool 12 137.93x
Leeds 12 10.42x
Liverpool 12 8.09x
Clifford Cum Boston 10 546.45x
Ford 10 892.86x
Pontefract 10 227.79x
Backworth 9 1111.11x
Bradford 7 14.18x
Lancaster 7 48.18x
Wallsend 7 72.09x
Cathcart 6 69.52x
Hulme 6 11.77x
Wolverhampton 6 11.23x
Ancroft 5 462.96x
Bamburgh 5 2083.33x
Upholland 5 159.74x
Darlington 4 16.92x
Hunslet 4 12.58x
Rastrick 4 70.67x
Sheffield 4 6.16x
Hart 3 201.34x
Preston 3 4.59x
Spotland 3 11.05x
West Derby 3 4.20x
Dewsbury 2 9.56x
Doncaster 2 13.42x
Aldershot 1 7.08x
Byker 1 6.61x
Castleton 1 4.10x
East Kilbride 1 35.09x
Gate Fulford 1 21.01x
Great Crosby 1 15.02x
Hound 1 34.97x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 5.47x
Row 1 13.99x
Tadcaster West 1 62.11x
Westoe 1 2.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Catherine 12
Ellen 11
Bridget 10
Ann 8
Margaret 7
Elizabeth 6
Annie 3
Cathrine 3
Jane 3
Charlotte 2
Agnes 1
Anne 1
Barbara 1
Christiana 1
Dorothy 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Kate 1
Margret 1
Polly 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 13
John 12
Thomas 10
Patrick 8
Edward 6
William 6
Anthony 3
Joseph 3
Peter 3
Dominick 2
Michael 2
Stephen 2
Bartholomew 1
Bryan 1
Charles 1
David 1
Denis 1
Dennis 1
Dominac 1
Dominic 1
Edmund 1
Francis 1
Hugh 1
Jas. 1
Martin 1
Mary 1
Richard 1
Steven 1
Tho. 1
Welden 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Timlin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Timlin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 211 people were recorded with the Timlin surname. That placed it at #12,407 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Timlin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 561 in 2016. That gives Timlin a modern rank of #9,145.

What does the Timlin surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "the timely or fortunate meadow."

What does the Timlin map show?

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