AUSTIN
Austin is a surname of English origin whose etymology can be traced to the Latin personal name Augustinus, meaning “venerable” or “great”. In medieval England the name appeared in the vernacular form Austin or Augustin, derived from the Christian name of St Augustine of Hippo, the eminent fourth‑ and fifth‑century theologian and philosopher.
The earliest documentary evidence of the surname occurs in the thirteenth century. The County Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire record a Henry Austin in 1275, during the reign of King Edward I. The name was subsequently linked with the religious order known as the “Austin Canons”, founded in the twelfth century amid a period of Christian revival and the Crusades. Because the order was celibate, the appellation “Austin” was originally habitational, referring to those who worked on the properties owned by the canons. As the order’s influence expanded, the name became a baptismal surname in its own right.
The heraldic tradition of the family is documented in a coat of arms granted to the Austins of Surrey in 1611, described as a silver field bearing three black chevrons, the centre chevron charged with three gold crosses.
In the early seventeenth century the surname was carried to the New World. Edward Austin, aged twenty‑six, sailed on the vessel *Speedwell* from London in May 1625. By contrast, Thomas Austin of Somerset suffered a much harsher fate; on 12 October 1685 he was sentenced by Judge Jeffreys to transportation to Barbados or any other of the king’s plantations for his involvement in the Monmouth rebellion.
Today the surname Austin is widely distributed throughout English‑speaking countries, retaining its roots in the British Isles and reflecting a complex history that intertwines linguistic development, religious tradition, and the social dynamics of medieval and early modern England.
Typical given names associated with the Austin surname
Male
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Claire
- Deborah
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Jane
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Austing
- Austen
- Astin
- Aust
- Aston
- Astins
- Austain
- Augstine
- Ausitn
- Austine
- Aceituno
- Ahston
- Aisten
- Aiston
- Aoustin
- Asden
- Asdown
- Assadian
- Astan
- Astaniou
- Asten
- Astone
- Ausden
- Ausin
- Austan
- Austein
- Austian
- Austic
- Austice
- Austick
- Austie
- Austins
- Austion
- Austis
- Austiss
- Austn
- Auston
- Austoni
- Austrin
- Austy
- Austyn
- Autin
- Ayston
- Azaden
- Azadian
- Azzedine
- Austten
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Austin in...
Braille
⠁⠥⠎⠞⠊⠝
Morse
.-..-...-..-.
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Austin are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Jaffa Cake.
There are approximately 32,956 people named Austin in the UK. That makes it the 237th most common surname in Britain. Around 506 in a million people in Britain are named Austin.
Surname type: From given name or forename
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Austin
- Charlie Austin - Football player
- J. L. Austin - Philosopher (1911 to 1960)
- Stone Cold Steve Austin - American professional wrestler and actor
- Ian Austin - Politician
- Mark Austin - Journalist
- John Austin - Legal philosopher (1790 to 1859)
- Sophie Austin - Actress
- David C. H. Austin - Gardener (1926 to 2018)
- William Austin - Character actor (1884 to 1975)
- David Austin - Singer
- Dean Austin - Football player
- Greg Austin -
- Herbert Austin, 1st Baron Austin - Politician (1866 to 1941)
- Bunny Austin - Tennis player (1906 to 2000)
- Rob Austin - Racing driver
- Ray Austin - Television and film director, stunt person and actor
- Albert Austin - Actor (1881 to 1953)
- Frederic Austin - Opera singer, teacher and composer (1872 to 1952)
- Alfred Austin - Writer and poet (1835 to 1913)
- John Austin - Politician
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.