PALIN
Palin is a surname that is traced to the British Isles and is considered to have English roots. Its earliest attestations appear in medieval English documents and it is normally written in several recognised variations such as Pallan, Pallins, Palin, Pallin, Paling and Pelling.
The name links to a range of linguistic sources. In Old English the word pāl meant “stake” or “pole”; a bearer of the surname may originally have been someone who lived near a boundary marker or a standing post. A second derivation arises from Middle English palin, meaning a fence or paling, suggesting an association with the construction of enclosures or the occupation of a fence maker. When the surname is analysed from a Scandinavian perspective, it is seen as a variant of the Old Norse word pala, which denotes a hat or helmet covering, indicating that an early bearer might have specialised in the making of headgear or armour. A further explanation, found in Welsh sources, posits that the name evolved from the patronymic prefix ap (meaning “son of”) joined to the personal name Heilyn, a byname that translates literally to “wine bearer” and therefore points to a wine merchant.
Historical records confirm the diversity of spellings and the spread of the surname throughout England and Wales. Parish registers from the early sixteenth to the early nineteenth century record marriages and christenings that include the names Thomas Palin, Anne Pallin and Agness Pallan. In 1551 a marriage at St. Andrew’s in Enfield involved a woman named Joan Palyne; this early instance demonstrates the fluidity of orthography in the period and the emergence of the modern spelling Palin.
In contemporary times the surname is most commonly found in England, being most frequent in the counties of Buckinghamshire, Derbyshire, Oxfordshire, Yorkshire and Lancashire, and it also occurs in Northern Ireland and Scotland where it is occasionally rendered Pailin. The name is widespread beyond the United Kingdom, with significant populations in North America, Australia, Sweden, Finland and several European nations. Notable figureheads bearing the name include the American politician Sarah Palin and the British comedian and writer Michael Palin; their high profiles have contributed to the name’s modern recognisability.
Typical given names associated with the Palin surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Matthew
- Michael
- Richard
- Robert
Female
- Carol
- Dorothy
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Julie
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Sarah
- Susan
- Victoria
Similar and related surnames
- Pali
- Palic
- Pailin
- Paillin
- Pailing
- Palian
- Plain
- Aplin
- Palia
- Paline
- Palino
- Pahlan
- Pahlani
- Pahlen
- Pailen
- Palan
- Palana
- Palani
- Palano
- Palen
- Palena
- Palij
- Palik
- Palim
- Palince
- Paliner
- Paling
- Palings
- Palins
- Palis
- Palit
- Pallan
- Pallana
- Pallen
- Palli
- Pallie
- Pallin
- Palline
- Palling
- Pallini
- Pallino
- Pallis
- Pallon
- Pallone
- Pallynn
- Palne
- Palon
- Palone
- Paloni
- Palyi
- Paolini
- Paolino
- Paolone
- Paoloni
- Paulen
- Paulin
- Paulina
- Pauline
- Paulini
- Paulino
- Paullin
- Paulon
- Paulyn
- Pawlin
- Pawlina
- Pawlyn
- Paylin
- Payling
- Paylon
- Pealin
- Pealing
- Pealling
- Peelen
- Pelan
- Pelen
- Pelin
- Peline
- Pelini
- Pelino
- Pellan
- Pellen
- Pellin
- Pellini
- Pellino
- Pellon
- Pelloni
- Pilani
- Pillan
- Pillean
- Pillen
- Pillin
- Pillion
- Pillon
- Pilloni
- Pilna
- Pilon
- Plahn
- Plaine
- Plan
- Plana
- Plane
- Plano
- Playne
- Plehn
- Plein
- Plen
- Plena
- Pleon
- Pline
- Plinn
- Pllana
- Ploen
- Plona
- Plyn
- Plynn
- Pohlen
- Polain
- Polaine
- Polan
- Polane
- Polani
- Polen
- Poleon
- Polin
- Polina
- Polini
- Polino
- Pollan
- Pollano
- Pollen
- Pollin
- Pollina
- Pollini
- Pollino
- Pollon
- Polloni
- Pollyn
- Polon
- Poloni
- Polonia
- Polonio
- Poolan
- Poolen
- Poulain
- Poulin
- Poullain
- Poullin
- Powlan
- Pulen
- Pulin
- Pulina
- Pullain
- Pullan
- Pullano
- Pullein
- Pulleine
- Pullen
- Pulleyn
- Pulleyne
- Pullien
- Pulliene
- Pullin
- Pullon
- Pullyn
- Pulon
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Palin in...
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Morse
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Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Palin are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Custard Cream.
There are approximately 2,628 people named Palin in the UK. That makes it roughly the 3,386th most common surname in Britain. Around 40 in a million people in Britain are named Palin.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Palin
- Michael Palin - Comedian, actor, writer and television presenter
- Sarah Palin - 9th Governor of Alaska
- Bristol Palin - Daughter of Sarah Palin
- John Palin - Sports shooter
- Philip Palin - Officer of British Indian army (1864 to 1)
- Leigh Palin - Football player
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.