2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Douglin
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Dubhghoill" meaning "dark stranger."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Douglin. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Douglin surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Douglin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Douglin, the largest self-reported group is Black at 77.1%. The next largest groups are White (5.9%) and Hispanic (5.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Douglin
The surname Douglin is believed to have originated in Scotland, derived from the Gaelic words "dubh" meaning "dark" and "glin" meaning "valley" or "glen". This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a dark or shaded valley.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 12th century in the Scottish Lowlands. It is thought that the name may have been derived from a specific place name, such as Douglin or Douglinton, although these locations are now obscure or no longer exist.
One of the earliest documented individuals bearing the name was Sir William Douglin, a Scottish knight who fought alongside King Robert the Bruce during the Scottish Wars of Independence in the early 14th century. He was granted lands in Lanarkshire for his loyalty and military service.
In the late 15th century, a branch of the Douglin family settled in the Scottish Highlands, where they became prominent landowners and clan leaders. Sir John Douglin, born in 1472, was a well-known chieftain and warrior who played a significant role in the clan battles of the time.
The name Douglin has also been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One such individual was Sir Robert Douglin, a Scottish philosopher and scholar who lived in the 17th century. He is best known for his works on ethics and moral philosophy.
Another prominent Douglin was James Douglin, a Scottish explorer who accompanied Captain James Cook on his voyages to the Pacific Ocean in the late 18th century. Douglin played a crucial role in documenting and mapping many of the islands and coastal regions they encountered.
In the 19th century, the Douglin family produced several influential figures in the arts and literature. One such individual was Mary Douglin, a celebrated Scottish poet and novelist who wrote extensively about her homeland's rich cultural heritage.
While the surname Douglin has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the rugged landscapes and rich cultural tapestry of Scotland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Douglin
Among Census respondents with the surname Douglin, the largest self-reported group is Black at 77.1%. The next largest groups are White (5.9%) and Hispanic (5.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Douglin bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Douglin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American77.1% · 91
- White5.9% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino5.9% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander5.1% · 6
- Two or more races5.1% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Douglin
Douglin appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+9 bearers (+8.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,941 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.3%) | Up 6,941 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Douglin surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #150,452 | #143,511 | 4.6% |
| Count | 109 | 118 | 8.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Douglin bearers went from 109 to 118 (+8.3% change). The surname moved up 6,941 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #143,511.
FAQ
Douglin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Douglin?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Douglin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Douglin?
Douglin ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 118 people with the surname Douglin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Douglin.
Has Douglin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Douglin went from 109 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 9 (+8.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #150,452 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Douglin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Douglin, the largest self-reported group is Black at 77.1%. The next largest groups are White (5.9%) and Hispanic (5.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Douglin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 77.1% (91 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Douglin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (77.1%), White (5.9%), Hispanic (5.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Douglin (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Douglin mean?
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Dubhghoill" meaning "dark stranger." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Douglin (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Douglin?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.