Fallin
Derived from the Old English word "feallan," meaning "to fall," likely referring to someone who lived near a waterfall.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,502 Americans carry the last name Fallin. That puts it at #14,064 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.73 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 136,992 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fallin surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
2.5K
1 in 136,992
Census rank
#14,064
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,140 bearers of the surname Fallin in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.73 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14064th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fallin, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.8%. The next largest groups are Black (9.4%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fallin
The surname Fallin is believed to have originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is likely derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "falamh," which means empty or vacant. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in an uninhabited or desolate area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fallin can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of homage rolls that recorded the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. In these rolls, the name appears as "Fallyn."
In the 14th century, the name Fallin was associated with the area of Fallin, which is a village located near Stirling in central Scotland. It is possible that the name originated from this place name or that the place name was derived from the surname.
During the 16th century, the name Fallin appeared in various Scottish records, including the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland. One notable individual with this surname was John Fallin, who was born in Aberdeen in 1568 and served as a merchant and burgess of the city.
In the 17th century, the spelling of the name evolved to its modern form, "Fallin." One notable bearer of this surname was Robert Fallin, a Scottish soldier who fought in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms during the 1640s.
In the 18th century, the Fallin surname spread beyond Scotland as Scottish emigrants settled in other parts of Britain and the British colonies. One notable individual from this period was William Fallin, who was born in Edinburgh in 1723 and later became a successful merchant and landowner in Virginia.
In the 19th century, the Fallin surname continued to be found in various parts of the United Kingdom and its colonies. One notable individual was John Fallin, an Irish-born engineer who played a significant role in the construction of railways in Australia. He was born in 1818 and died in 1888.
Another notable bearer of the Fallin surname was James Fallin, a Scottish-born artist who specialized in landscape paintings. He was born in Glasgow in 1839 and spent much of his career working in England, where he gained recognition for his depictions of the English countryside.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fallin
Among Census respondents with the surname Fallin, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.8%. The next largest groups are Black (9.4%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Fallin bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Fallin surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.8%
- Black or African American9.4%
- Two or more races2.5%
- Hispanic or Latino2.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.2%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Fallin surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,064 | #14,064 | 0.0% |
| Count | 2,140 | 2,140 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.73 | 0.73 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Fallin bearers went from 2,140 to 2,140 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #14,064 to #14,064.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Fallin
FAQ
Fallin surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Fallin?
The surname Fallin holds position #14,064 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 2,502 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.73 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Fallin surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fallin, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.8%. The next largest groups are Black (9.4%) and Two or More Races (2.5%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.