Find out how popular the last name Flavin is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Flavin.

Flavin, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Flavin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Flavin in America

Flavin is the 14468th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Flavin surname appeared 2,064 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Flavin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Flavin to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Flavin

The surname Flavin has its origins in Ireland, tracing back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "flann," meaning "red" or "reddish." This suggests that the name was initially bestowed upon an individual with reddish hair or a ruddy complexion.

The Flavin name is predominantly found in County Galway, where it is believed to have originated. Records from the 13th century mention the Flavin family as landowners in the baronies of Longford and Leitrim.

One of the earliest documented references to the Flavin surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. In these annals, the name appears as "O'Flannagain," an early variant spelling.

During the 16th century, the Flavin family played a notable role in the Gaelic resistance against English rule in Connacht. Edmond Flavin (c. 1550-1618) was a prominent member of the clan and served as a captain in the Irish Confederate Wars.

Another notable figure was Father John Flavin (1628-1698), a Catholic priest and historian who wrote a detailed account of the Irish Rebellion of 1641. His work, titled "The Memoirs of the Life and Actions of Michael O'Flaverty," provides valuable insights into the events of that era.

In the 18th century, the name Flavin was associated with the town of Ballinasloe in County Galway. The Flavin family owned lands in the area, and a townland was named "Flavinstown" after them.

One of the most famous individuals with the Flavin surname was Martin Flavin (1845-1922), an Irish author and journalist. He was born in County Mayo and wrote extensively on Irish history and culture, including a book titled "The Annals of Connacht."

Another notable figure was John Flavin (1892-1975), an Irish politician and member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). He participated in the Irish War of Independence and later served as a member of the Irish Parliament (Dáil Éireann).

While the Flavin name has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Irish immigration. Individuals with the Flavin surname can now be found in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Flavin

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Flavin.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Flavin was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Flavin has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Flavin was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Flavin, please contact us.

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