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

Margolin, 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 Margolin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Margolin in America

Margolin is the 20382nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Margolin surname appeared 1,304 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Margolin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Margolin 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 Margolin

The surname Margolin has its origins in Eastern Europe, particularly in Russia and Ukraine, where it emerged in the late 18th to early 19th century. It is derived from the Russian word "margolit," which means "pearl" or "small pearl." The name likely originated as a nickname for someone with a particular physical characteristic, such as bright eyes or a fair complexion, resembling the appearance of a pearl.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Margolin can be found in the Census of Kherson Governorate of the Russian Empire, dated 1795, where a merchant named Yakov Margolin is mentioned. Another early reference is in the records of the Jewish community in Berdichev, Ukraine, from the early 19th century, where several families with the surname Margolin are listed.

In the 19th century, the Margolin surname was associated with several notable figures. Abram Yakovlevich Margolin (1815-1884) was a prominent Russian writer, translator, and educator, known for his translations of works by Shakespeare and Molière. His son, Yakov Abramovich Margolin (1854-1920), was a renowned Russian lawyer and legal scholar.

Another notable individual with the surname Margolin was Yuliy Margolin (1900-1971), a Soviet writer and literary critic. He was born in Kherson, Ukraine, and became known for his works on Russian literature and literary criticism.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Margolin surname spread across Eastern Europe and beyond, as individuals emigrated to other parts of the world. One prominent figure was Abram Margolin (1899-1970), a Russian-born American lawyer and civil rights activist who played a significant role in the defense of the Scottsboro Boys, a group of African American youths falsely accused of a crime in Alabama in the 1930s.

In more recent times, the Margolin surname has been associated with individuals in various fields, such as Julius Margolin (1900-1994), a Russian-born American physicist and educator, and David Margolin (born 1946), an American actor and director.

Overall, the surname Margolin has a rich history rooted in Eastern Europe, with its origins dating back to the late 18th century. While the name initially emerged as a nickname, it has since become a widely recognized surname, carried by individuals who have made significant contributions across various disciplines.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Margolin

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

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 Margolin 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 Margolin 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 Margolin was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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