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

Phin, 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 Phin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Phin in America

Phin is the 63873rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Phin surname appeared 312 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 Phin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Phin 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 Phin

The surname PHIN is of Anglo-Saxon origin, tracing its roots back to the early medieval period in England. The name is derived from the Old English word "pynna," which means "pound" or "enclosure." It was likely initially given as a descriptive surname to someone who lived near a pound or animal enclosure.

The earliest recorded instances of the PHIN surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the late 12th century. These ancient tax records mention individuals such as Reginald de la Pynne (1195) and William de la Pynne (1198), indicating the name's presence in the region.

During the 13th century, the surname appears in various forms, including Pynne, Pyn, and Pynne. This variation in spelling was common in the Middle Ages due to the lack of standardized orthography. One notable example is John de la Pynne, who is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297.

In the 14th century, the PHIN surname continued to be recorded in various parts of England. The Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273 mention a Robert de la Pynne, while the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire from 1317 record a William de la Pynne.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the PHIN surname. One of the earliest was Sir John Phin (c. 1380-1462), a prominent English landowner and member of the gentry from Gloucestershire. Another was Richard Phin (1556-1628), an English clergyman who served as the Dean of Chichester Cathedral.

In the 17th century, the PHIN surname gained further prominence with individuals like Thomas Phin (1609-1679), a English merchant and colonist who was one of the founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in North America. Another notable figure was Sir John Phin (1621-1690), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire.

Moving into the 18th century, the PHIN surname continued to be represented by notable individuals such as William Phin (1718-1788), a Scottish philosopher and writer who was a prominent figure in the Scottish Enlightenment. Another was John Phin (1756-1823), a British naval officer who served with distinction during the Napoleonic Wars.

As the centuries progressed, the PHIN surname continued to be found throughout various parts of the English-speaking world, with individuals making their mark in various fields, including academia, politics, and the arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Phin

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

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

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

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