Malin
A surname with more than one likely source, including a possible diminutive of Mary or a local name from Malines in Belgium.
The #7,616 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 70,732 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname has at least two historical explanations in the older surname dictionaries. One tradition treats it as a pet form linked to Mary, through forms such as Mall/Mally and diminutives like Mallin or Malin. Another treats it as a locational name from Malines, the Belgian city now known as Mechelen, introduced into England by people from the Low Countries.
History
19th-century surname writers disagreed about whether the name is chiefly English-nickname based or imported from the Continent. Lower specifically links it to Malines in Belgium, while Bardsley and Harrison connect it with Mary-based diminutives. The name also appears in Irish place-related references, so in modern records it may have multiple independent origins.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older writers sometimes treated Malin as a surname brought in from the Netherlands after the Norman period, showing how a single name could be explained in very different ways.
From the historical record
“MALES (A.-Celt.) Male's (Son) : v. Male MALIN \like Molly, a double dim. of Mary, MALLIN J also of Matilda [v. under Malkin] MALKIN (A.-Fr.-Teut.) a double dim. of Matilda, early form Mahthild = Might (in) War [O.Sax.O.H.Ger. maht = O.E. m{eidht, miht (= Goth, maht-s) = O.N. »!a'«-r, might, power + O.Sax. O.E. hild…”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)