Paulin
A surname that usually began as a French or Latin-based form of Paul, meaning “son of Paul” or “little Paul.”
The #8,875 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 83,694 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is generally taken from the French given name Paulin, which goes back to the Latin Paulinus, a derivative of Paulus. In practice, that makes it a name built on Paul, with the added sense of “belonging to Paul,” “descended from Paul,” or “little Paul” depending on the naming tradition. English surname dictionaries also treat it as a baptismal surname formed from the Christian given name Paul.
History
The name appears in medieval English records in forms such as Paulin and Paulyn, and later spreads into spellings like Pauling and Paullin. In some cases it may have been strengthened or altered by French influence, since Paulin was also a familiar French personal name. English surname writers note that many bearers likely acquired it as a hereditary form of a baptismal name rather than from a fixed place-name.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Nineteenth-century surname writers often grouped Paulin with other short baptismal surnames such as Colin and Robin, because they were built with a familiar diminutive-style ending.
From the historical record
“2. Richard II. PAULIN". Fr. Paulin, from the Latin Paulinus. PAULSON". The son of Paul. PAULTON. Aparisliin Somersetshire. PAUSE. Pawson is understood to be Paul's sou, and it is probable that Pause is a corruption of the genitive Paul's. PAVER. This older and moi-e correct”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom