Poulin
A French surname most often linked to a nickname for a colt, though in some cases it may also be a form of Paulin.
The #5,081 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 44,798 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The most common explanation treats Poulin as French, from Old French poulin, meaning a foal or colt, ultimately from Latin pullinus, "young animal" or "of a chick/young bird." In that sense, the surname began as a nickname, probably for someone thought young, lively, or colt-like in character. Some historical writers also note that Poulin can be a variant of Paulin, so not every family with the name will share the same origin.
History
The name appears in medieval French records in forms such as le Pullen and Puleyn, showing early surname use in England as well as France. It survived in several spelling variants, including Poulain, Poullain, and Poulin, and was carried to North America through French-speaking migration. Because similar forms could also arise from Paulin, the surname’s family history may differ from line to line.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A single extra letter can change the origin: Poulin may point either to a word for a colt or to the personal name Paulin.
From the historical record
“2 the French Poulain = (a) a nickname from the Colt [M.Fr. poulin, O.Fr. polin, Lat. pullin-us] (&) a name applied to the children of”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)