Mullins History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

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Today's Irish surnames are underpinned by a multitude of rich histories. The name Mullins originally appeared in Gaelic as either Ó Meallain, Ó Maolain or Mac Maolain. The first surname is derived from the word meall, which means pleasant. The second and third surnames are derived from maol, which means bald.

Early Origins of the Mullins family

The surname Mullins was first found in the province of Connacht (Irish: Connachta, (land of the) descendants of Conn) where the Mullen, Mullin and Mullan spellings were popular. They were descended from the Kings of Connacht and are of the same basic stock as the O'Concannons. Branches were also found in Cork, Limerick, and Clare where the Mullane and Mullins spellings were the most frequent. Some were found north in Ulster and Tyrone and Derry. 1 This latter group is difficult to trace as the Scottish MacMullen or McMullen settled there during Cromwell's Plantation of Ulster.

Early History of the Mullins family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mullins research. Another 53 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1660, 1720 and 1729 are included under the topic Early Mullins History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mullins Spelling Variations

People who were accounted for by scribes and church officials often had their name recorded many different ways because pronunciation was the only guide those scribes and church officials had to go by. This resulted in the problem of one person's name being recorded under several different variations, creating the illusion of more than one person. Among the many spelling variations of the surname Mullins that are preserved in archival documents are Mullan, Mullen, Mullin, Mullens, Mullins, O'Mullen, O'Mullan, O'Mullin, McMullen and many more.

Early Notables of the Mullins family

Notable among the family name at this time was Allan Mullen, M.D., (born c. 1660), one of the most eminent Irish anatomists; Dr. James Mullen, self educated doctor; Rev. John McMullen, Bishop...
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mullins Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mullins World Ranking

In the United States, the name Mullins is the 330th most popular surname with an estimated 82,071 people with that name. 2 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Mullins is ranked the 283rd most popular surname with an estimated 158 people with that name. 3 And in Australia, the name Mullins is the 832nd popular surname with an estimated 4,721 people with that name. 4


Mullins migration to the United States +

Ireland became inhospitable for many native Irish families in the 19th centuries. Poverty, lack of opportunities, high rents, and discrimination forced thousands to leave the island for North America. The largest exodus of Irish settlers occurred with the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. For these immigrants the journey to British North America and the United States was long and dangerous and many did not live to see the shores of those new lands. Those who did make it were essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest and most powerful nations of the world. These Irish immigrants were not only important for peopling the new settlements and cities, they also provided the manpower needed for the many industrial and agricultural projects so essential to these growing nations. Immigration and passenger lists have documented the arrival of various people bearing the name Mullins to North America:

Mullins Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Mullins Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mullins migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Mullins Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Mullins Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mullins migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Mullins Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mullins migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Mullins Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mullins migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 13
Mullins Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Mullins (post 1700) +


Suggested Readings for the name Mullins +
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