United States Martin was the sixteenth most frequently reported surname in the 1990 United States Census, accounting for 0.27% of the population.
Slavic Europe The name is often read as Martin (with `on the i) in most slavic nations. Nicknames for Martin can be Marti, Marto, Maťo, Maťko, Martinko.
Britain ; England Before the Normans arrived in the 11th century, "Martin" was rare in England. See
feudal barony of Barnstaple for the post-Conquest Anglo-Norman family. The surname became common south of the
Thames. ; Scotland There are several groups of Martins or Macmartins in Scotland. The MacMartins of Letterfinlay appear to have allied themselves to the
Clan Cameron in the late 14th century and finally merged with the Camerons after the
Battle of Lochaber in 1429. The MacMartins, who became a
sept of Clan Cameron, is said to have been amongst the most loyal and valuable followers of Cameron of Lochiel. In the
Jacobite rising of 1745, the MacMartins were "out with" Lochiel's regiment. According to the
Oxford Companion to Scottish History, the MacMartins of Letterfinlay who were a sept of the Clan Cameron would have seen themselves as distinct within their own lands, but would have also seen themselves as Camerons if operating elsewhere outside of Lochaber. There is a branch of MacMartins from
Strathclyde. The Martins in Skye are traditionally associated with Clan Donald, and the Lothians were home to a powerful "de St Martin" family from the 12th century. ; Wales An
Anglo-Norman knight named
Robert Fitz Martin, born in the late 11th century, settled in England's
West Country, on lands inherited from a grandfather, and later participated in the invasions of
Wales, where he was awarded the
barony of Cemaes, located between
Fishguard and
Cardigan. Robert
fitz Martin established the
caput of his barony at Nanhyfer or
Nevern. Robert's son William Fitz Robert Fitz Martin (born c. 1155) inherited the family's property and re-established family control over Cemaes, which had been lost to the Welsh. The senior line became extinct in 1326, but cadet lines still flourish in Wales and England.
Bulgaria Martin is a highly common first name in
Bulgaria. The name is consistently the third most popular baby name. In surname form Martin becomes Martinov, though it's not popular. The name is pronounced the same as
English, but with the stress on the second syllable.
France With over 230,000 people holding the surname Martin in France, it is the most common French surname. The origins of its frequency can be attributed to
Saint Martin of Tours, who was the most popular French saint, but the reason is not clear. Martin was never a common given name (Christian name) in the
Middle Ages, unlike
Bernard or
Thomas (which were later officialized and became common surnames, nowadays ranking second and third respectively). Onomastics have tried to find other reasons for Martin's popularity, by examining, for example, the repartition of place names, but this explanation also lacks empirical support.
Estonia Martin is a common male name in
Estonia – it was the most popular male given name throughout the 1990s. The name currently remains as the second most popular male name in Estonia.
Martin is also a surname – in the variations of Martin, Martinsen, Martinson.
Hungary Marton, the Hungarian form of the name, is commonly used as both a first name and surname.
Ireland Surnames in
Ireland are attested from the mid-10th century. Several distinct families featured the name as a surname element. They included Mac Giolla Mhártain, Ó Maol Mhartain, Ó Martain, Ó Máirtín, Mac Máirtín, Mac Máel Martain. Individuals included Echmílid mac Máel Martain (
Bishop of Down to 1202),
Giolla Ernain Ó Martain (
Irish poet and
Chief Ollam of Ireland, died 1218), and Fearghal Ó Martain, O.E.S.A. (
Bishop of Killala from 1425 to 1432). After the
Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169, numerous unrelated bearers of the name settled in Ireland. Among the most well-known of the name were one of the
Tribes of Galway.
Italy In
Italy, Martin () is a rather common surname in
Veneto,
Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and
Piedmont.
Poland In
Poland, the name is written as "Marcin".
Portugal In
Portugal, Martin is written "Martim" or Martinho. One famous Martin from
Portuguese history is
Martim Moniz.
Scandinavia Martin is common as a given name in all three
Scandinavian countries, and is a typically a top-ranking name in popularity, on any given year. Also it is seen in derivative surnames following Scandinavian naming tradition, such as Martinsen (in
Norway and
Denmark) and Martinsson (in
Sweden).
Morten is a
Scandinavian version of Martin.
Spain Martín () is a common given name and is also among the most common surnames in Spain. Its Catalan variant is Martí and in
Galician is Martiño. Jewish families in medieval Spain (Sephardic) Jews who remained in Spain and agreed to accept Christianity were asked to change their surnames. One of the names taken up by these Jewish
conversos (originally known in Spain as
Marranos, but preferred term is '
anusim' which is Hebrew for "forced") was "Martí" (also spelt "Marty"). Sephardic Jews also used Martín or Martínez, as a variation from the
Hebrew name
Mordecai. ==Geographical distribution==