Austin Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Austin last name means, where the surname began and where it was first recorded.
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Meaning and origin of the Austin last name
Meaning of the Austin last name: from Augustine. Austin comes from Austin or Austen, the medieval English form of Augustine, from Latin augustus, "venerable". It was popular because of Saint Augustine of Hippo and Saint Augustine of Canterbury, who brought Christianity to the English in 597. The friars who followed Augustine's rule were known as Austin Friars. Jane Austen made the spelling with -en famous, and Stephen F. Austin gave the name to the capital of Texas. The friars of the Order of Saint Augustine, the Austin Friars, had houses in many English towns, and the London district of Austin Friars still bears their name. Spellings such as Austyn and Austen turn up in documents of the 1200s. The name is common in the south and east of England, especially in Kent and Sussex. Austin families emigrated early to Virginia and New England, and the name is now common throughout the United States, Canada and Australia.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Austin name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Austin name in England. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, Australia and Ireland; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
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Your full Austin pack adds the researched history, early records and migration. Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Austin coat of arms for you.
Austin name FAQ
What does the Austin name mean?
From Augustine. Common variants include Austen, Austine, Augustin.
Where does the Austin surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Australia and Ireland.
Is there a Austin coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Austin crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Austin coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.