# Evelyn (surname)

Source: https://namelineage.com/surname/evelyn/  
Publisher: Name Lineage. Counts from the US Census Bureau; origin and etymology from Wiktionary; bearers from Wikidata. Data updated 2026-11-11.

A surname originating as a matronymic.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | English |
| Type | patronymic, formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name |
| People in the US (2010 Census) | 1,278 |
| US rank (2010) | 20,697 of 162,253 |
| How often | about 1 in every 241,585 people |
| Change since 2000 | +12% (1,139 in 2000) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛvəlɪn/, 3 syllables |
| Variant spellings | none recorded |

## Etymology

From Middle English forms of the Old French female name Aveline, diminutive of the Germanic root *avi-, of uncertain meaning, possibly “desired, wished for“ (compare Latin avēre, "to wish for") or aval “strength”. By folk etymology also misunderstood as a diminutive of the feminine given name Eve, q.v. Doublet of Eileen. Also compare Ava.

## Who carries it

Share of people named Evelyn in the 2010 US Census by the Census's own race and ethnicity groups. The Census suppresses a share when the count behind it is small.

| Group | Share |
|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 34% |
| Black (not Hispanic) | 51% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 9.9% |
| Two or more races | 3.7% |

## Where

Wikidata records people named Evelyn in Brazil and the United States.

## People named Evelyn

- Deborah Evelyn, Brazilian actress
- Judith Evelyn, American actress

## Similar surnames

Eveland, Ebeling, Epling, Ebling.

## How to read these numbers

A Census count is people alive and counted in 2010, not births, and names occurring fewer than 100 times are not published at all. Ethnicity shares are the Census's own categories.