The Cullen surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 20,000 people carried this name — #1,796 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 14,700 people counted. That is up 2% from 19,665 in 2000.

See Cullen on the map Look up another surname

Share

What the name means

The meaning of the Cullen surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Cologne’.

An early record he cites: John de Coloigne, Norfolk, 1344 — History of Norfolk (Blomefield and Parkin).

His entry covers Cullen and Cullin.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 223 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 203 births for the Cullen name in 1890.

They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Leinster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 9,000 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 7 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Dublin and Wexford.”

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they were born, 1890

Leinster 132
Ulster 34
Connacht 24
Munster 13

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 294 people named Cullen live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 115
City of Buenos Aires 77
Santa Fe 51
Córdoba 24
Salta 14
Entre Ríos 13

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

24 people named Cullen live in Switzerland.

They live in 5 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Vaud.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Vaud 10
Bern 4
Zurich 4
Basel-Landschaft 3
Basel-Stadt 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In the Nordic population registers

31 people named Cullen is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 31

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Cullen was found among the farmers of 2 counties.

It was most frequent in Nottinghamshire: 12 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 833. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Nottinghamshire 12
Somerset 9

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In Scotland’s registers today

Cullen was recorded 60 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 439th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 106. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Cullen in American newspapers,
1881–1920.

Newspaper page from The Weekly Iberian carrying the name Cullen
The Weekly Iberian 1920-05-15
Newspaper page from Helena Weekly Herald carrying the name Cullen
Helena Weekly Herald 1881-01-13
Newspaper page from The Weekly Iberian carrying the name Cullen
The Weekly Iberian 1920-07-17

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 2,317 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Cullen in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2010s.

108,993 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Cullen. The most, 22,080, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Western Australia, at 1.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 43,284
Queensland 21,862
Victoria 19,321
Western Australia 12,359
South Australia 7,580
Tasmania 3,719
ACT (Canberra) 626
Northern Territory 74

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Cullen.

Who carried it

People named Cullen,
with a public archive behind them.

  • William Cullen
    William Cullen 1710–1790 · writer
  • Henry Cullen
    Henry Cullen 1758–1790 · writer
  • Domingo Cullen
    Domingo Cullen 1791–1839 · politician
  • Paul Cullen
    Paul Cullen 1803–1878 · Catholic priest
  • Edgar M. Cullen
    Edgar M. Cullen 1843–1922 · judge

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 281 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Cullen,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States7,827 records

7,827 records of the Cullen name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 2,557
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 2,347
  • Other U.S. records 2,923
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Dennis John Cullen

    Born 1945; from Anaheim, California. U.S. Army, field artillery basic; killed in action 1966 in South Vietnam. Buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record William Cullen

    Born 1911 in Canada. Enlisted 1943 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota; auto mechanic. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1991, buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minnesota.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jane Cullen

    Arrived at New York in 1904 aboard the Patricia from Boulogne, aged 36; domestic. From London, England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 7,827 records for Cullen in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia3,101 records

3,101 records of the Cullen name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 1,299
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 564
  • Other Australian records 1,238
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Mary Cullen

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Cadet, sailing from London in 1847. Native of Cork. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1849. Married 1849 in Campbell Town, Tasmania, aged 34.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Luke Cullen

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Mangles, sailing from London in 1835. Native of London, Middlesex. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1839. Married 1839 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 22.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Thomas Cullen

    Died 1844 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 55. Will registered in Tasmania in 1844.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 3,101 records for Cullen in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada338 records

338 records of the Cullen name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 236
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 27
  • Other Canadian records 75
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record John Cullen

    Killed in 1934 at the Albion Mine, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Leslie Cullen

    Buried in 2000 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 85.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Hugh P. Cullen

    Buried in 1944 at Mount Hermon Cemetery, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, aged 38.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.

Showing 3 of 338 records for Cullen in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

Netherlands152 records

152 records of the Cullen name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 96
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 51
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 5
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Henry Edward Cullen

    Born 1833 in Rotterdam. Married in 1856 in Kampen; merchant.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Johannes Cullen

    Born 1860 in Kralingen. Married in 1885 in Kralingen. Died 1889 in Rotterdam, aged 28.

    Open Archives, Nationaal Archief Rijksarchief Zuid-Holland (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record William Henrij Cullen

    Born 1814 in Zierikzee. Married in 1845 in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Zeeuws Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 152 records for Cullen in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

United Kingdom87 records

87 records of the Cullen name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 40
  • Stirling Council burial records 32
  • Other British records 15
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record William Robert Cullen

    Born 1878 at Newcastle-on-Tyne. Served in the First World War. Named in the University of Aberdeen roll of service in the Great War, 1914-1919.

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Catherine Cullen

    Died 1926, aged 25; buried at Bannockburn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Cullen

    Buried in 1852 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 60.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 87 records for Cullen in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

New Zealand54 records

54 records of the Cullen name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 46
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 6
  • Other New Zealand records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Moyra Suzette Cullen

    Died 1991, aged 70; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ellen Cullen

    Buried in 1874 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 30.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ivan Sydney Cullen

    Died 1997, aged 83; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 54 records for Cullen in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France2 records

2 records of the Cullen name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Yvonne Alice Germaine Cullen

    Born 1922 in Boulogne-sur-Mer; died 1995 in Saint-Martin-Boulogne (Pas-de-Calais).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Cullen in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Norway2 records

2 records of the Cullen name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Clifford Cullen

    Census of 1910: Solheim, Oddernes; born 1862 in Derbyshire England.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Cullen in Norway.

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Cullen.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Cullen is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Cullen volume
Scroll to Top