This surname was of the baptismal group of surnames 'the son of Albon or Albin' a pet form of Albany. The name was brought into England in the wake of the Norman Conquest of 1066. When the coast of England was invaded by William The Conqueror in the year 1066, the Normans brought with them a store of French personal names, which soon, more or less, entirely replaced the traditional more varied Old English personal names, at least among the upper and middle classes. A century of so later, given names of the principal saints of the Christian church began to be used. It is from these two types of given name that the majority of the English patronymic surnames are derived and used to this day. Early records of the name mention Albin le Porteur, 1273 County Cambridge. Albinus le Albaster, was documented in London during the reign of Edward 1 (1272-1307). Hugh Albyn of Yorkshire, was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379. Before the 1066 Conquest names were rare in England, the few examples found were mainly adopted by those of the clergy or one who had taken holy orders. In 1086 the conquering Duke William of Normandy commanded the Domesday Book. He wanted to know what he had and who held it, and the Book describes Old English society under its new management in minute detail. It was then that surnames began to be taken for the purposes of tax-assessment. The nobles and the upper classes were first to realise the prestige of a second name, but it was not until the 15th century that most people had acquired a second name. Saint Alban (3rd century AD) was a Roman soldier venerated as the first Christian martyr in Briton. He was a pagan Romano-Britain living in the town of Verulamium (now St. Albans) who was scourged and beheaded around 300 AD. for sheltering and giving a change of clothes for a fugitive Christian priest. His feast day is 22nd June. Baptised. Mary Alben, St. James's, Clerkenwell, London in the year 1664. Benign Albin and Louisa Charlier were married at St. George's, Hanover Square, London in 1786.

The name is also spelt Albin and Alben.