NameCensus.

UK surname

Balding

A habitational surname originating from a placename meaning "a bald or bare clearing".

In the 1881 census there were 554 people recorded with the Balding surname, ranking it #6,228 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 679, ranked #7,896, down from #6,228 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and King's Lynn St Margaret. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Norfolk, Basingstoke and Deane and Calderdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Balding is 759 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.6%.

1881 census count

554

Ranked #6,228

Modern count

679

2016, ranked #7,896

Peak year

2002

759 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Balding had 554 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,228 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 679 in 2016, ranked #7,896.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 729 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Balding surname distribution map

The map shows where the Balding surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Balding surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Balding over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 540 #4,666
1861 historical 431 #5,963
1881 historical 554 #6,228
1891 historical 591 #6,465
1901 historical 622 #6,868
1911 historical 729 #5,874
1997 modern 720 #7,082
1998 modern 751 #7,093
1999 modern 750 #7,144
2000 modern 743 #7,154
2001 modern 724 #7,169
2002 modern 759 #7,045
2003 modern 745 #7,058
2004 modern 735 #7,129
2005 modern 692 #7,413
2006 modern 689 #7,457
2007 modern 693 #7,484
2008 modern 686 #7,600
2009 modern 707 #7,585
2010 modern 720 #7,612
2011 modern 709 #7,627
2012 modern 698 #7,626
2013 modern 703 #7,697
2014 modern 710 #7,687
2015 modern 695 #7,756
2016 modern 679 #7,896

Geography

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Where Baldings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, King's Lynn St Margaret, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Norfolk, Basingstoke and Deane, Calderdale and Bromley. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 3
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 King's Lynn St Margaret Norfolk
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Norfolk 002 North Norfolk
2 Basingstoke and Deane 004 Basingstoke and Deane
3 Calderdale 003 Calderdale
4 North Norfolk 007 North Norfolk
5 Bromley 007 Bromley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Balding

These lists show first names that appear often with the Balding surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Balding

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Balding, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Balding surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Balding household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Balding is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Balding is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Balding falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Balding is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Balding, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Balding

The surname Balding is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "beald," meaning bold or daring. This surname likely referred to someone with a bold or daring personality.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Balding can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Baldingus." This record suggests that the name was already in use before the Norman Conquest of 1066.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various forms, such as "Baldyng" and "Balding." These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the evolving nature of spelling during that time.

The name Balding was particularly prevalent in the counties of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, where several early records of the name can be found. One notable example is Sir John Balding, a 14th-century knight who participated in the Hundred Years' War.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Balding was associated with several notable individuals. One such person was Richard Balding, a renowned clockmaker who lived in London during the early 17th century. His clocks were highly prized for their craftsmanship and accuracy.

Another noteworthy figure with the surname Balding was Samuel Balding, a prominent merchant and ship owner from Bristol in the late 17th century. He played a significant role in the city's thriving maritime trade.

In the 18th century, the name Balding gained further recognition through the works of William Balding, a celebrated landscape painter. His paintings captured the beauty of the English countryside and were highly sought after by wealthy patrons.

Moving into the 19th century, one cannot overlook the contributions of Sir John Balding, a renowned architect who designed several landmark buildings in London, including the Royal Opera House.

Throughout its history, the surname Balding has been associated with various places and locations. For instance, the village of Balding in Hertfordshire is believed to have derived its name from the surname, perhaps indicating an early settlement of the Balding family in that area.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Balding families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Balding surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 151 Baldings recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.78x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 151 2.78x
Norfolk 79 9.47x
Lincolnshire 48 5.54x
Yorkshire 42 0.78x
Kent 33 1.78x
Surrey 33 1.25x
Warwickshire 22 1.61x
Cambridgeshire 18 5.24x
Leicestershire 18 2.99x
Berkshire 16 3.93x
Lancashire 16 0.25x
Essex 11 1.03x
Durham 10 0.62x
Sussex 9 0.98x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.96x
Bedfordshire 6 2.14x
Derbyshire 5 0.59x
Hampshire 5 0.45x
Hertfordshire 5 1.34x
Renfrewshire 4 0.95x
Wiltshire 4 0.83x
Gloucestershire 3 0.28x
Suffolk 3 0.45x
Monmouthshire 2 0.51x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.31x
Channel Islands 1 0.62x
Herefordshire 1 0.45x
Northamptonshire 1 0.20x
Royal Navy 1 1.55x
Somerset 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 31 Baldings recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.90x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 31 5.90x
Dersingham 17 904.26x
Birmingham 15 3.29x
Kensington London 14 4.64x
St Luke London 13 14.94x
Blakeney 12 805.37x
Deptford St Paul 11 7.71x
Leicester St Margaret 11 7.50x
Bethnal Green London 10 4.24x
Chelsea London 10 6.12x
Clerkenwell London 10 7.81x
Emneth 10 537.63x
Manchester 10 3.46x
Shoreditch London 9 3.83x
Darlington 8 12.84x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 8 31.96x
Lambeth 8 1.69x
Manningham 8 12.08x
Southcoates 8 26.81x
Clee With Weelsby 7 36.88x
Louth 7 35.23x
Speldhurst 7 74.31x
St George Martyr London 7 63.75x
St Pancras London 7 1.60x
Sutton St Mary 7 85.37x
Battersea 6 3.01x
East Wickham 6 273.97x
Horncastle 6 67.04x
Horton In Bradford 6 7.15x
Normanton On Soar 6 1000.00x
Sculcoates 6 7.04x
Shefford 6 300.00x
Upwell 6 238.10x
West Ham 6 2.54x
Wisbech St Peter 6 34.82x
Barkway 5 340.14x
East Ham 5 25.16x
Grimston 5 236.97x
Newington 5 2.50x
Padworth 5 1000.00x
Abbey 4 6.24x
Ealing 4 8.25x
Edmonton 4 9.15x
Erith 4 21.94x
Hanwell 4 41.62x
Harpley 4 506.33x
Hastings St Leonards 4 29.76x
Holbeach 4 41.41x
Leicester All Sts 4 33.87x
Poplar London 4 3.91x
Rowde 4 181.00x
Snitterfield 4 264.90x
Swaby 4 519.48x
Tottenham 4 4.63x
Twickenham 4 17.20x
Westminster St James 4 7.17x
Barnes 3 26.83x
Caterham 3 25.68x
Hastings St Mary In The 3 15.38x
Leicester St Mary 3 6.18x
Litchurch 3 8.78x
Mickleton 3 214.29x
Middlesbrough 3 4.29x
Ryde 3 12.56x
St George Hanover Square 3 3.14x
Belper 2 12.15x
Bradford 2 1.54x
Bradford Girlington 2 83.33x
Brandon 2 44.64x
Camberwell 2 0.58x
Cumberworth 2 487.80x
Eaton St Andrew 2 86.21x
Liverpool 2 0.51x
Melbourn 2 59.70x
Milton In Gravesend 2 7.21x
Norwich St Peter 2 36.56x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 2 10.42x
Rockland St Mary 2 243.90x
Skirbeck 2 41.15x
Sonning 2 44.54x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Balding surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 50
Elizabeth 22
Sarah 20
Jane 17
Ellen 15
Emma 15
Eliza 9
Alice 7
Emily 7
Harriet 7
Ann 6
Edith 5
Louisa 5
Ada 4
Caroline 4
Esther 4
Margaret 4
Maria 4
Maud 4
Rebecca 4
Susan 4
Agnes 3
Annie 3
Charlotte 3
Florence 3
Martha 3
Sophia 3
Amy 2
Fanny 2
Jemima 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Naomi 2
Barbara 1
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Edna 1
Eleanor 1
Elizabet 1
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Helen 1
Hester 1
Hetty 1
Jamette 1
Jessey 1
Joel 1
Julia 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Balding surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 34
Thomas 26
William 23
George 20
James 18
Charles 14
Joseph 9
Henry 8
Alfred 7
Arthur 6
Walter 6
Albert 5
Frederick 5
Edward 4
Robert 4
Edmund 3
Edwin 3
Frank 3
Harry 3
Daniel 2
Edw. 2
Fred 2
Herbert 2
Jesse 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Amos 1
Ann 1
Aylmer 1
Bela 1
Bernard 1
Chas. 1
Chris 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Francis 1
Fredk.G. 1
G. 1
Geo. 1
Horace 1
Howard 1
Lancaster 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Marsh 1
Matthew 1
Mortimer 1
Sarah 1
Stuart 1

FAQ

Balding surname: questions and answers

How common was the Balding surname in 1881?

In 1881, 554 people were recorded with the Balding surname. That placed it at #6,228 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Balding surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 679 in 2016. That gives Balding a modern rank of #7,896.

What does the Balding surname mean?

A habitational surname originating from a placename meaning "a bald or bare clearing".

What does the Balding map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Balding bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.