NameCensus.

UK surname

Bang

A surname referring to a loud, sudden noise or a Danish village where the family originated.

In the 1881 census there were 19 people recorded with the Bang surname, ranking it #30,872 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 155, ranked #23,197, up from #30,872 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Craigshill, Southwark and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bang is 155 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 715.8%.

1881 census count

19

Ranked #30,872

Modern count

155

2016, ranked #23,197

Peak year

2016

155 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bang had 19 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,872 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 155 in 2016, ranked #23,197.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 58 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Bang surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bang surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Bang 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 22 #29,378
1861 historical 58 #26,585
1881 historical 19 #30,872
1891 historical 30 #31,889
1901 historical 23 #31,466
1911 historical 32 #29,838
1997 modern 81 #29,436
1998 modern 82 #29,754
1999 modern 88 #29,287
2000 modern 83 #29,809
2001 modern 79 #30,065
2002 modern 84 #29,982
2003 modern 90 #29,260
2004 modern 101 #27,813
2005 modern 106 #27,044
2006 modern 113 #26,267
2007 modern 117 #26,066
2008 modern 115 #26,635
2009 modern 127 #25,564
2010 modern 146 #23,921
2011 modern 143 #24,056
2012 modern 147 #23,567
2013 modern 149 #23,765
2014 modern 151 #23,745
2015 modern 149 #23,817
2016 modern 155 #23,197

Geography

Back to top

Where Bangs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Craigshill, Southwark, Leeds, Hackney and Birmingham. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Craigshill West Lothian
2 Southwark 022 Southwark
3 Leeds 016 Leeds
4 Hackney 004 Hackney
5 Birmingham 119 Birmingham

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Bang

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Bang

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bang, 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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Bang surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Bang 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 includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Bang is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bang is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bang falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bang 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
Asian - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Bang

The surname Bang is of Danish origin, and it is believed to have originated in the 16th century. The name is derived from the Danish word "bang," which means "a lump" or "a swelling." It is thought to have been originally a descriptive nickname given to someone with a distinctive physical feature, such as a protruding forehead or a bulging eye.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Bang can be found in the Danish Census Records of 1660, where a person named Hans Bang is listed as a resident of Copenhagen. The name also appears in various church records and parish registers from the 17th and 18th centuries in various parts of Denmark.

In the 19th century, the surname Bang was particularly prevalent in the regions of Jutland and Zealand in Denmark. Some notable individuals with this surname from this period include the Danish botanist Niels Bang (1776-1834), who made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy, and the Danish sculptor Jens Adolf Bang (1789-1877), whose works can be found in several museums and public spaces across Denmark.

The surname Bang has also been found in historical records from other parts of Europe, particularly in Germany and Norway. In Germany, there are records of individuals with the surname Bang dating back to the 17th century, possibly indicating that the name may have spread from Denmark to other parts of Northern Europe.

Another notable individual with the surname Bang was the Norwegian physicist Olaus Bang (1621-1691), who made important contributions to the field of optics and is credited with the discovery of the phenomenon known as the "Barfus Bang Lens."

As the surname Bang spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration, it has been associated with several notable individuals. For example, Herman Bang (1857-1912) was a Danish novelist and playwright who was a prominent figure in the literary movement known as Naturalism. Jørgen Bang-Jensen (1920-2014) was a Danish mathematician and computer scientist who made significant contributions to the field of graph theory.

It is important to note that while the surname Bang has its roots in Denmark and has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history, it has also been adopted and used by people of various ethnic and cultural backgrounds around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Bang families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bang 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. Yorkshire leads with 7 Bangs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.29x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 7 3.29x
Middlesex 4 1.87x
Channel Islands 3 47.24x
Durham 2 3.14x
Hertfordshire 2 13.53x
Surrey 2 1.91x
Glamorgan 1 2.68x
Northumberland 1 3.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Headingley Cum Burley in Yorkshire leads with 5 Bangs recorded in 1881 and an index of 364.96x.

Place Total Index
Headingley Cum Burley 5 364.96x
Southwark St Saviour 2 181.82x
St Peter Port 2 169.49x
Bishopwearmouth 1 18.25x
Cardiff St Mary 1 48.54x
Cheshunt 1 192.31x
Doncaster 1 64.52x
Elswick 1 39.22x
Hatfield 1 333.33x
Kensington London 1 8.39x
Mile End Old Town London 1 21.93x
Roystone 1 1250.00x
South Shields 1 175.44x
St Giles In Fields London 1 95.24x
St Helier 1 48.31x
St Marylebone London 1 8.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 1
Elizabeth 1
Leah 1
Louisa 1
Mary 1
Sarah 1
Sophie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 3
Alfred 2
Adolph 1
Daniel 1
Hans 1
James 1
John 1
K.J. 1
Luis 1
Nils 1
Sam 1
Thos. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Bang households.

FAQ

Bang surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bang surname in 1881?

In 1881, 19 people were recorded with the Bang surname. That placed it at #30,872 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bang surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 155 in 2016. That gives Bang a modern rank of #23,197.

What does the Bang surname mean?

A surname referring to a loud, sudden noise or a Danish village where the family originated.

What does the Bang map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bang 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.