NameCensus.

UK surname

Canning

An English occupational surname for someone who worked as a maker or seller of cans and containers.

In the 1881 census there were 2,110 people recorded with the Canning surname, ranking it #2,094 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,322, ranked #1,577, up from #2,094 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolsover, Basingstoke and Deane and Oakley Comrie and Blairhall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Canning is 4,415 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 104.8%.

1881 census count

2,110

Ranked #2,094

Modern count

4,322

2016, ranked #1,577

Peak year

2010

4,415 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Canning had 2,110 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,094 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,322 in 2016, ranked #1,577.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,581 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Canning surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Canning surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Canning 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 1,002 #2,791
1861 historical 1,167 #2,419
1881 historical 2,110 #2,094
1891 historical 2,214 #2,109
1901 historical 2,581 #2,130
1911 historical 2,130 #2,357
1997 modern 4,143 #1,560
1998 modern 4,331 #1,553
1999 modern 4,332 #1,562
2000 modern 4,308 #1,560
2001 modern 4,201 #1,562
2002 modern 4,251 #1,576
2003 modern 4,147 #1,582
2004 modern 4,209 #1,567
2005 modern 4,146 #1,576
2006 modern 4,125 #1,582
2007 modern 4,151 #1,588
2008 modern 4,189 #1,583
2009 modern 4,301 #1,581
2010 modern 4,415 #1,571
2011 modern 4,329 #1,581
2012 modern 4,182 #1,605
2013 modern 4,289 #1,601
2014 modern 4,333 #1,593
2015 modern 4,302 #1,585
2016 modern 4,322 #1,577

Geography

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Where Cannings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Govan Combination and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolsover, Basingstoke and Deane, Oakley Comrie and Blairhall, Bassetlaw and Wychavon. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolsover 008 Bolsover
2 Basingstoke and Deane 003 Basingstoke and Deane
3 Oakley Comrie and Blairhall Fife
4 Bassetlaw 004 Bassetlaw
5 Wychavon 016 Wychavon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Canning

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Canning

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Canning surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Canning household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Canning is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Canning is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Canning falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Canning 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 Canning, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Canning

The surname Canning is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is thought to have originated as a locational name, derived from the village of Canning in Somerset, England. The name of the village itself is believed to come from the Old English word "canning," meaning "royal messenger" or "king's messenger."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Canning surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Caninga." This version of the name likely refers to the inhabitants of the village of Canning, suggesting that the surname was already in use by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show a William de Canynges, who was a prominent merchant and benefactor in Bristol, England. He played a significant role in the city's development and was instrumental in the construction of several notable buildings, including the Church of St. Mary Redcliffe.

Another notable figure with the Canning surname was George Canning, born in 1770, who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1827 until his death later that year. He is remembered for his role in the abolition of the slave trade and his efforts to promote political reform.

In the 18th century, the Canning family established itself as a powerful political dynasty in Britain. Charles John Canning, born in 1812, was a British statesman and served as the Governor-General of India from 1856 to 1862. His son, Henry John Canning, born in 1847, followed in his footsteps and had a distinguished career in the British Foreign Office.

The name Canning also appears in various other historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is spelled "Canynges," and the Subsidy Rolls of 1327, where it appears as "Canynge." These variations in spelling were common during the medieval and early modern periods, as standardized spelling conventions were not yet established.

Other notable individuals with the Canning surname include Stratford Canning, born in 1786, a British diplomat who served as the Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, and Charles John Canning, born in 1809, who served as the Governor-General of India from 1858 to 1862.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Canning families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Canning 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. Lanarkshire leads with 255 Cannings recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.80x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 255 3.80x
Warwickshire 250 4.78x
Lancashire 230 0.93x
Middlesex 189 0.91x
Renfrewshire 100 6.22x
Berkshire 93 5.97x
Hampshire 84 1.97x
Surrey 84 0.83x
Essex 65 1.59x
Wiltshire 61 3.32x
Gloucestershire 57 1.40x
Yorkshire 51 0.25x
Worcestershire 50 1.84x
Kent 42 0.59x
Oxfordshire 35 2.73x
Staffordshire 35 0.50x
Stirlingshire 32 4.18x
Ayrshire 30 1.93x
Buckinghamshire 29 2.31x
Somerset 29 0.87x
Hertfordshire 26 1.82x
Cornwall 20 0.85x
Dunbartonshire 19 3.41x
Cumberland 18 1.01x
Durham 18 0.29x
Sussex 16 0.46x
Northamptonshire 14 0.72x
Channel Islands 13 2.11x
Leicestershire 13 0.56x
Devon 12 0.28x
Aberdeenshire 11 0.57x
Buteshire 11 8.75x
Glamorgan 11 0.30x
Dorset 10 0.73x
Herefordshire 10 1.17x
Northumberland 10 0.32x
Roxburghshire 10 2.66x
Angus 9 0.47x
Derbyshire 9 0.28x
Bedfordshire 7 0.65x
Perthshire 7 0.75x
Monmouthshire 6 0.40x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.21x
Shropshire 6 0.33x
Midlothian 5 0.18x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.30x
Fife 4 0.33x
Isle of Man 3 0.78x
Lincolnshire 3 0.09x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.45x
Cheshire 2 0.04x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 0.67x
Norfolk 2 0.06x
Royal Navy 2 0.81x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.12x
Peeblesshire 1 1.02x
Suffolk 1 0.04x
West Lothian 1 0.32x
Wigtownshire 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 72 Cannings recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.04x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 72 6.04x
Liverpool 67 4.48x
Barony 65 3.83x
Govan 56 3.37x
Birmingham 43 2.46x
Aston 35 2.43x
Loxley 33 1441.05x
Kensington London 28 2.43x
Speen 26 101.96x
Everton 24 3.06x
Hornsey 24 9.14x
Paisley High Church 23 17.96x
Turweston 21 967.74x
Halifax 20 6.62x
Toxteth Park 19 2.28x
Bromley London 18 3.94x
East Greenock 18 11.85x
West Derby 18 2.50x
East Woodhay 17 156.54x
Melksham 17 53.33x
Milverton 16 104.23x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 15 40.45x
Duns Tew 15 688.07x
Hamilton 15 8.01x
Old Stratford 15 50.61x
West Greenock 15 5.19x
Widdington 15 557.62x
Eastwood 14 14.13x
Manchester 14 1.26x
Newbury 14 28.05x
Offenham 14 357.14x
Bedminster 13 4.14x
Camberwell 13 0.98x
Croydon 13 2.32x
Leamington Priors 13 10.09x
Paisley Middle Church 13 13.88x
Astley 12 63.16x
Beith 12 25.88x
Bristol St James In 12 20.04x
Shettleston 12 19.96x
St George Hanover Square 12 3.28x
Stirling 12 12.43x
Inkberrow 11 100.37x
Maryhill 11 8.37x
Portsea 11 1.32x
Rothesay 11 18.06x
Southwark St George Martyr 11 2.63x
St Ninians 11 14.49x
Tysoe 11 155.15x
Walsall Foreign 11 3.04x
Handsworth 10 5.79x
Hungerford 10 47.44x
Newchurch 10 4.96x
Newington 10 1.30x
Plumstead 10 4.24x
Sawbridgeworth 10 46.15x
Shaw Cum Donnington 10 200.00x
Shotts 10 12.45x
Studley 10 44.68x
Alcester 9 52.11x
Arkesden 9 302.01x
Bishopwearmouth 9 1.70x
Dumbarton 9 11.59x
Eccleston In Prescot 9 7.28x
Hawick 9 10.70x
Islington London 9 0.45x
Kirkdale 9 2.17x
Lambeth 9 0.50x
Saffron Walden 9 20.79x
St Pancras London 9 0.54x
Walcot 9 5.06x
Abbey 8 3.26x
Dundonald 8 13.96x
Glossop Dale 8 5.26x
Old Monkland 8 3.00x
Oversley 8 329.22x
Roath 8 4.87x
Snitterfield 8 138.17x
St Marylebone London 8 0.72x
Walton On Hill 8 6.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 118
Elizabeth 62
Sarah 54
Ann 42
Ellen 38
Jane 32
Emma 31
Emily 30
Eliza 24
Catherine 17
Hannah 17
Margaret 17
Caroline 15
Kate 15
Martha 14
Alice 13
Harriet 13
Annie 12
Louisa 12
Maria 12
Ada 11
Edith 10
Fanny 10
Charlotte 9
Anne 8
Florence 8
Lucy 8
Clara 7
Amelia 6
Julia 6
Lydia 6
Marion 6
Ruth 6
Agnes 5
Esther 5
Mabel 5
Susan 5
Bertha 4
Frances 4
Harriett 4
Laura 4
Minnie 4
Sophia 4
Winifred 4
Amy 3
Eva 3
Isabella 3
Matilda 3
Rhoda 3
Rosa 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 86
William 79
George 69
Thomas 48
James 47
Charles 42
Henry 31
Joseph 25
Arthur 21
Alfred 20
Robert 18
Frederick 17
Samuel 14
Richard 12
Albert 11
Edward 11
David 10
Ernest 9
Michael 9
Francis 8
Herbert 8
Walter 7
Wm. 7
Harry 6
Patrick 6
Fredrick 5
Philip 5
Willm. 5
Daniel 4
Frank 4
Fred 4
Jas. 4
Cornelius 3
Peter 3
Phillip 3
Thos. 3
Alexander 2
Benjamin 2
Ebenezer 2
Edmund 2
Isaac 2
J. 2
Jos. 2
Martin 2
Moses 2
Orlando 2
Owen 2
Ralph 2
Stephen 2
Thos 2

FAQ

Canning surname: questions and answers

How common was the Canning surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,110 people were recorded with the Canning surname. That placed it at #2,094 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Canning surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,322 in 2016. That gives Canning a modern rank of #1,577.

What does the Canning surname mean?

An English occupational surname for someone who worked as a maker or seller of cans and containers.

What does the Canning map show?

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