NameCensus.

UK surname

Cheung

A Chinese surname meaning "long" or "prosperous," originating from the former state of Zheng during the Zhou Dynasty.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include City Centre West, Liverpool and Coventry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cheung is 6,451 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

6,281

2016, ranked #1,073

Peak year

2010

6,451 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,281 in 2016, ranked #1,073.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Cheung surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cheung surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cheung 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
1861 historical 5 #33,418
1911 historical 3 #33,789
1997 modern 4,474 #1,470
1998 modern 4,838 #1,403
1999 modern 4,991 #1,375
2000 modern 5,118 #1,326
2001 modern 5,078 #1,308
2002 modern 5,359 #1,266
2003 modern 5,505 #1,204
2004 modern 5,569 #1,178
2005 modern 5,769 #1,128
2006 modern 5,885 #1,107
2007 modern 6,034 #1,092
2008 modern 5,979 #1,111
2009 modern 6,134 #1,111
2010 modern 6,451 #1,073
2011 modern 6,381 #1,072
2012 modern 6,222 #1,076
2013 modern 6,400 #1,068
2014 modern 6,319 #1,085
2015 modern 6,261 #1,083
2016 modern 6,281 #1,073

Geography

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Where Cheungs 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 City Centre West, Liverpool, Coventry, Bruntsfield and Westminster. 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 City Centre West Glasgow City
2 Liverpool 037 Liverpool
3 Coventry 042 Coventry
4 Bruntsfield City of Edinburgh
5 Westminster 018 Westminster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cheung

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cheung

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

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Cheung surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Cheung 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 never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Cheung is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Cheung 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

Cheung falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cheung is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Cheung

The surname CHEUNG originated in China, specifically in the Guangdong province during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is derived from the Chinese characters 張, which can be translated to "stretch" or "extend". The name was likely given to someone who excelled in archery or possessed exceptional physical strength.

CHEUNG is a romanized version of the Cantonese pronunciation of the Chinese characters 張. In Mandarin, the surname is pronounced as "Zhang". The earliest recorded instance of this surname can be traced back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), where it appeared in various historical records and genealogical books.

One notable historical reference is the "Cheung Family Genealogy" (張氏族譜), a comprehensive record of the CHEUNG lineage compiled during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD). This document provides valuable insights into the origins and migration patterns of the CHEUNG family across various regions of China.

Among the earliest recorded individuals with the surname CHEUNG was Zhang Zhuzheng (張鑄錚, 946-998 AD), a prominent scholar and calligrapher during the Song Dynasty. Another influential figure was Zhang Jiucheng (張九成, 1092-1159 AD), a military strategist and statesman who played a crucial role in the foundation of the Southern Song Dynasty.

During the Ming Dynasty, CHEUNG Tsing-lung (張廷龍, 1567-1626) was a renowned poet and calligrapher whose works were highly regarded in literary circles. In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD), CHEUNG Shih-chieh (張士誠, 1638-1707) was a prominent scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the Neo-Confucian movement.

Another notable figure was CHEUNG Hing-wah (張衡華, 1805-1845), a renowned diplomat and scholar who served as the Qing Empire's ambassador to various European countries. His memoirs provide valuable insights into the cultural exchange between China and the West during the 19th century.

Throughout history, the CHEUNG surname has been associated with various place names and locations in China, such as Zhangzhou (漳州) in Fujian province and Zhangye (張掖) in Gansu province, which were likely named after influential CHEUNG families or individuals from these regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Cheung surname: questions and answers

How common is the Cheung surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,281 in 2016. That gives Cheung a modern rank of #1,073.

What does the Cheung surname mean?

A Chinese surname meaning "long" or "prosperous," originating from the former state of Zheng during the Zhou Dynasty.

What does the Cheung map show?

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