NameCensus.

UK surname

China

A surname derived from the ethnic/geographic origin of the bearer's ancestors.

In the 1881 census there were 65 people recorded with the China surname, ranking it #24,420 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 177, ranked #21,230, up from #24,420 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Leicester and Bolton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for China is 177 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 172.3%.

1881 census count

65

Ranked #24,420

Modern count

177

2016, ranked #21,230

Peak year

2016

177 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • China had 65 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,420 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 177 in 2016, ranked #21,230.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 110 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

China surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

China surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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China 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 59 #22,756
1861 historical 85 #22,922
1881 historical 65 #24,420
1891 historical 86 #25,951
1901 historical 81 #25,130
1911 historical 110 #21,519
1997 modern 131 #22,927
1998 modern 134 #23,202
1999 modern 132 #23,602
2000 modern 138 #22,960
2001 modern 133 #23,132
2002 modern 139 #22,991
2003 modern 123 #24,497
2004 modern 125 #24,443
2005 modern 124 #24,529
2006 modern 123 #24,873
2007 modern 131 #24,282
2008 modern 135 #24,123
2009 modern 149 #23,031
2010 modern 156 #22,886
2011 modern 154 #22,886
2012 modern 151 #23,166
2013 modern 161 #22,521
2014 modern 169 #22,006
2015 modern 166 #22,159
2016 modern 177 #21,230

Geography

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Where Chinas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees, Leicester, Bolton, Medway and Stafford. 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 St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju Norfolk
2 Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 017 Kirklees
2 Leicester 017 Leicester
3 Bolton 023 Bolton
4 Medway 029 Medway
5 Stafford 010 Stafford

Forenames

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First names often paired with China

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for China

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students

Nationally, the China surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every China household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples with dependent children are common in this Group, with many parents born in Africa or the EU. The representation of residents amongst different ethnic minority groups is high, particularly for individuals of Pakistani ethnic group. For many residents, English is not their main language, and affiliation to Christian religions is less common. Privately rented terrace properties predominate and levels of overcrowding are high. Part time work is common, with many employed in elementary occupations and sales and customer services. There are also many students living within these areas, and overall unemployment levels are high.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, China 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

China 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

China 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 China 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of China

The surname CHINA originated in England in the 12th century. It derived from the Old English word "cyn," meaning kin or family. The name was initially a descriptive term used to refer to someone who had come from abroad or had a foreign appearance.

In the early days, the surname CHINA was often spelled differently, such as Chyna, Chine, or Chyne. These variations reflected the regional dialects and pronunciations of the time. The name appeared in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1273, where it was recorded as "Chyne."

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname CHINA was Robert Chyna, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. Another notable figure was John Chine, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1301.

The CHINA surname also had connections to specific places. For instance, in the 14th century, there was a reference to a family named "de Chyne" living in the village of Chyne, located in Somerset, England. This suggests that the name may have been associated with a particular location or estate.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the CHINA surname. One such person was Sir William China (1564-1629), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for the City of London. Another was John China (1698-1768), a renowned English clockmaker and inventor.

In the realm of literature, the name CHINA appeared in works such as "The Faerie Queene" by Edmund Spenser (1552-1599), where the character Phaedria is referred to as "the faire China."

Other prominent individuals with the CHINA surname include Sir Cedric China (1854-1932), a British diplomat and colonial administrator; and Reginald China (1876-1941), an English cricketer who played for Middlesex County Cricket Club.

The CHINA surname has a rich history spanning centuries, with its roots firmly planted in England's past. Its evolution and variations reflect the cultural and linguistic diversity of the regions it has been associated with over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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China families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the China 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. Surrey leads with 14 Chinas recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.46x.

County Total Index
Surrey 14 4.46x
Nottinghamshire 10 11.53x
Somerset 9 8.69x
Devon 8 5.97x
Norfolk 8 8.08x
Middlesex 5 0.78x
Gloucestershire 4 3.17x
Kent 3 1.37x
Buckinghamshire 1 2.57x
Glamorgan 1 0.89x
Hampshire 1 0.76x
Lancashire 1 0.13x
Royal Navy 1 13.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 13 Chinas recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.16x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 13 23.16x
Walcot 9 163.04x
Barnstaple 8 380.95x
Nottingham St Mary 7 31.19x
Norwich St Etheldred 6 4285.71x
Bristol St James In 4 215.05x
St George Hanover Square 4 35.27x
Greenwich 3 29.27x
Lenton 3 147.06x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 2 312.50x
Amersham 1 181.82x
Cardiff St Mary 1 16.21x
Hawkley 1 1428.57x
Manchester 1 2.91x
Penge 1 24.33x
Royal Navy 1 15.24x
St Pancras London 1 1.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Elizabeth 5
Alice 2
Katherine 2
Agnes 1
Ann 1
Catherine 1
Edith 1
Elimy 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Julia 1
Margaret 1
Maud 1
Nelly 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 6
Henry 5
John 5
George 4
Charles 3
Thomas 3
Frederick 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Jas. 1
Samuel 1
Walter 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 China households.

FAQ

China surname: questions and answers

How common was the China surname in 1881?

In 1881, 65 people were recorded with the China surname. That placed it at #24,420 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the China surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 177 in 2016. That gives China a modern rank of #21,230.

What does the China surname mean?

A surname derived from the ethnic/geographic origin of the bearer's ancestors.

What does the China map show?

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