NameCensus.

UK surname

Ching

A Chinese surname derived from the state of Jing, or referring to someone who lives near a well.

In the 1881 census there were 443 people recorded with the Ching surname, ranking it #7,395 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 508, ranked #9,877, down from #7,395 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Malvern Hills, West Berkshire and Hounslow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ching is 508 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.7%.

1881 census count

443

Ranked #7,395

Modern count

508

2016, ranked #9,877

Peak year

2016

508 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ching had 443 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,395 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 508 in 2016, ranked #9,877.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 485 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Ching surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ching surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Ching 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 377 #6,334
1861 historical 295 #8,555
1881 historical 443 #7,395
1891 historical 442 #8,179
1901 historical 475 #8,373
1911 historical 485 #8,012
1997 modern 424 #10,531
1998 modern 440 #10,581
1999 modern 443 #10,577
2000 modern 436 #10,701
2001 modern 421 #10,789
2002 modern 421 #11,026
2003 modern 420 #10,862
2004 modern 424 #10,802
2005 modern 411 #10,956
2006 modern 406 #11,108
2007 modern 409 #11,182
2008 modern 425 #10,934
2009 modern 437 #10,947
2010 modern 456 #10,784
2011 modern 455 #10,691
2012 modern 479 #10,176
2013 modern 486 #10,250
2014 modern 487 #10,289
2015 modern 497 #10,046
2016 modern 508 #9,877

Geography

Back to top

Where Chings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes, St Pancras, Stratton and Bideford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Malvern Hills, West Berkshire, Hounslow, Exeter and Cornwall. 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 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Stratton Cornwall
5 Bideford Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Malvern Hills 003 Malvern Hills
2 West Berkshire 018 West Berkshire
3 Hounslow 027 Hounslow
4 Exeter 012 Exeter
5 Cornwall 072 Cornwall

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Ching

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Ching

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Ching surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Ching household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Ching 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

Ching 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

Ching falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ching 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 - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Ching

The surname "CHING" originates from China and can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is a romanized spelling of the Chinese surname 程, which is pronounced "Chéng" in Mandarin Chinese. The name is believed to have derived from the ancient Chinese word "程程" (chéng chéng), meaning "step by step" or "gradually".

The earliest recorded instance of the surname can be found in historical records from the Tang Dynasty, where it was associated with several prominent figures. One notable example is Cheng Hao (1032-1085), a renowned Neo-Confucian philosopher and scholar who hailed from the city of Zhenjiang in present-day Jiangsu Province.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the Ching surname was also found in various local gazetteers and genealogical records. One such record mentions a Ching family residing in the town of Xiushui, located in present-day Zhejiang Province.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the Ching surname gained further prominence with Ching Shih (1775-1844), a famous female pirate who commanded a formidable fleet in the South China Sea. She was born in Guangdong Province and is regarded as one of the most successful pirates in history.

Another notable figure with the Ching surname was Ching Ling (1890-1981), the second wife of Sun Yat-sen, the revolutionary leader who played a pivotal role in the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China. Ching Ling was an influential political figure and advocate for women's rights in her own right.

In the realm of literature, Ching Hsin (1900-1933) was a prominent Chinese poet and essayist who was part of the influential Crescent Moon Society, a literary movement in the early 20th century. His works explored themes of modernism and individualism.

Throughout history, variations in the romanized spelling of the surname have existed, such as "Cheng," "Chung," and "Chong." These variations can often be attributed to different dialects or regional pronunciations of the original Chinese characters.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Ching families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ching 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. Devon leads with 159 Chings recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.18x.

County Total Index
Devon 159 16.18x
Cornwall 78 14.59x
Surrey 44 1.91x
Middlesex 40 0.85x
Channel Islands 37 26.45x
Kent 27 1.68x
Glamorgan 24 2.92x
Lancashire 13 0.23x
Monmouthshire 11 3.22x
Hampshire 8 0.83x
Hertfordshire 7 2.15x
Worcestershire 6 0.97x
Essex 5 0.54x
Somerset 4 0.53x
Wiltshire 4 0.96x
Gloucestershire 3 0.32x
Isle of Man 2 2.28x
Northumberland 2 0.28x
Royal Navy 2 3.55x
Sussex 2 0.25x
Yorkshire 2 0.04x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.23x
Berkshire 1 0.28x
Dorset 1 0.32x
Warwickshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Helier in Channel Islands leads with 28 Chings recorded in 1881 and an index of 61.48x.

Place Total Index
St Helier 28 61.48x
Stratton 25 862.07x
Newington 21 12.04x
Stoke Damerel 21 30.53x
St Pancras London 13 3.42x
Tormoham 13 31.27x
Bideford 12 113.96x
Holsworthy 10 361.01x
Bexley 9 63.20x
Bredgar 9 900.00x
Plymouth St Andrew 9 11.89x
Swansea St Thomas 9 108.96x
Islington London 8 1.75x
Newton Abbot St Mary 8 97.09x
St Martin 8 93.35x
Cardiff St John 7 26.07x
Little Hadham 7 507.25x
Sithney 7 129.63x
Ashmansworth 6 1764.71x
Chelsea London 6 4.22x
Liskeard 6 67.11x
Mortlake 6 58.54x
Paignton 6 80.21x
St Gluvias Penryn 6 140.19x
St Woollos 6 15.75x
West Wickham 6 384.62x
Worcester St Peter 6 51.41x
Barnes 5 51.39x
Camborne 5 22.71x
Cheetham 5 11.96x
East Stonehouse 5 25.83x
Honeychurch 5 4545.45x
Kilkhampton 5 316.46x
Launcells 5 555.56x
Petrockstow 5 602.41x
Pyworthy 5 617.28x
Shadwell London 5 37.85x
St Mary Magdalene 5 127.23x
Tiverton 5 29.53x
Trevethin 5 15.51x
Walthamstow 5 14.91x
West Derby 5 3.05x
Ashwater 4 287.77x
Chute 4 579.71x
Crediton 4 42.96x
Drewsteignton 4 307.69x
Illogan 4 28.27x
Ockham 4 449.44x
Plymouth Charles The 4 9.24x
Sampford Courtenay 4 272.11x
St George Hanover Square 4 4.81x
Sutcombe 4 597.01x
Swansea Town 4 5.93x
Wandsworth 4 8.80x
Devonport 3 26.57x
Greenwich 3 3.99x
Kelly 3 810.81x
Roath 3 8.03x
South Petherton 3 76.53x
Stoke 3 75.38x
Alwington 2 327.87x
Barnstaple 2 12.96x
Buckfastleigh 2 44.15x
Cramlington 2 21.55x
Falmouth 2 10.57x
Great Torrington 2 35.91x
Lambeth 2 0.49x
Lympston 2 113.64x
Parr 2 9.98x
Royal Navy 2 4.16x
Slapton 2 200.00x
St Keverne 2 68.03x
Wendron 2 26.95x
Westminster St Margaret 2 8.78x
Cannington 1 44.25x
Clase 1 3.27x
Exeter Holy Trinity 1 25.97x
Hartley Wintney 1 34.36x
Madron Penzance 1 5.14x
Worth 1 17.30x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Elizabeth 29
Ann 10
Eliza 9
Sarah 9
Emma 8
Fanny 7
Alice 6
Annie 6
Emily 6
Esther 6
Jane 6
Maria 5
Charlotte 4
Edith 4
Florence 4
Amelia 3
Caroline 3
Ellen 3
Ethel 3
Hannah 3
Kezia 3
Lucy 3
Mabel 3
Margaret 3
Ada 2
Anna 2
Bessie 2
Eleanor 2
Elizh. 2
Gertrude 2
Marianne 2
Marion 2
Martha 2
Minnie 2
Nellie 2
Selina 2
Susan 2
Cecila 1
Christiania 1
Constance 1
Emelia 1
Flora 1
Jessy 1
Joanna 1
Kate 1
Kathleen 1
Kati 1
Laura 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 37
William 32
Thomas 22
George 20
Richard 12
James 11
Henry 10
Alfred 5
David 4
Edward 4
Frederick 4
Samuel 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Joseph 3
Albert 2
Cyril 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Hugh 2
Lawrence 2
Robert 2
Sidney 2
Walter 2
Cecil 1
Danil 1
Edith 1
Edmund 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
Horace 1
Jno. 1
Jno.Edw.Pyne 1
Jno.P. 1
Kenneth 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Manuel 1
Michael 1
O. 1
Paul 1
Philip 1
Reginald 1
Richd. 1
Roland 1
Russell 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Ching surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ching surname in 1881?

In 1881, 443 people were recorded with the Ching surname. That placed it at #7,395 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ching surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 508 in 2016. That gives Ching a modern rank of #9,877.

What does the Ching surname mean?

A Chinese surname derived from the state of Jing, or referring to someone who lives near a well.

What does the Ching map show?

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