NameCensus.

UK surname

Chui

A transliterated Chinese surname originating from the Chinese word for "mouth" or "entrance".

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Chui surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 246, ranked #16,993, up from #34,027 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Great Yarmouth, Broadland and Camden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chui is 265 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24500.0%.

1881 census count

1

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

246

2016, ranked #16,993

Peak year

2011

265 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chui had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 246 in 2016, ranked #16,993.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Student Living and Professional Footholds.

Chui surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chui surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chui 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
1881 historical 1 #34,027
1911 historical 1 #34,332
1997 modern 169 #19,578
1998 modern 198 #18,224
1999 modern 210 #17,712
2000 modern 205 #17,940
2001 modern 200 #17,948
2002 modern 208 #17,848
2003 modern 209 #17,620
2004 modern 213 #17,492
2005 modern 224 #16,876
2006 modern 237 #16,334
2007 modern 244 #16,186
2008 modern 248 #16,163
2009 modern 251 #16,368
2010 modern 253 #16,652
2011 modern 265 #15,980
2012 modern 246 #16,702
2013 modern 253 #16,642
2014 modern 246 #17,079
2015 modern 249 #16,858
2016 modern 246 #16,993

Geography

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Where Chuis 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 Great Yarmouth, Broadland, Camden, Basingstoke and Deane and Hillingdon. 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 Great Yarmouth 008 Great Yarmouth
2 Broadland 016 Broadland
3 Camden 025 Camden
4 Basingstoke and Deane 008 Basingstoke and Deane
5 Hillingdon 016 Hillingdon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chui

These lists show first names that appear often with the Chui 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 Chui

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

Student Living and Professional Footholds

Nationally, the Chui surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Student Living and Professional Footholds, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Chui household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

The Group includes many students, some of whom reside in communal residences. Single-person households are the most prevalent and the modal age band is 25 to 44. There are few families with dependent children. A significant number of White residents were born in EU countries (although UK-born residents are more common than in the rest of the Group), and households reflect a diversity of ethnic groups. Residential turnover is exceptionally high and, communal properties aside, flats are the norm. Some properties, including those in the private rental sector, are over-crowded. Many residents are professionals and technicians educated to degree level, and the Group is particularly common near the campuses of established university towns and cities.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Central and City

Within London, Chui is most associated with areas classed as Central and City, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 high density central neighbourhoods are characterised by high levels of residential turnover. Few children are in evidence. Few individuals experience live with disability, with many in full-time employment or study. Levels of separation or divorce are low relative to the Supergroup average. The workforce is well-educated but not in the top flight of managerial occupations. Levels of affiliation to non-Christian religions are high.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Chui 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

Chui falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Chui

The surname Chui has its origins in Hong Kong and southern China, where it is a romanized spelling of the Chinese character "徽". This character can be traced back to the 16th century, when it referred to the Huizhou region of Anhui province, China.

Historically, the surname Chui was often associated with people from this region, who migrated to other parts of China and overseas. One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Qing Dynasty archives from the 17th century, which document Chui families living in Guangdong province.

In the 19th century, during the peak of Chinese immigration to Southeast Asia and beyond, many Chui families settled in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and other parts of the region. Some notable Chui individuals from this era include Chui Tsing-kun (1838-1891), a businessman and philanthropist in British Hong Kong, and Chui Sai-on (1857-1914), a prominent educator in Singapore.

As the Chui surname spread globally, it took on various spellings and forms. In some regions, it was written as Choy, Choe, or Chuey, reflecting different romanization systems. The name also appeared in historical records from countries like Canada and the United States, where Chinese immigrants had settled.

One notable example is Chui Ying (1876-1968), a Chinese-American architect who designed several landmark buildings in San Francisco's Chinatown in the early 20th century. Another significant figure was Chui Tsong-hsi (1901-1977), a Chinese-Malayan entrepreneur and community leader who played a key role in the development of modern-day Kuala Lumpur.

In more recent times, the Chui surname has continued to be prominent, with individuals like Chui Sai-on (1921-2009), a respected educator and philanthropist in Hong Kong, and Chui Lik-sang (born 1939), a renowned Hong Kong architect and urban planner.

While the Chui surname may have originated in a specific region of China, it has since become a globally recognized name, with a rich history spanning centuries and continents.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chui families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chui 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. Middlesex leads with 1 Chuis recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.37x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1 10.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Marylebone London in Middlesex leads with 1 Chuis recorded in 1881 and an index of 196.08x.

Place Total Index
St Marylebone London 1 196.08x

Top male names

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

Name Count
Tsing 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 Chui households.

Occupation Count
General Servant Domestic 1

FAQ

Chui surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chui surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1 people were recorded with the Chui surname. That placed it at #34,027 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chui surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 246 in 2016. That gives Chui a modern rank of #16,993.

What does the Chui surname mean?

A transliterated Chinese surname originating from the Chinese word for "mouth" or "entrance".

What does the Chui map show?

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