NameCensus.

UK surname

Culling

A surname derived from the Middle English word "cullen," meaning to cull or select.

In the 1881 census there were 487 people recorded with the Culling surname, ranking it #6,914 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 520, ranked #9,720, down from #6,914 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Shottesham St Mary and St Martin, Shottesham All Saints, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Norwich, South Norfolk and Kirklees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Culling is 717 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.8%.

1881 census count

487

Ranked #6,914

Modern count

520

2016, ranked #9,720

Peak year

1911

717 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Culling had 487 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,914 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 520 in 2016, ranked #9,720.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 717 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Culling surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Culling surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Culling 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 274 #8,176
1861 historical 470 #5,522
1881 historical 487 #6,914
1891 historical 587 #6,508
1901 historical 619 #6,894
1911 historical 717 #5,963
1997 modern 582 #8,320
1998 modern 582 #8,555
1999 modern 592 #8,517
2000 modern 573 #8,671
2001 modern 550 #8,799
2002 modern 554 #8,933
2003 modern 558 #8,740
2004 modern 561 #8,736
2005 modern 550 #8,784
2006 modern 540 #8,939
2007 modern 529 #9,160
2008 modern 524 #9,299
2009 modern 524 #9,516
2010 modern 532 #9,604
2011 modern 522 #9,645
2012 modern 504 #9,803
2013 modern 529 #9,619
2014 modern 533 #9,627
2015 modern 527 #9,645
2016 modern 520 #9,720

Geography

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Where Cullings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Shottesham St Mary and St Martin, Shottesham All Saints, London parishes, Gateshead and Keinton Mansfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Norwich, South Norfolk and Kirklees. 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 Shottesham St Mary and St Martin, Shottesham All Saints Norfolk
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Keinton Mansfield Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Norwich 006 Norwich
2 Norwich 005 Norwich
3 South Norfolk 008 South Norfolk
4 South Norfolk 003 South Norfolk
5 Kirklees 028 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Culling

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Culling

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Culling surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Culling household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Culling 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

Culling 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

Culling falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Culling

The surname Culling is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "culling," which means "a slaughter" or "a killing." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who worked as a butcher or a hunter.

The earliest recorded instance of the Culling surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cullinges." This indicates that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

During the 13th century, variations of the name, such as "Cullinge" and "Cullyng," were documented in various records from counties like Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk. These regions were known for their agricultural and livestock-rearing activities, which further supports the idea that the name may have originated from an occupation related to slaughtering animals.

One notable early bearer of the Culling surname was John Culling (c. 1370-1445), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Oxfordshire. He was a prominent figure in his local community and served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Wallingford.

Another significant individual with this surname was Sir Hugh Culling (1525-1598), a English soldier and courtier who served under Queen Elizabeth I. He was knighted for his military service and held various positions, including Lieutenant of the Tower of London.

In the 17th century, the Culling family established themselves in Hertfordshire, where they owned land and estates. One member of this branch was Sir John Culling (1645-1721), a baronet and Member of Parliament for the county.

The surname also spread to other parts of England, with notable bearers such as Thomas Culling Smith (1768-1853), a British antiquarian and topographer who wrote extensively about the history and antiquities of various counties.

Another prominent figure was Edward Terry Culling (1807-1876), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Wolverhampton and later as a judge in the Court of Common Pleas.

While the Culling surname originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to immigration and migration patterns. However, its roots can be traced back to the medieval period in England, where it was likely derived from an occupation related to slaughtering animals.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Culling families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Culling 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. Norfolk leads with 124 Cullings recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.98x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 124 16.98x
Middlesex 71 1.49x
Somerset 43 5.62x
Cumberland 31 7.58x
Essex 29 3.09x
Yorkshire 28 0.59x
Kent 25 1.54x
Suffolk 20 3.46x
Surrey 20 0.86x
Wiltshire 11 2.62x
Lancashire 9 0.16x
Devon 7 0.71x
Cambridgeshire 6 1.99x
Hampshire 6 0.62x
Kirkcudbrightshire 6 8.72x
Midlothian 6 0.94x
Durham 5 0.35x
Angus 4 0.91x
Gloucestershire 4 0.43x
Hertfordshire 4 1.22x
Leicestershire 4 0.76x
Perthshire 4 1.88x
Staffordshire 4 0.25x
Dorset 3 0.96x
Denbighshire 2 1.11x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.31x
Warwickshire 2 0.17x
Ayrshire 1 0.28x
Berkshire 1 0.28x
Cheshire 1 0.10x
Fife 1 0.36x
Glamorgan 1 0.12x
Lincolnshire 1 0.13x
Monmouthshire 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Keinton Mandeville in Somerset leads with 24 Cullings recorded in 1881 and an index of 2758.62x.

Place Total Index
Keinton Mandeville 24 2758.62x
Arlecdon 14 128.68x
Barking 13 47.38x
Barton St David 12 2181.82x
Hornsey 12 19.98x
Shoreditch London 12 5.83x
Stratton St Margaret 11 170.81x
Filby 10 1052.63x
Loughton 10 215.52x
Dunston 9 7500.00x
Heigham 9 22.96x
Lakenham 9 86.71x
Mile End Old Town London 9 8.90x
Poplar London 9 10.04x
Caldewgate 8 35.70x
Manningham 8 13.80x
Shropham 8 1142.86x
Framingham Pigot 7 1842.11x
Keswick 7 133.84x
Rendlesham 7 1206.90x
Campsall 6 1200.00x
Mautby 6 2608.70x
Newbattle 6 110.29x
Newton Flotman 6 1276.60x
Norwich St Martin At Oak 6 135.14x
St Marylebone London 6 2.37x
Troqueer 6 66.52x
Alpington 5 1851.85x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 5 11.40x
Braiseworth 5 1923.08x
Downham Market 5 99.60x
Faversham 5 32.34x
Gorleston 5 34.01x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 5 8.17x
Minster In Sheppey 5 18.62x
Norwich St Augustine 5 170.07x
Wandsworth 5 10.93x
Badgworth 4 869.57x
Fazeley 4 136.99x
Kingskerswell 4 243.90x
Longforgan 4 132.89x
Lydney 4 83.16x
Manchester 4 1.58x
Portsea 4 2.10x
Rotherhithe 4 6.82x
Sproatley Wyton 4 597.01x
Caistor St Edmund 3 1304.35x
Camberwell 3 0.99x
Croxton 3 625.00x
Framingham Earl 3 1304.35x
Kensington London 3 1.14x
Monifieth 3 19.29x
Paddington London 3 1.72x
Rochford 3 109.89x
Runhall 3 937.50x
Scole Cum Frenze 3 283.02x
Selby 3 30.49x
Sheldwich 3 288.46x
St Pancras London 3 0.78x
Thorpe Next Norwich 3 38.76x
West Ham 3 1.45x
Wisbech St Peter 3 19.88x
Battersea 2 1.14x
Bushey 2 25.64x
Chatham 2 4.49x
Ealing 2 4.71x
Fordham 2 666.67x
Haddiscoe 2 312.50x
Hammersmith London 2 1.71x
Ipswich St Margaret 2 10.19x
Islington London 2 0.43x
Llanynys 2 175.44x
Norwich St Etheldred 2 194.17x
Poringland 2 259.74x
Radford 2 6.15x
Shottesham All Sts 2 322.58x
St George Hanover Square 2 2.39x
Syston 2 40.57x
West Lydford 2 465.12x
Woolwich 2 3.34x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 31
James 24
John 24
George 19
Charles 16
Robert 11
Henry 9
Walter 8
Ernest 5
Isaac 5
Samuel 5
Thomas 5
Daniel 4
Edward 4
Frederick 4
Joseph 4
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Harry 3
Luke 3
Alfred 2
Fredric 2
Leonard 2
Mark 2
Patrick 2
Percy 2
W. 2
Ancel 1
Anthony 1
Barzili 1
Chas.W. 1
Dennis 1
Ebenezer 1
Ellis 1
Felix 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Infant 1
Irvin 1
Isacc 1
Jacob 1
Jno. 1
Les 1
Moyes 1
Oscar 1
Willm.M. 1

FAQ

Culling surname: questions and answers

How common was the Culling surname in 1881?

In 1881, 487 people were recorded with the Culling surname. That placed it at #6,914 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Culling surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 520 in 2016. That gives Culling a modern rank of #9,720.

What does the Culling surname mean?

A surname derived from the Middle English word "cullen," meaning to cull or select.

What does the Culling map show?

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