NameCensus.

UK surname

Cuming

A locational surname denoting someone from a place called Comines or Cummings.

In the 1881 census there were 355 people recorded with the Cuming surname, ranking it #8,679 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 357, ranked #12,953, down from #8,679 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bovey, North, London parishes and Totnes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Teignbridge, South Ribble and Kensington and Chelsea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cuming is 453 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.6%.

1881 census count

355

Ranked #8,679

Modern count

357

2016, ranked #12,953

Peak year

1851

453 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cuming had 355 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,679 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 357 in 2016, ranked #12,953.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 453 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cuming surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cuming surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cuming 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 453 #5,441
1861 historical 346 #7,377
1881 historical 355 #8,679
1891 historical 380 #9,231
1901 historical 363 #10,145
1911 historical 367 #9,914
1997 modern 339 #12,464
1998 modern 364 #12,201
1999 modern 367 #12,202
2000 modern 368 #12,130
2001 modern 342 #12,566
2002 modern 358 #12,402
2003 modern 353 #12,345
2004 modern 348 #12,495
2005 modern 341 #12,605
2006 modern 350 #12,448
2007 modern 338 #12,925
2008 modern 357 #12,509
2009 modern 358 #12,736
2010 modern 373 #12,628
2011 modern 365 #12,694
2012 modern 367 #12,499
2013 modern 380 #12,382
2014 modern 370 #12,712
2015 modern 366 #12,717
2016 modern 357 #12,953

Geography

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Where Cumings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bovey, North, London parishes, Totnes, Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Teignbridge, South Ribble, Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham and Wiltshire. 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 Bovey, North Devon
2 London parishes London 3
3 Totnes Devon
4 Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston Devon
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Teignbridge 003 Teignbridge
2 South Ribble 008 South Ribble
3 Kensington and Chelsea 006 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Hammersmith and Fulham 023 Hammersmith and Fulham
5 Wiltshire 008 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cuming

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cuming

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Cuming surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cuming 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cuming 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

Cuming 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

Cuming falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cuming

The surname CUMING is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "cuman" which means "to come". It is believed to have originated as a descriptive name for someone who had recently arrived in a particular area or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the CUMING surname is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings such as "Cumming" and "Comyn".

In the 12th century, the CUMING family established themselves as prominent landowners in Scotland, particularly in the regions of Aberdeenshire and Moray. Notable members of this Scottish branch include Walter Cuming, a powerful baron who lived during the reign of King William the Lion (1165-1214).

In the 13th century, the CUMING surname can be found in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which documented landowners in England. The name is also associated with the village of Comyn Platt in Worcestershire, suggesting a connection to a place name.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the CUMING surname is Ralph Cuming, a landowner in Yorkshire who was born around 1180. Another notable figure is William Cuming (1337-1418), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Winchester.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the CUMING surname was present in various parts of England, including Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. Robert Cuming (1548-1610) was an English merchant and politician who served as the Sheriff of London in 1590.

In the 18th century, the CUMING name gained prominence in Scotland with individuals such as Sir Alexander Cuming (1690-1775), a Scottish baronet and landowner, and James Cuming (1777-1861), a Scottish naval surgeon and naturalist.

The 19th century saw the CUMING surname spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia. One notable figure from this period is Hugh Cuming (1791-1865), a British naturalist and explorer who collected thousands of specimens during his travels in the Philippines and other parts of Southeast Asia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cuming families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cuming 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 118 Cumings recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.01x.

County Total Index
Devon 118 16.01x
Middlesex 80 2.26x
Surrey 31 1.80x
Cornwall 11 2.74x
Hampshire 11 1.52x
Dunbartonshire 10 10.51x
Yorkshire 9 0.26x
Aberdeenshire 8 2.44x
Kent 8 0.66x
Lancashire 8 0.19x
Channel Islands 6 5.72x
Inverness-shire 6 5.67x
Lanarkshire 6 0.52x
Buckinghamshire 5 2.34x
Caernarfonshire 5 3.49x
Essex 5 0.72x
Midlothian 5 1.05x
Angus 4 1.22x
Cheshire 4 0.51x
Staffordshire 4 0.33x
Dumfriesshire 2 2.56x
Glamorgan 2 0.32x
Hertfordshire 2 0.82x
Morayshire 2 3.64x
Royal Navy 2 4.74x
Sussex 2 0.34x
Ayrshire 1 0.38x
Buteshire 1 4.66x
Dorset 1 0.43x
Durham 1 0.09x
Lincolnshire 1 0.18x
Norfolk 1 0.18x
Warwickshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hornsey in Middlesex leads with 12 Cumings recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.80x.

Place Total Index
Hornsey 12 26.80x
Islington London 11 3.21x
Kenwyn 11 104.96x
Charleton 10 1515.15x
North Bovey 10 1886.79x
Row 10 81.23x
Totnes 10 232.02x
Lambeth 9 2.91x
West Alvington 9 865.38x
Camberwell 8 3.54x
Hackney London 8 4.03x
Manaton 8 2000.00x
Modbury 8 425.53x
South Pool 8 1666.67x
Bethnal Green London 7 4.55x
Portsea 7 4.92x
Chagford 6 340.91x
Deptford St Paul 6 6.44x
Kensington London 6 3.05x
Plymouth Charles The 6 18.48x
St Helier 6 17.56x
Tavistock 6 71.43x
Acton 5 24.08x
Bangor 5 36.21x
Bradninch 5 240.38x
Epsom 5 59.45x
Exeter St David 5 79.37x
Grays Thurrock 5 76.92x
Kilmuir 5 160.77x
Peterhead 5 28.84x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 8.81x
Stoke Damerel 5 9.69x
Twickenham 5 32.94x
Wandsworth 5 14.67x
Barnsley 4 11.05x
Bow London 4 8.87x
Chiswick 4 20.67x
Exminster 4 150.94x
Glasgow 4 1.97x
St Marylebone London 4 2.12x
Wolverhampton 4 4.35x
Croydon 3 3.13x
Edinburgh Canongate 3 24.86x
Hoose 3 205.48x
Leeds 3 1.51x
Lymington 3 56.29x
St Giles In Fields London 3 17.27x
Tottenham 3 5.32x
Wolverton 3 67.72x
Worsley 3 11.58x
Buckingham 2 45.98x
Coryton 2 740.74x
Dumfries 2 25.91x
Dundee 2 1.63x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 1.05x
Exeter St Sidwell 2 11.85x
Hamilton 2 6.26x
Hampstead London 2 3.63x
Harberton 2 119.05x
Hemel Hempstead 2 18.18x
Isleworth 2 12.71x
Liff Benvie 2 4.02x
Liverpool 2 0.78x
Manchester 2 1.06x
Nether Exe 2 2500.00x
Royal Navy 2 5.54x
Swansea Town 2 3.96x
Appleton Roebuck 1 185.19x
Aveton Gifford 1 93.46x
Dalmellington 1 12.84x
Exeter St Thomas The 1 13.32x
Gravesend 1 9.78x
Higher Bebington 1 20.00x
Kingarth 1 64.94x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 1.40x
St Andrews Lhanbryd 1 58.82x
St Lawrence Winchester 1 333.33x
Thornley 1 26.25x
Thorpe Next Norwich 1 17.33x
Urquhart 1 38.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 16
William 16
James 10
Henry 9
Richard 8
George 7
Charles 6
Arthur 5
Edward 5
Frederick 5
Alfred 4
Ernest 4
Alexander 3
Elias 3
Robert 3
Thomas 3
Alex.P. 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Harry 2
Hugh 2
Joseph 2
Nicholas 2
Peter 2
Saml. 2
Wm. 2
Benjamin 1
Donald 1
Edgar 1
Edwn. 1
F.W. 1
Fred. 1
Frederic 1
Geo. 1
H.W. 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Hubert 1
Job 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Matthew 1
Percy 1
Petter 1
Roualevon 1
Thos. 1
Victoria 1
Wallace 1
Walter 1
Wm.Geo. 1

FAQ

Cuming surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cuming surname in 1881?

In 1881, 355 people were recorded with the Cuming surname. That placed it at #8,679 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cuming surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 357 in 2016. That gives Cuming a modern rank of #12,953.

What does the Cuming surname mean?

A locational surname denoting someone from a place called Comines or Cummings.

What does the Cuming map show?

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