NameCensus.

UK surname

Cumming

Derived from a place name meaning "settlement of Cumine's people" in Old English, referring to a family patriarch.

In the 1881 census there were 5,725 people recorded with the Cumming surname, ranking it #771 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,150, ranked #1,316, down from #771 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Deer and Mormond, Central Shetland and East Cairngorms.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cumming is 6,481 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.0%.

1881 census count

5,725

Ranked #771

Modern count

5,150

2016, ranked #1,316

Peak year

1901

6,481 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cumming had 5,725 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #771 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,150 in 2016, ranked #1,316.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,481 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Cumming surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cumming surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cumming 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 4,468 #632
1861 historical 4,703 #601
1881 historical 5,725 #771
1891 historical 6,049 #771
1901 historical 6,481 #858
1911 historical 1,639 #2,968
1997 modern 5,166 #1,264
1998 modern 5,310 #1,282
1999 modern 5,368 #1,279
2000 modern 5,348 #1,275
2001 modern 5,187 #1,279
2002 modern 5,307 #1,285
2003 modern 5,128 #1,292
2004 modern 5,092 #1,300
2005 modern 5,078 #1,287
2006 modern 5,032 #1,301
2007 modern 5,056 #1,306
2008 modern 5,100 #1,305
2009 modern 5,197 #1,310
2010 modern 5,228 #1,331
2011 modern 5,174 #1,324
2012 modern 5,044 #1,330
2013 modern 5,114 #1,335
2014 modern 5,122 #1,339
2015 modern 5,109 #1,334
2016 modern 5,150 #1,316

Geography

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Where Cummings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Urquhart and Glenmoriston and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Deer and Mormond, Central Shetland, East Cairngorms, Ythanside and Letham and Glamis. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Urquhart and Glenmoriston Inverness
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Deer and Mormond Aberdeenshire
2 Central Shetland Shetland Islands
3 East Cairngorms Aberdeenshire
4 Ythanside Aberdeenshire
5 Letham and Glamis Angus

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cumming

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cumming

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cumming, 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 Cumming surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Cumming 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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cumming 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

Cumming is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cumming falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cumming

The surname Cumming has its origins in Scotland, where it first appeared in the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "cumaing," meaning "milk pail" or "milk bucket." The name likely referred to someone who worked as a dairyman or was associated with the dairy trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. Among the names mentioned is that of Adam de Cummyng, a Scottish nobleman from Cumbernauld.

The Cumming family played a significant role in Scottish history, particularly during the Wars of Scottish Independence. Sir John Cumming, a prominent knight who lived in the 14th century, was a staunch supporter of Robert the Bruce and fought alongside him at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in various historical records, including the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which mention a William Cumming who held lands in Aberdeenshire in 1456.

The Cummings were also associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Cummingston in East Lothian and Cummingstown in Lanarkshire. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, suggesting that the Cummings were landowners in those areas.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir Alexander Cumming, a Scottish soldier and diplomat who lived in the 16th century. He served as the ambassador to France and was knighted by King James VI of Scotland in 1587.

Another prominent figure was Sir William Gordon Cumming, a British naval officer who lived from 1772 to 1854. He played a significant role in the Napoleonic Wars and was renowned for his bravery and leadership.

In literature, the name Cumming appears in works such as Sir Walter Scott's novel "The Bride of Lammermoor," where one of the characters is named Ravenswood Cumming.

Throughout history, the surname Cumming has been spelled in various ways, including Cuming, Comyn, Comying, and Cummyn, reflecting the regional variations and linguistic influences of different parts of Scotland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cumming families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cumming 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. Lanarkshire leads with 717 Cummings recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.98x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 717 3.98x
Aberdeenshire 650 12.59x
Midlothian 366 4.90x
Inverness-shire 328 19.70x
Ayrshire 284 6.81x
Middlesex 264 0.47x
Morayshire 244 28.17x
Lancashire 199 0.30x
Devon 191 1.65x
Banffshire 183 15.83x
Perthshire 177 7.08x
Angus 174 3.37x
Fife 171 5.18x
Renfrewshire 169 3.91x
Surrey 147 0.54x
Stirlingshire 100 4.86x
Durham 99 0.60x
Orkney 95 15.49x
Wigtownshire 81 10.94x
Yorkshire 70 0.13x
Argyllshire 66 4.25x
Dunbartonshire 62 4.14x
Sutherland 62 14.47x
Ross-shire 60 3.92x
Shetland 45 7.90x
Kent 43 0.23x
Nairnshire 43 25.27x
Kirkcudbrightshire 42 5.21x
East Lothian 39 5.28x
Caithness 35 4.59x
Northumberland 33 0.40x
Buteshire 32 9.48x
Warwickshire 31 0.22x
Cheshire 27 0.22x
Roxburghshire 26 2.58x
Kincardineshire 25 3.68x
Dumfriesshire 24 1.95x
Staffordshire 22 0.12x
Essex 21 0.19x
Glamorgan 20 0.21x
Clackmannanshire 17 3.69x
Kinross-shire 17 12.06x
Gloucestershire 15 0.14x
Cumberland 14 0.29x
Lincolnshire 14 0.16x
Berwickshire 13 1.93x
Buckinghamshire 13 0.39x
Worcestershire 13 0.18x
Hampshire 12 0.11x
Berkshire 11 0.26x
Cornwall 11 0.17x
Somerset 11 0.12x
West Lothian 11 1.31x
Sussex 10 0.11x
Royal Navy 9 1.36x
Selkirkshire 8 1.59x
Leicestershire 7 0.11x
Suffolk 6 0.09x
Norfolk 5 0.06x
Oxfordshire 5 0.15x
Westmorland 5 0.41x
Channel Islands 3 0.18x
Derbyshire 3 0.03x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.06x
Dorset 2 0.05x
Monmouthshire 2 0.05x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.03x
Herefordshire 1 0.04x
Hertfordshire 1 0.03x
Isle of Man 1 0.10x
Northamptonshire 1 0.02x
Shropshire 1 0.02x
Wiltshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 217 Cummings recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.76x.

Place Total Index
Barony 217 4.76x
Aberdeen Old Machar 166 15.40x
Govan 165 3.70x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 158 5.26x
Glasgow 151 4.72x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 139 14.39x
Dundee 81 4.20x
Urquhart Glenmoriston 81 172.08x
Inverness 65 15.52x
Cromdale 59 84.67x
Avondale 47 44.59x
Newton On Ayr 46 36.82x
South Leith 46 5.47x
Dornoch 43 89.05x
Paisley High Church 43 12.50x
Abbey 42 6.37x
Dunfermline 38 7.49x
Kilmarnock 38 7.65x
Fordyce 37 44.48x
Old Deer 37 37.82x
Kensington London 36 1.16x
Lambeth 36 0.74x
South Ronaldshay 36 56.73x
Liverpool 35 0.87x
Duthil 33 103.87x
Knockando 30 85.23x
Kirkwall St Ola 27 29.40x
Duffus 26 34.07x
Elgin 25 14.84x
New Machar 25 86.21x
Fraserburgh 24 16.52x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 24 3.34x
Kilmore Kilbride 24 24.37x
Old Kilpatrick 24 13.56x
Sandsting Aitsting 24 46.52x
Ayr 23 11.68x
Banff 23 22.90x
Bermondsey 23 1.39x
Cambusnethan 23 5.74x
Falkirk 23 4.78x
Kilmallie 23 28.82x
Peterhead 23 8.43x
New Deer 22 23.54x
Preston 22 1.24x
St Pancras London 22 0.49x
Tarbat 22 60.81x
Ardrossan 21 14.54x
Rothes 21 49.72x
Stirling 21 8.10x
East Greenock 20 4.90x
Kingussie Insh 20 52.38x
Nairn 20 19.37x
South Uist 20 17.22x
St Andrews Lhanbryd 20 74.77x
West Greenock 20 2.58x
Birmingham 19 0.41x
Dores 19 85.47x
Everton 19 0.90x
Snizort 19 45.76x
Wick 19 7.71x
Hackney London 18 0.58x
Paddington London 18 0.88x
St Vigeans 18 6.46x
West Derby 18 0.93x
Forres 17 18.68x
Aberlour 16 43.63x
Alloa 16 7.17x
Edinburgh St Stephens 16 10.89x
Keith 16 12.98x
Kinross 16 33.12x
Shoreditch London 16 0.66x
Sorbie 16 49.44x
Tormoham 16 3.26x
Tulliallan 16 37.74x
Dailly 15 35.25x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 15 8.49x
Fortingall 15 46.96x
Monifieth 15 8.22x
Montrose 15 4.79x
Tarves 15 30.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 85
William 80
James 44
Thomas 37
Henry 32
Robert 27
George 26
Charles 25
Alexander 22
Edward 17
Arthur 12
Joseph 12
Richard 11
Samuel 11
David 10
Alfred 9
Frederick 9
Walter 9
Albert 6
Hugh 6
Patrick 6
Daniel 5
Francis 5
Robt. 5
Thos. 5
Benjamin 4
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Herbert 4
Jas. 4
Wm. 4
Andrew 3
Frank 3
Geo. 3
Matthew 3
Michael 3
Peter 3
Sydney 3
Anthony 2
C. 2
Chas. 2
Christopher 2
Elias 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Harold 2
Harry 2
Pierce 2
Ralph 2
Willm. 2

FAQ

Cumming surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cumming surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,725 people were recorded with the Cumming surname. That placed it at #771 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cumming surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,150 in 2016. That gives Cumming a modern rank of #1,316.

What does the Cumming surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "settlement of Cumine's people" in Old English, referring to a family patriarch.

What does the Cumming map show?

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