NameCensus.

UK surname

Darling

An English surname derived from the Old English word "deorling," meaning a beloved or dear one.

In the 1881 census there were 2,873 people recorded with the Darling surname, ranking it #1,563 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,336, ranked #2,038, down from #1,563 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Edinburgh and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, North Devon and Douglas West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Darling is 3,340 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.1%.

1881 census count

2,873

Ranked #1,563

Modern count

3,336

2016, ranked #2,038

Peak year

2014

3,340 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Darling had 2,873 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,563 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,336 in 2016, ranked #2,038.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,237 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Darling surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Darling surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Darling 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 2,192 #1,333
1861 historical 2,241 #1,310
1881 historical 2,873 #1,563
1891 historical 2,944 #1,599
1901 historical 3,237 #1,725
1911 historical 2,581 #1,980
1997 modern 3,228 #1,994
1998 modern 3,299 #2,028
1999 modern 3,303 #2,052
2000 modern 3,301 #2,038
2001 modern 3,214 #2,049
2002 modern 3,296 #2,044
2003 modern 3,207 #2,049
2004 modern 3,225 #2,040
2005 modern 3,153 #2,052
2006 modern 3,161 #2,060
2007 modern 3,124 #2,090
2008 modern 3,150 #2,093
2009 modern 3,198 #2,116
2010 modern 3,295 #2,104
2011 modern 3,226 #2,117
2012 modern 3,214 #2,097
2013 modern 3,310 #2,073
2014 modern 3,340 #2,067
2015 modern 3,314 #2,059
2016 modern 3,336 #2,038

Geography

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Where Darlings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Edinburgh, Lambeth and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, North Devon, Douglas West and Cheviot East. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 006 Northumberland
2 North Devon 006 North Devon
3 Northumberland 002 Northumberland
4 Douglas West Dundee City
5 Cheviot East Scottish Borders

Forenames

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First names often paired with Darling

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Darling

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Darling, 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 Darling surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Darling 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, Darling 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

Darling 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

Darling 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 Darling 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 Darling, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Darling

The surname Darling is an English name derived from the Old English word "deorling", meaning "beloved one" or "darling". This term of endearment was originally a diminutive form of the word "deor", meaning "dear". The name was likely first used to refer to a cherished family member or perhaps a newborn child.

The earliest known record of the surname Darling dates back to the 13th century in the county of Hampshire, England. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Robert Darling, who was listed in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273. Another early reference is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301, which mentions a John Darling.

In the 14th century, the surname Darling appeared in various forms, including Derling, Durling, and Dyrling, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling that were common during that period. One notable individual from this time was William Darling, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex in 1332.

The surname Darling has been associated with several place names in England, such as Darlington in County Durham and Darlingscott in Worcestershire. These locations may have influenced the spelling and distribution of the name, as people often adopted surnames based on the places they lived or were born.

In the 16th century, a prominent figure with the surname Darling was Thomas Darling, an English dramatist and poet who lived from 1530 to 1595. Another noteworthy individual was Grace Darling, a celebrated English Victorian age heroine known for her bravery in rescuing survivors from the shipwrecked Forfarshire in 1838.

Other notable individuals with the surname Darling include: - Ralph Darling (1772-1858), a British colonial governor of New South Wales, Australia. - Flora Darling (1827-1909), an American philanthropist and socialite. - Jay Norwood Darling (1876-1962), an American cartoonist and conservationist who won the Pulitzer Prize. - Sir Robert Darling (1880-1939), an Australian politician and judge.

While the surname Darling has its roots in England, it has since been widely adopted and can be found in various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Darling families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Darling 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 380 Darlings recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.36x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 380 1.36x
Midlothian 299 7.98x
Northumberland 290 6.97x
Surrey 206 1.51x
Yorkshire 194 0.70x
Durham 153 1.84x
Kent 150 1.57x
Lanarkshire 150 1.66x
Berwickshire 123 36.31x
Berkshire 121 5.76x
Lancashire 64 0.19x
Selkirkshire 62 24.50x
Staffordshire 40 0.42x
Sussex 38 0.81x
Gloucestershire 37 0.67x
Roxburghshire 36 7.10x
Cambridgeshire 33 1.86x
East Lothian 30 8.10x
Essex 29 0.53x
Hampshire 29 0.51x
Suffolk 28 0.82x
Worcestershire 26 0.71x
Fife 23 1.39x
Oxfordshire 23 1.33x
Angus 22 0.85x
Huntingdonshire 22 3.96x
Northamptonshire 21 0.80x
Warwickshire 18 0.26x
Buckinghamshire 16 0.95x
Cheshire 16 0.26x
Wiltshire 16 0.65x
Devon 15 0.26x
Glamorgan 15 0.31x
Renfrewshire 15 0.69x
Aberdeenshire 13 0.50x
Somerset 9 0.20x
Cumberland 8 0.33x
Inverness-shire 8 0.96x
Caithness 7 1.83x
Derbyshire 7 0.16x
Leicestershire 7 0.23x
Norfolk 7 0.16x
Perthshire 7 0.56x
West Lothian 7 1.66x
Channel Islands 5 0.60x
Dorset 5 0.27x
Kinross-shire 5 7.07x
Cornwall 4 0.13x
Kirkcudbrightshire 4 0.99x
Bedfordshire 3 0.21x
Dumfriesshire 3 0.49x
Lincolnshire 3 0.07x
Royal Navy 3 0.90x
Stirlingshire 3 0.29x
Westmorland 2 0.33x
Argyllshire 1 0.13x
Ayrshire 1 0.05x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.08x
Hertfordshire 1 0.05x
Merionethshire 1 0.20x
Morayshire 1 0.23x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.03x
Peeblesshire 1 0.76x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 110 Darlings recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.30x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 110 7.30x
Lambeth 42 1.72x
Battersea 41 3.98x
Govan 34 1.52x
Paddington London 34 3.31x
Alnwick 31 43.31x
Barony 30 1.31x
Chatham 30 11.42x
Kensington London 29 1.86x
Bedlington 28 20.14x
Cambusnethan 27 13.44x
Galashiels 27 28.86x
Hackney London 27 1.72x
Islington London 27 1.00x
Newbattle 26 81.17x
Camberwell 25 1.40x
Mile End Old Town London 24 4.03x
Sheffield 24 2.72x
Newington 23 2.23x
St Pancras London 22 0.98x
Bethnal Green London 21 1.73x
Deptford St Paul 21 2.85x
Melrose 21 32.97x
Berwick Upon Tweed 20 22.68x
Byker 20 9.72x
Somersham 20 148.26x
Stow 19 98.60x
Woolwich 19 5.39x
Lauder 18 96.15x
Reading St Mary 18 10.70x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 17 16.89x
Edinburgh St Marys 17 23.33x
Edrom 17 117.16x
Peterborough 17 8.92x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 16 18.05x
Falsgrave 16 39.17x
Gateshead 16 2.57x
Send Ripley 16 90.09x
Carnwath 15 26.81x
Elwick Hall 15 943.40x
Hawick 15 13.23x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 15 6.03x
Stoke Upon Trent 15 1.50x
Waterbeach 15 103.81x
Abingdon St Helen 14 22.80x
Brighton 14 1.47x
Selkirk 14 19.63x
Twickenham 14 11.67x
Hammersmith London 13 1.89x
Lesbury 13 141.46x
North Sunderland 13 136.27x
Rochester St Margaret 13 12.91x
Worcester St Peter 13 18.80x
Chorlton On Medlock 12 2.28x
Poplar London 12 2.27x
St Luke London 12 2.67x
Ayton 11 55.98x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 11 2.13x
Cockpen 11 25.11x
East Denton 11 116.28x
Ecclesall Bierlow 11 1.95x
Shoreditch London 11 0.91x
Speen 11 32.01x
Westoe 11 2.33x
Bolton 10 751.88x
Clerkenwell London 10 1.51x
Dunbar 10 19.25x
Dundee 10 1.03x
Dysart 10 8.97x
Eccles 10 67.39x
Edinburgh Greenside 10 20.19x
Everton 10 0.95x
Holy Island 10 188.68x
Ingatestone 10 112.74x
Monkwearmouth 10 12.55x
Oxford St Aldate 10 54.98x
Wantage 10 29.87x
Cathcart 9 7.67x
Clapham 9 2.57x
Keighley 9 3.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 126
John 93
James 79
Thomas 75
George 72
Henry 54
Robert 54
Charles 39
Alfred 30
Joseph 25
Edward 19
Albert 16
Walter 12
Frederick 11
Ernest 10
Peter 10
Arthur 9
David 9
Herbert 9
Fredrick 8
Richard 8
Thos. 8
Alexander 7
Stephen 7
Andrew 6
Samuel 6
Francis 5
Harry 5
Ralph 5
Adam 4
Chas. 4
Edwin 4
Frank 4
Fred 4
Isaac 4
Matthew 4
Percy 4
Archibald 3
Geo. 3
Harold 3
Horace 3
Mark 3
Philip 3
Reuben 3
Wm. 3
Amos 2
Benj. 2
Edwd. 2
Robt. 2
Sidney 2

FAQ

Darling surname: questions and answers

How common was the Darling surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,873 people were recorded with the Darling surname. That placed it at #1,563 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Darling surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,336 in 2016. That gives Darling a modern rank of #2,038.

What does the Darling surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English word "deorling," meaning a beloved or dear one.

What does the Darling map show?

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