NameCensus.

UK surname

Ding

A Chinese surname derived from the ancient state of Ding or referring to a person who made or used dings (ancient Chinese cauldrons).

In the 1881 census there were 179 people recorded with the Ding surname, ranking it #13,787 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 567, ranked #9,065, up from #13,787 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Swavesey, Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leeds, Calderdale and Norwich.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ding is 567 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 216.8%.

1881 census count

179

Ranked #13,787

Modern count

567

2016, ranked #9,065

Peak year

2016

567 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ding had 179 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,787 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 567 in 2016, ranked #9,065.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 243 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Student Living and Professional Footholds.

Ding surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ding surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ding 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 140 #13,593
1861 historical 140 #16,169
1881 historical 179 #13,787
1891 historical 212 #14,318
1901 historical 216 #14,426
1911 historical 243 #13,163
1997 modern 326 #12,811
1998 modern 345 #12,649
1999 modern 344 #12,776
2000 modern 337 #12,901
2001 modern 329 #12,921
2002 modern 352 #12,557
2003 modern 355 #12,285
2004 modern 375 #11,820
2005 modern 370 #11,875
2006 modern 370 #11,940
2007 modern 388 #11,630
2008 modern 389 #11,723
2009 modern 424 #11,179
2010 modern 475 #10,445
2011 modern 459 #10,607
2012 modern 505 #9,787
2013 modern 516 #9,783
2014 modern 542 #9,508
2015 modern 561 #9,153
2016 modern 567 #9,065

Geography

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Where Dings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Swavesey, Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth, London parishes, Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict and Woodhurst. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leeds, Calderdale, Norwich, East Cambridgeshire and Harlow. 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 Swavesey Huntingdonshire
2 Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth Cambridgeshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict Cambridgeshire
5 Woodhurst Huntingdonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leeds 103 Leeds
2 Calderdale 003 Calderdale
3 Norwich 013 Norwich
4 East Cambridgeshire 003 East Cambridgeshire
5 Harlow 006 Harlow

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ding

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ding

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ding, 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 Ding surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Student Living and Professional Footholds, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Ding 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Ding is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ding 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

Ding 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 Ding is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Chinese

This describes the area pattern most associated with Ding, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ding

The surname "DING" originated in China, with roots dating back to ancient times. It is believed to have derived from the Chinese word "ding," which means "summit" or "top of a mountain." The earliest known records of this surname can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) in the regions of Shandong and Henan provinces.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE), the name "DING" appeared in several historical texts and records. One notable mention is in the "Song Huiyao," a compilation of administrative documents from the Song era, where a scholar named Ding Weijing (1015-1079 CE) is referenced.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE), the "DING" surname gained prominence through several notable figures. Ding Henian (1457-1510 CE), a renowned writer and calligrapher, was highly respected during his time. Another notable bearer of this surname was Ding Richang (1516-1599 CE), a renowned military strategist and author of the influential work "Ding Shi Quan Shu" (The Complete Works of Ding Richang).

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 CE), the "DING" surname was well-represented in various fields. Ding Baozhen (1820-1886 CE) was a prominent scholar and philosopher, while Ding Gongchen (1872-1948 CE) was a respected educator and reformist who played a significant role in the modernization of China's education system.

In more recent history, Ding Ling (1904-1986 CE) was a renowned writer and playwright who became a prominent figure in the May Fourth Movement, a socio-cultural revolution that shaped modern Chinese literature and thought.

While the "DING" surname has its origins in China, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and cultural exchange. However, the historical records and notable figures mentioned above provide a glimpse into the rich history and evolution of this surname within the Chinese cultural context.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ding families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ding 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 86 Dings recorded in 1881 and an index of 81.41x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 86 81.41x
Huntingdonshire 29 87.56x
Middlesex 28 1.68x
Essex 7 2.13x
Surrey 6 0.74x
Lancashire 5 0.25x
Norfolk 5 1.95x
Northamptonshire 2 1.27x
Hampshire 1 0.29x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.44x
Staffordshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Swavesey in Cambridgeshire leads with 18 Dings recorded in 1881 and an index of 2647.06x.

Place Total Index
Swavesey 18 2647.06x
Elsworth 11 2894.74x
Chatteris 10 370.37x
Houghton 9 3103.45x
Shoreditch London 9 12.45x
Coveney 8 2857.14x
Fen Drayton 8 4000.00x
Fen Stanton 8 1311.48x
Islington London 8 4.95x
St Andrewthe Less 8 66.28x
Bethnal Green London 6 8.28x
Conington 5 5555.56x
Nutfield 5 819.67x
Wanstead 5 86.66x
Abbots Ripton 4 1818.18x
Cottenham 4 285.71x
Heigham 4 29.07x
St Andrewthe Great 4 291.97x
Huntingdon St Benedict 3 714.29x
Oakington 3 967.74x
Papworth Everard 3 4285.71x
St Ives 3 174.42x
Toxteth Park 3 4.48x
Conington 2 1176.47x
Harston 2 444.44x
Whittlesford 2 416.67x
Brigstock 1 166.67x
Bromley London 1 2.73x
Broughton In Salford 1 5.52x
Camberwell 1 0.94x
Christchurch 1 13.50x
Great Yarmouth 1 4.71x
Hucknall Torkard 1 17.54x
Kensington London 1 1.08x
Limehouse London 1 5.46x
Paddington London 1 1.63x
Peterborough Minster Close 1 625.00x
St Pancras London 1 0.74x
Waltham Holy Cross 1 32.47x
West Derby 1 1.73x
West Ham 1 1.38x
Yoxall 1 135.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 13
Mary 12
Sarah 6
Emma 5
Eliza 4
Agnes 3
Ann 3
Charlotte 3
Harriet 3
Alice 2
Florence 2
Jane 2
Margaret 2
Rebecca 2
Ada 1
Alberta 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Charlote 1
Edith 1
Elenor 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Hepzibah 1
Hetty 1
Julia 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Martha 1
Rose 1
Rosie 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 15
Thomas 13
George 9
John 8
Alfred 5
Arthur 5
James 3
Robert 3
Samuel 3
Charles 2
Francis 2
Henry 2
Joseph 2
Benjamin 1
Bob 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Malcolm 1
Philip 1
Reason 1
Richard 1
Snaring 1
Snary 1
Tom 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Ding surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ding surname in 1881?

In 1881, 179 people were recorded with the Ding surname. That placed it at #13,787 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ding surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 567 in 2016. That gives Ding a modern rank of #9,065.

What does the Ding surname mean?

A Chinese surname derived from the ancient state of Ding or referring to a person who made or used dings (ancient Chinese cauldrons).

What does the Ding map show?

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