NameCensus.

UK surname

Downing

Derived from a place name meaning "hill" or "fortified hill," likely referring to someone who lived near a hill.

In the 1881 census there were 5,199 people recorded with the Downing surname, ranking it #856 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,533, ranked #1,034, down from #856 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dudley, Wolstanton and Rowley Regis. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Herefordshire and West Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Downing is 7,227 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.7%.

1881 census count

5,199

Ranked #856

Modern count

6,533

2016, ranked #1,034

Peak year

1911

7,227 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Downing had 5,199 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #856 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,533 in 2016, ranked #1,034.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,227 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Downing surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Downing surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Downing 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 3,206 #902
1861 historical 3,178 #907
1881 historical 5,199 #856
1891 historical 5,219 #901
1901 historical 6,395 #868
1911 historical 7,227 #721
1997 modern 6,594 #987
1998 modern 6,904 #977
1999 modern 6,898 #987
2000 modern 6,789 #994
2001 modern 6,650 #991
2002 modern 6,761 #999
2003 modern 6,615 #997
2004 modern 6,555 #1,014
2005 modern 6,441 #1,016
2006 modern 6,378 #1,024
2007 modern 6,383 #1,033
2008 modern 6,399 #1,036
2009 modern 6,565 #1,033
2010 modern 6,626 #1,040
2011 modern 6,590 #1,033
2012 modern 6,509 #1,031
2013 modern 6,621 #1,028
2014 modern 6,620 #1,034
2015 modern 6,587 #1,031
2016 modern 6,533 #1,034

Geography

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Where Downings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dudley, Wolstanton, Rowley Regis, London parishes and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Herefordshire, West Devon and North Warwickshire. 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 Dudley Staffordshire
2 Wolstanton Staffordshire
3 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 005 Cornwall
2 Herefordshire 022 Herefordshire, County of
3 Cornwall 070 Cornwall
4 West Devon 004 West Devon
5 North Warwickshire 003 North Warwickshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Downing

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Downing

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

Downing is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Downing

The surname Downing has its origins in England, where it emerged during the Middle Ages. Derived from the Old English words "dun" meaning hill and "ing" indicating a place, the name initially referred to someone who lived near or on a hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, compiled by order of William the Conqueror. This historical document mentions individuals with the surname Downing, indicating their presence in various parts of England at that time.

During the 13th century, the surname Downing began appearing in various records and manuscripts, often associated with place names such as Downingbury and Downington. These locations were likely situated on or near hills, reflecting the name's original meaning.

Among the notable individuals bearing the surname Downing throughout history is Sir George Downing (1624-1684), a renowned English soldier, diplomat, and the founder of Downing College at the University of Cambridge. Another prominent figure was Calybute Downing (1606-1644), an English clergyman and one of the founders of Harvard College in Massachusetts.

Andrew Downing (1815-1852), an American landscape gardener and horticulturist, played a significant role in shaping the American landscape design of the 19th century. His influential work, "A Treatise on the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening," remains a classic in the field.

In the realm of literature, Andrew Jackson Downing (1815-1867) was an American writer and editor known for his works on architecture and landscape gardening. His writings significantly influenced the development of American architecture and urban planning.

Sir George Downing (1685-1749), an English baronet and politician, served as a Member of Parliament for Dunwich and Callington. His contributions to public service and his involvement in local politics were notable during his lifetime.

These are just a few examples of the numerous individuals throughout history who bore the surname Downing, each leaving their mark on various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of the name's legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Downing families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Downing 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. Staffordshire leads with 706 Downings recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.12x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 706 4.12x
Yorkshire 681 1.35x
Cornwall 437 7.60x
Middlesex 393 0.77x
Lancashire 329 0.55x
Warwickshire 265 2.07x
Suffolk 238 3.85x
Devon 232 2.19x
Surrey 227 0.92x
Worcestershire 224 3.38x
Cheshire 141 1.26x
Norfolk 139 1.78x
Northamptonshire 136 2.85x
Derbyshire 123 1.55x
Essex 105 1.05x
Kent 81 0.47x
Shropshire 76 1.73x
Glamorgan 74 0.84x
Hampshire 62 0.60x
Durham 55 0.36x
Bedfordshire 39 1.48x
Gloucestershire 35 0.35x
Northumberland 35 0.46x
Buckinghamshire 32 1.04x
Nottinghamshire 32 0.47x
Somerset 29 0.35x
Lincolnshire 28 0.34x
Berkshire 23 0.60x
Leicestershire 22 0.39x
Hertfordshire 21 0.60x
Cambridgeshire 18 0.56x
Wiltshire 17 0.38x
Flintshire 16 1.17x
Monmouthshire 16 0.44x
Dorset 15 0.45x
Lanarkshire 14 0.09x
Carmarthenshire 13 0.61x
Sussex 13 0.15x
Renfrewshire 11 0.28x
Midlothian 9 0.13x
Herefordshire 8 0.38x
Channel Islands 7 0.47x
Oxfordshire 7 0.22x
Cumberland 6 0.14x
Merionethshire 4 0.43x
Royal Navy 4 0.66x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.15x
Radnorshire 3 0.73x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.09x
Stirlingshire 1 0.05x
Westmorland 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rowley Regis in Staffordshire leads with 116 Downings recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.28x.

Place Total Index
Rowley Regis 116 24.28x
Birmingham 106 2.48x
Dudley 105 13.02x
Sheffield 77 4.81x
Aston 74 2.10x
Audley 62 36.55x
Paul 61 58.38x
Wolstanton Knutton 60 57.31x
Lambeth 55 1.24x
Fishlake 51 534.03x
Harborne 51 9.28x
Brightside Bierlow 46 4.66x
West Bromwich 46 4.69x
Wolstanton Chesterton 45 51.35x
Tipton 44 8.38x
Oldbury 42 12.87x
Yardley Hastings 40 195.12x
Islington London 39 0.79x
Manchester 36 1.33x
Camberwell 35 1.08x
Bermondsey 34 2.25x
St Pancras London 32 0.78x
Falmouth 30 14.74x
Great Yarmouth 30 4.64x
Nantwich 30 23.03x
Hammersmith London 29 2.32x
Deptford St Paul 28 2.09x
Middlesbrough 28 4.27x
Shoreditch London 28 1.27x
Constantine 27 80.67x
North Hill 26 141.07x
Pendleton In Salford 26 3.62x
Portsea 25 1.23x
Stone 25 11.40x
Barrow In Furness 24 2.93x
Burton Latimer 24 83.16x
Ecclesfield 24 6.50x
Liverpool 24 0.66x
Doncaster 23 6.25x
Helston 23 38.47x
Stoke Upon Trent 23 1.27x
Walsall Foreign 23 2.60x
Felixstow 22 145.99x
Conisbrough 21 44.47x
Plymouth St Andrew 21 2.58x
Stockton On Tees 21 2.88x
Tormoham 21 4.69x
Gorleston 20 12.72x
Thurgoland 20 58.89x
Flitton 19 159.26x
Oldham 19 0.98x
Wellingborough 19 7.91x
Bethnal Green London 18 0.82x
Camborne 18 7.60x
Exeter St Sidwell 18 7.43x
Holy Trinity 18 1.49x
Kidderminster Borough 18 4.64x
Wednesbury 18 4.20x
Elswick 17 2.82x
Gorton 17 3.00x
Ipswich St Clement 17 10.81x
Kenwyn 17 11.30x
Mawnan 17 187.22x
Mile End Old Town London 17 1.57x
St Marylebone London 17 0.63x
Chippenham 16 142.48x
Edgbaston 16 4.03x
Handsworth 16 3.79x
Kingswinford 16 2.57x
Mexborough 16 16.01x
Paddington London 16 0.86x
Southwark St George Martyr 16 1.57x
Wolverhampton 16 1.21x
Wrockwardine 16 16.58x
Limehouse London 15 2.69x
Manningtree 15 91.97x
Quarndon 15 155.44x
Southminster 15 68.21x
St Keverne 15 47.38x
Wednesfield 15 5.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 359
Elizabeth 212
Sarah 182
Ann 104
Ellen 90
Jane 88
Emma 87
Eliza 81
Alice 80
Annie 76
Emily 60
Martha 56
Hannah 49
Harriet 38
Edith 34
Margaret 34
Catherine 32
Louisa 31
Maria 29
Kate 26
Minnie 26
Fanny 25
Florence 25
Rose 24
Susan 24
Caroline 23
Charlotte 23
Agnes 20
Ada 19
Frances 19
Clara 18
Julia 17
Lucy 17
Susannah 17
Anne 15
Matilda 15
Esther 13
Harriett 13
Lydia 13
Rebecca 13
Grace 12
Anna 11
Gertrude 11
Selina 11
Ethel 10
Amelia 9
Betsy 9
Lizzie 9
Sophia 9
Isabella 8

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 301
William 292
George 163
Thomas 155
James 144
Joseph 116
Charles 100
Henry 83
Edward 71
Robert 65
Arthur 64
Alfred 48
Samuel 48
Frederick 46
Harry 45
Richard 45
Walter 41
Frank 31
Albert 30
Francis 25
Ernest 24
Benjamin 22
Wm. 21
Isaac 17
David 15
Fred 13
Herbert 12
Thos. 12
Daniel 11
Geo. 10
Philip 10
Edwin 9
Josiah 8
Stephen 8
Elijah 7
Cornelius 6
Mark 6
Michael 6
Percy 6
Chas. 5
Lewis 5
Matthew 5
Patrick 5
Peter 5
Ralph 5
Timothy 5
Willm. 5
Fred. 4
Frederic 4
Reginald 4

FAQ

Downing surname: questions and answers

How common was the Downing surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,199 people were recorded with the Downing surname. That placed it at #856 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Downing surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,533 in 2016. That gives Downing a modern rank of #1,034.

What does the Downing surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "hill" or "fortified hill," likely referring to someone who lived near a hill.

What does the Downing map show?

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