NameCensus.

UK surname

Flemming

A Scottish and English locational surname referring to someone from Flanders, Belgium, or a place with a similar name.

In the 1881 census there were 1,203 people recorded with the Flemming surname, ranking it #3,355 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 769, ranked #7,138, down from #3,355 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Wigan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Redditch, Woking and West Lancashire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Flemming is 1,203 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 36.1%.

1881 census count

1,203

Ranked #3,355

Modern count

769

2016, ranked #7,138

Peak year

1881

1,203 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Flemming had 1,203 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,355 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 769 in 2016, ranked #7,138.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,203 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Flemming surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Flemming surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Flemming 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 574 #4,436
1861 historical 807 #3,409
1881 historical 1,203 #3,355
1891 historical 960 #4,307
1901 historical 901 #5,144
1911 historical 804 #5,459
1997 modern 692 #7,314
1998 modern 722 #7,299
1999 modern 720 #7,362
2000 modern 721 #7,339
2001 modern 702 #7,351
2002 modern 720 #7,346
2003 modern 705 #7,345
2004 modern 704 #7,357
2005 modern 699 #7,356
2006 modern 704 #7,318
2007 modern 702 #7,405
2008 modern 712 #7,380
2009 modern 783 #7,001
2010 modern 810 #6,949
2011 modern 788 #7,045
2012 modern 778 #7,018
2013 modern 773 #7,169
2014 modern 778 #7,159
2015 modern 760 #7,224
2016 modern 769 #7,138

Geography

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Where Flemmings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Wigan, Manchester and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Redditch, Woking, West Lancashire and Medway. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Wigan Lancashire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Redditch 011 Redditch
2 Woking 012 Woking
3 West Lancashire 013 West Lancashire
4 Medway 007 Medway
5 Medway 009 Medway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Flemming

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Flemming

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Flemming surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Flemming household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Flemming 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

Flemming 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

Flemming falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Flemming is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Flemming

The surname "FLEMMING" is of English origin, deriving from an old English word "Flēming" meaning "a Fleming," referring to people from the medieval County of Flanders, which encompassed parts of present-day Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. This name was likely given to individuals who migrated from Flanders to England in the Middle Ages.

The earliest recorded appearance of the name "Flemming" in England dates back to the 13th century, found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273. This record lists a person named "Walter le Flemming," indicating the name's association with individuals of Flemish descent.

During the 14th century, the surname "Flemming" appears in various historical documents, such as the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379, which mentions a "Johannes Flemyng." The name's spelling variations during this period included "Flemyng," "Flemmyng," and "Flemmynge."

In the 15th century, the surname is found in the Register of the Freemen of the City of York, with entries for "Richard Flemyng" in 1453 and "John Flemyng" in 1484. These records suggest that individuals bearing the name had established themselves in various parts of England by that time.

One notable individual with the surname "Flemming" was Sir Thomas Flemming (c. 1544-1613), an English soldier and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Wigan in 1586 and 1597. He also held the position of Governor of the Isle of Wight from 1608 until his death.

Another prominent figure was Paul Flemming (1609-1640), a German Baroque poet and physician who studied and worked in various European cities, including Leiden, Leiden, and Riga. His poetic works, such as "Geistliche und Weltliche Poemata" (Spiritual and Secular Poems), were widely acclaimed during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, John Flemming (1785-1857) was a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. He was present at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 and later achieved the rank of Admiral.

Sir Sandford Flemming (1827-1915), a Canadian engineer and inventor, is also a notable figure associated with the surname. He is best known for his role in the design and construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway and for his promotion of the concept of universal standard time zones.

Another individual of note is Victor Flemming (1889-1949), an American film director and cinematographer who directed the classic film "The Wizard of Oz" in 1939. He is renowned for his contributions to the development of the Hollywood studio system and his innovative visual techniques.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Flemming families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Flemming 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. Lancashire leads with 230 Flemmings recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.65x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 230 1.65x
Middlesex 171 1.45x
Yorkshire 111 0.95x
Surrey 78 1.36x
Warwickshire 58 1.96x
Lanarkshire 51 1.34x
Kent 47 1.17x
Durham 45 1.29x
Cheshire 44 1.70x
Staffordshire 42 1.06x
Midlothian 33 2.10x
Hampshire 21 0.87x
Ayrshire 19 2.16x
Gloucestershire 18 0.78x
Derbyshire 17 0.92x
Essex 17 0.73x
Suffolk 17 1.19x
Sussex 15 0.76x
Lincolnshire 14 0.74x
Northumberland 14 0.80x
Cumberland 12 1.19x
Monmouthshire 11 1.29x
Hertfordshire 10 1.23x
Wiltshire 10 0.96x
Devon 9 0.37x
Fife 8 1.15x
Glamorgan 8 0.39x
Somerset 8 0.42x
Worcestershire 7 0.46x
Norfolk 6 0.33x
Northamptonshire 6 0.54x
Buteshire 5 7.02x
Stirlingshire 5 1.15x
Angus 4 0.37x
Renfrewshire 4 0.44x
Bedfordshire 3 0.49x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.42x
Flintshire 3 0.95x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.80x
Channel Islands 2 0.57x
Cornwall 2 0.15x
Shropshire 2 0.20x
Westmorland 2 0.77x
Wigtownshire 2 1.28x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.09x
Anglesey 1 0.48x
Berkshire 1 0.11x
Cardiganshire 1 0.35x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.32x
Leicestershire 1 0.08x
Oxfordshire 1 0.14x
Peeblesshire 1 1.81x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 39 Flemmings recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.81x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 39 3.81x
Birmingham 31 3.14x
Manchester 26 4.15x
Bethnal Green London 21 4.11x
Paddington London 20 4.63x
Spitalfields London 18 20.36x
Wolstanton 18 14.94x
Liverpool 16 1.89x
Oldham 16 3.55x
Westoe 16 8.07x
Toxteth Park 15 3.18x
Almondbury 14 24.86x
Fulham London 14 8.21x
Glasgow 14 2.07x
Aston 13 1.59x
Everton 13 2.92x
Govan 12 1.28x
Birkenhead 11 5.32x
Halifax 11 6.43x
Normanby In 11 35.32x
Over Darwen 11 9.87x
St Marylebone London 11 1.75x
St Pancras London 11 1.16x
Camberwell 10 1.33x
Ealing 10 9.52x
Aberystruth 9 12.02x
Brightside Bierlow 9 3.94x
Chatham 9 8.16x
Garston 9 21.86x
Hulme 9 3.09x
Liberton 9 37.02x
Mile End Old Town London 9 3.60x
New Cumnock 9 59.02x
Newton In Makerfield 9 21.07x
Salford 9 2.19x
Alsager 8 123.84x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 2.62x
Bermondsey 8 2.29x
Brading 8 24.98x
Brighton 8 2.00x
Chelsfield 8 208.88x
Frensham 8 95.12x
Kensington London 8 1.22x
Leeds 8 1.22x
Macclesfield 8 6.94x
New Monkland 8 7.12x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 8 7.66x
Pendleton In Salford 8 4.81x
Shoreditch London 8 1.57x
Studley 8 63.14x
Wigan 8 4.10x
Barony 7 0.73x
Bradford 7 2.48x
Clifton 7 6.01x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 1.10x
Eltham 7 29.79x
Henley On Thames 7 700.00x
Salisbury St Martin 7 64.70x
Stoke Damerel 7 4.09x
Tunstall 7 40.21x
Warrington 7 4.23x
West Ham 7 1.37x
Brandon Byshottles 6 13.70x
Cambusnethan 6 7.11x
Cardiff St Mary 6 5.32x
Chiswick 6 9.34x
Freshford 6 368.10x
Greenwich 6 3.21x
Harborne 6 4.72x
Huddersfield 6 3.54x
Kingswinford 6 4.16x
Kirkdale 6 2.56x
Linthorpe 6 8.63x
Pemberton 6 10.79x
St George In East London 6 5.43x
Dalkeith 5 16.09x
Dunfermline 5 4.67x
Gateshead 5 1.91x
Golborne 5 27.50x
Newton 5 4.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 80
William 66
Thomas 57
James 30
Charles 25
George 22
Patrick 22
Henry 16
Edward 15
Joseph 14
Robert 13
Michael 12
Arthur 9
Richard 9
Alfred 8
Walter 8
Harry 6
Samuel 6
Daniel 5
Martin 5
Peter 5
Wm. 5
David 3
Frederick 3
Thos. 3
Albert 2
Austin 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Fredk. 2
Jas. 2
Lawrence 2
Matthew 2
Philip 2
Valentine 2
W. 2
Willie 2
Anthony 1
Bernord 1
Cecil 1
Felix 1
Fred 1
Fredk.S. 1
G.N. 1
Josephus 1
Josiah 1
Julia 1
Julius 1
Keane 1
Leonard 1

FAQ

Flemming surname: questions and answers

How common was the Flemming surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,203 people were recorded with the Flemming surname. That placed it at #3,355 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Flemming surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 769 in 2016. That gives Flemming a modern rank of #7,138.

What does the Flemming surname mean?

A Scottish and English locational surname referring to someone from Flanders, Belgium, or a place with a similar name.

What does the Flemming map show?

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