UK surname
A surname likely derived from an old form of the English word "flinger", referring to someone who operated a catapult or other medieval weapon.
In the 1881 census there were 60 people recorded with the Fling surname, ranking it #25,133 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 35, ranked #35,703, down from #25,133 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Clifton and Stogursey. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fling is 177 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 41.7%.
1881 census count
60
Ranked #25,133
Modern count
35
2016, ranked #35,703
Peak year
1861
177 bearers
Map years
2
1851 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Fling surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Fling surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 109 | #16,212 |
| 1861 | historical | 177 | #13,265 |
| 1881 | historical | 60 | #25,133 |
| 1891 | historical | 87 | #25,802 |
| 1901 | historical | 54 | #28,178 |
| 1911 | historical | 56 | #27,216 |
| 1997 | modern | 49 | #32,776 |
| 1998 | modern | 49 | #33,000 |
| 1999 | modern | 50 | #33,041 |
| 2000 | modern | 51 | #32,999 |
| 2001 | modern | 38 | #34,004 |
| 2002 | modern | 37 | #34,390 |
| 2003 | modern | 34 | #34,681 |
| 2004 | modern | 38 | #34,555 |
| 2005 | modern | 35 | #34,982 |
| 2006 | modern | 33 | #35,329 |
| 2007 | modern | 33 | #35,461 |
| 2008 | modern | 34 | #35,502 |
| 2009 | modern | 37 | #35,434 |
| 2010 | modern | 41 | #35,358 |
| 2011 | modern | 39 | #35,444 |
| 2012 | modern | 37 | #35,531 |
| 2013 | modern | 34 | #35,761 |
| 2014 | modern | 35 | #35,722 |
| 2015 | modern | 34 | #35,756 |
| 2016 | modern | 35 | #35,703 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Clifton, Stogursey, St Marylebone and Bedwelty. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff | Gloucestershire |
| 2 | Clifton | Gloucestershire |
| 3 | Stogursey | Somerset |
| 4 | St Marylebone | London (North Districts) |
| 5 | Bedwelty | Monmouthshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Fling surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Fling, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Fling surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Fling household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Fling is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fling is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Fling, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Fling originated in Scotland, first appearing in written records in the late 16th century. It is believed to derive from the Scottish Gaelic word "fliongeadh," meaning "to fling" or "throw." This suggests the name may have initially referred to someone skilled at throwing objects, perhaps in combat or hunting.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Fling surname is found in the Parish Records of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland, where a John Fling is mentioned in 1597. In the same region, a James Fling is listed in the Monkton and Prestwick Parish Records in 1642.
The name Fling appears to have been most prevalent in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in Ayrshire and the surrounding areas. It is possible that the name originated from a place name or descriptive nickname in this region, as was common practice during that era.
In the 17th century, a notable bearer of the Fling surname was William Fling, a Scottish soldier and landowner who served in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. He was born in 1620 in Ayrshire and died in 1684.
Another prominent figure was John Fling, a Scottish minister and author born in 1748 in Kilmarnock. He wrote several influential works on theology and served as a minister in Renfrewshire until his death in 1827.
Moving into the 19th century, a well-known bearer of the Fling name was Robert Fling, a Scottish artist and painter born in 1820 in Ayrshire. He was known for his landscape paintings and exhibited his works throughout Scotland during his lifetime, passing away in 1896.
Additionally, the Fling surname made its way across the Atlantic, with one notable example being James Fling, a Scottish-American educator born in 1854 in Ayrshire. He immigrated to the United States and served as a professor at the University of Nebraska from 1885 until his retirement in 1924.
In more recent times, a prominent figure with the Fling surname was Fred Fling, a British actor and theater director born in 1920 in London. He had a successful career on stage and television, appearing in numerous productions until his death in 2005.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fling surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 16 Flings recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.73x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 16 | 2.73x |
| Glamorgan | 11 | 10.80x |
| Somerset | 9 | 9.56x |
| Monmouthshire | 8 | 18.91x |
| Gloucestershire | 7 | 6.10x |
| Surrey | 2 | 0.70x |
| Yorkshire | 2 | 0.34x |
| Bedfordshire | 1 | 3.30x |
| Brecknockshire | 1 | 8.55x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 0.53x |
| Suffolk | 1 | 1.40x |
| Sussex | 1 | 1.01x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stogursey in Somerset leads with 8 Flings recorded in 1881 and an index of 3200.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Stogursey | 8 | 3200.00x |
| Aberavon | 7 | 744.68x |
| Bedwellty | 7 | 93.71x |
| Clifton | 7 | 120.69x |
| St George Bloomsbury | 7 | 208.33x |
| Shoreditch London | 4 | 15.77x |
| Briton Ferry | 3 | 245.90x |
| St George In East London | 3 | 54.55x |
| Batley | 1 | 18.15x |
| Bridgewater | 1 | 39.06x |
| Brighton | 1 | 5.03x |
| Frimley | 1 | 123.46x |
| Hammersmith London | 1 | 6.94x |
| Liversedge | 1 | 38.76x |
| Llandaff | 1 | 29.50x |
| Llanvrynach | 1 | 1250.00x |
| Maryhill | 1 | 27.03x |
| Potton | 1 | 250.00x |
| Southwark Christchurch | 1 | 36.50x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 2.12x |
| Trevethin | 1 | 25.06x |
| Woolpit | 1 | 476.19x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Fling surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Fling surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Fling households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 7 |
| Ag Lab | 4 |
| Schooler | 4 |
| Carman | 2 |
| Labourer | 2 |
| Baker | 1 |
| Bricklayer | 1 |
| Cigar Maker | 1 |
| Cloth Weaver (Powerloom) | 1 |
| Dairy Foreman | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| General Labourer Iron Works | 1 |
| General Servant | 1 |
| General Servant Dom | 1 |
| House Keeper Lab Daur | 1 |
| Labourer In Iron Works | 1 |
| Labourer Wife | 1 |
| Ligger On Woollen | 1 |
| Marine | 1 |
| Mason | 1 |
| Putching At Iron Works | 1 |
| Ship Carpenter | 1 |
| Tailoress | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 60 people were recorded with the Fling surname. That placed it at #25,133 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 35 in 2016. That gives Fling a modern rank of #35,703.
A surname likely derived from an old form of the English word "flinger", referring to someone who operated a catapult or other medieval weapon.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Fling bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.