NameCensus.

UK surname

Fong

A Chinese surname meaning "wind" or "abundant," originating from various regions in China.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gracemount, Southhouse and Burdiehouse, Oldmachar East and Gilmerton South and the Murrays.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fong is 1,089 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

1,078

2016, ranked #5,417

Peak year

2014

1,089 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,078 in 2016, ranked #5,417.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 53 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Student Living and Professional Footholds.

Fong surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fong surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fong 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 #32,890
1861 historical 53 #27,253
1891 historical 15 #32,956
1901 historical 14 #32,506
1911 historical 22 #31,030
1997 modern 679 #7,419
1998 modern 725 #7,283
1999 modern 762 #7,057
2000 modern 744 #7,145
2001 modern 756 #6,947
2002 modern 802 #6,761
2003 modern 823 #6,497
2004 modern 862 #6,285
2005 modern 856 #6,280
2006 modern 895 #6,072
2007 modern 916 #6,012
2008 modern 926 #6,005
2009 modern 962 #5,952
2010 modern 1,015 #5,816
2011 modern 1,023 #5,716
2012 modern 1,039 #5,556
2013 modern 1,078 #5,478
2014 modern 1,089 #5,452
2015 modern 1,081 #5,427
2016 modern 1,078 #5,417

Geography

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Where Fongs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gracemount, Southhouse and Burdiehouse, Oldmachar East, Gilmerton South and the Murrays, Manchester and Eastleigh. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gracemount, Southhouse and Burdiehouse City of Edinburgh
2 Oldmachar East Aberdeen City
3 Gilmerton South and the Murrays City of Edinburgh
4 Manchester 055 Manchester
5 Eastleigh 010 Eastleigh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fong

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fong

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Fong 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

Fong 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

Fong falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fong 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
Asian - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Fong

The surname FONG is of Chinese origin and is believed to have its roots in the southern regions of China, particularly in the Cantonese-speaking areas. It is likely derived from the Chinese characters 方 (fong), which can mean "square" or "direction".

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), where it appeared in historical records and manuscripts. During this time, it was often associated with scholars and officials from the southern provinces.

In the 13th century, the FONG surname was notably mentioned in the "Zizhi Tongjian" (资治通鉴), a prestigious historical work that documented the history of China from 403 BC to 959 AD. This reference solidified the presence of the name during that era.

As the centuries passed, the FONG surname spread across various regions of China, with some individuals bearing the name becoming prominent figures in their respective fields. One such individual was FONG Shao-yi (1636-1704), a renowned scholar and philosopher from Jiangxi Province during the Qing Dynasty.

In the 19th century, the FONG surname gained international recognition when FONG Tuck-Woh (1828-1914), a prominent businessman and philanthropist from Guangdong Province, established successful trading companies in Singapore and Hong Kong.

Another notable figure was FONG Poy (1857-1919), a Chinese-American entrepreneur and community leader who played a significant role in the development of San Francisco's Chinatown in the late 19th century.

During the early 20th century, FONG Sec (1901-1971), a Chinese-American artist and writer, gained acclaim for his literary works and his contributions to promoting Chinese culture in the United States.

The FONG surname has also been associated with various place names in China, such as Fongshan District in Guangdong Province and Fongcheng County in Hebei Province, further solidifying its historical roots in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Fong surname: questions and answers

How common is the Fong surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,078 in 2016. That gives Fong a modern rank of #5,417.

What does the Fong surname mean?

A Chinese surname meaning "wind" or "abundant," originating from various regions in China.

What does the Fong map show?

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