NameCensus.

UK surname

Ging

An English surname derived from a medieval occupation for one who brewed or sold ginger ale.

In the 1881 census there were 36 people recorded with the Ging surname, ranking it #28,559 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 149, ranked #23,844, up from #28,559 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Jarrow, Manchester and Chardstock, Membury, Yarcombe (Combe St Nicholas, Somerset). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Drumchapel South, Knowsley and Basingstoke and Deane.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ging is 166 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 313.9%.

1881 census count

36

Ranked #28,559

Modern count

149

2016, ranked #23,844

Peak year

1998

166 bearers

Map years

4

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ging had 36 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,559 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 149 in 2016, ranked #23,844.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 100 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Ging surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ging surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ging 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 33 #27,390
1861 historical 50 #27,636
1881 historical 36 #28,559
1891 historical 100 #24,045
1901 historical 56 #27,952
1911 historical 38 #29,147
1997 modern 156 #20,593
1998 modern 166 #20,329
1999 modern 159 #21,030
2000 modern 160 #20,903
2001 modern 161 #20,543
2002 modern 157 #21,261
2003 modern 151 #21,574
2004 modern 151 #21,720
2005 modern 145 #22,253
2006 modern 149 #22,013
2007 modern 154 #21,804
2008 modern 159 #21,598
2009 modern 155 #22,438
2010 modern 156 #22,886
2011 modern 151 #23,204
2012 modern 148 #23,457
2013 modern 147 #23,977
2014 modern 152 #23,631
2015 modern 144 #24,369
2016 modern 149 #23,844

Geography

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Where Gings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Jarrow, Manchester, Chardstock, Membury, Yarcombe (Combe St Nicholas, Somerset), Glasgow and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Drumchapel South, Knowsley, Basingstoke and Deane, North Tyneside and West Devon. 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 Jarrow Durham
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Chardstock, Membury, Yarcombe (Combe St Nicholas, Somerset) Devon
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Drumchapel South Glasgow City
2 Knowsley 012 Knowsley
3 Basingstoke and Deane 007 Basingstoke and Deane
4 North Tyneside 024 North Tyneside
5 West Devon 004 West Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ging

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ging

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Ging surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Ging household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Ging is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Ging is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ging falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ging 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
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Ging

The surname "GING" has its origins in the German language and can be traced back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated in the region of Saxony, where it was derived from the Old German word "ging," meaning "path" or "way." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a particular path or route.

In the 15th century, records show the name being spelled as "Ging" in the town of Eisenach, located in what is now the state of Thuringia, Germany. One of the earliest documented individuals with this surname was Hans Ging, a farmer who lived in Eisenach in the late 1400s.

The name "GING" also appears in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 11th century. While the specific individuals mentioned are not clearly identified, the presence of the name in this important manuscript suggests that it was well-established in the area during that time.

As the name spread throughout Germany and other parts of Europe, variations in spelling emerged, such as "Ginge," "Ginger," and "Gingrich." One notable individual with this surname was Johann Ging, a German theologian and philosopher who lived from 1590 to 1657. He was a prominent figure in the Protestant Reformation and wrote several influential works on religious doctrine.

Another distinguished individual with the surname "GING" was Friedrich Ging, a German musician and composer who lived from 1768 to 1834. He is remembered for his contributions to the development of the clarinet and for his compositions for woodwind instruments.

In the 19th century, the name made its way to other parts of the world, including the United States, where it was sometimes anglicized to "Ging" or "Ging." One notable American with this surname was William Ging, a businessman and philanthropist who lived from 1837 to 1912. He was a successful entrepreneur in the textile industry and donated a significant portion of his wealth to various charitable causes.

While the surname "GING" is not as common as some other German names, it has a rich history that spans several centuries and can be traced back to its origins in the region of Saxony. The name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, theologians, musicians, and businessmen, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who have borne this distinctive surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ging families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ging 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. Stirlingshire leads with 23 Gings recorded in 1881 and an index of 177.61x.

County Total Index
Stirlingshire 23 177.61x
Cheshire 2 2.58x
Lancashire 2 0.48x
Surrey 2 1.17x
Yorkshire 2 0.57x
Derbyshire 1 1.82x
Hampshire 1 1.39x
Huntingdonshire 1 14.35x
Kent 1 0.83x
Staffordshire 1 0.84x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stirling in Stirlingshire leads with 23 Gings recorded in 1881 and an index of 1411.04x.

Place Total Index
Stirling 23 1411.04x
Bermondsey 2 19.14x
Dukinfield 2 55.87x
York St Peter Le 2 2857.14x
Barton Upon Irwell 1 31.85x
Cheetham 1 32.15x
Huntingdon All Sts 1 2000.00x
Matlock 1 135.14x
Northwood 1 98.04x
Stafford St Mary 1 59.52x
Woolwich 1 22.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Catherine 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Harriett 1
Margaret 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
Alfred 1
Michael 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

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 Ging households.

FAQ

Ging surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ging surname in 1881?

In 1881, 36 people were recorded with the Ging surname. That placed it at #28,559 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ging surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 149 in 2016. That gives Ging a modern rank of #23,844.

What does the Ging surname mean?

An English surname derived from a medieval occupation for one who brewed or sold ginger ale.

What does the Ging map show?

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