NameCensus.

UK surname

Hanning

Derived from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements "han" (cock) and "ning" (family or descendant).

In the 1881 census there were 181 people recorded with the Hanning surname, ranking it #13,690 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 270, ranked #15,913, down from #13,690 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Medway and Allerdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hanning is 440 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.2%.

1881 census count

181

Ranked #13,690

Modern count

270

2016, ranked #15,913

Peak year

1861

440 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hanning had 181 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,690 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 270 in 2016, ranked #15,913.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 440 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Hanning surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hanning surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hanning 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 162 #12,215
1861 historical 440 #5,862
1881 historical 181 #13,690
1891 historical 338 #10,113
1901 historical 272 #12,440
1911 historical 230 #13,686
1997 modern 281 #14,110
1998 modern 285 #14,351
1999 modern 277 #14,737
2000 modern 282 #14,532
2001 modern 271 #14,691
2002 modern 282 #14,585
2003 modern 266 #14,987
2004 modern 265 #15,110
2005 modern 260 #15,250
2006 modern 254 #15,560
2007 modern 253 #15,776
2008 modern 263 #15,505
2009 modern 268 #15,620
2010 modern 268 #15,978
2011 modern 263 #16,058
2012 modern 263 #15,954
2013 modern 280 #15,530
2014 modern 290 #15,203
2015 modern 275 #15,707
2016 modern 270 #15,913

Geography

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Where Hannings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, London parishes, Manchester and Mouswald. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Medway, Allerdale, Craven and Hammersmith and Fulham. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Mouswald Dumfries

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 035 Northumberland
2 Medway 028 Medway
3 Allerdale 001 Allerdale
4 Craven 003 Craven
5 Hammersmith and Fulham 018 Hammersmith and Fulham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hanning

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hanning

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Hanning surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hanning household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Hanning is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hanning is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hanning falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hanning is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hanning

The surname Hanning originated in the German region of Saxony-Anhalt during the late Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Low German word "Hanne," a diminutive form of the name Johannes, or John. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who was the son of a man named Johannes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hanning can be found in the 1486 tax records of the town of Quedlinburg, where a certain "Hans Hanning" is listed as a resident. Another early reference is in the 1543 church records of the village of Goslar, which mention a "Peter Hanning" as a baptized child.

By the 16th century, the name had spread to neighboring regions such as Brandenburg and Lower Saxony. In the 1589 census of the town of Wittenberg, there is a record of a family headed by "Jürgen Hanning," a farmer and landowner.

During the 17th century, the Hanning name appeared in various historical documents across northern Germany. A notable example is Christoph Hanning (1610-1678), a Lutheran theologian and author from Lüneburg, who published several works on religious philosophy.

As the Hanning family continued to grow and disperse, the name eventually made its way to other parts of Europe and even overseas. One such individual was Johann Hanning (1767-1835), a German immigrant to the United States who settled in Pennsylvania and became a successful businessman.

Another notable bearer of the Hanning surname was Sir Robert Hanning (1828-1908), a British naval officer and explorer who participated in several Arctic expeditions and was knighted for his contributions to geographical knowledge.

Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Hanning name could be found across various professions and walks of life. Examples include August Hanning (1857-1931), a German architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in Berlin, and Theodor Hanning (1879-1944), an Austrian mathematician and physicist who made significant contributions to the field of aerodynamics.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hanning families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hanning 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. Durham leads with 35 Hannings recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.63x.

County Total Index
Durham 35 6.63x
Lancashire 24 1.14x
Dumfriesshire 17 43.35x
Middlesex 17 0.96x
Lanarkshire 14 2.44x
Kent 9 1.49x
Northumberland 8 3.03x
Devon 7 1.89x
Dunbartonshire 6 12.58x
Hampshire 6 1.65x
Kirkcudbrightshire 6 23.35x
Surrey 6 0.69x
Somerset 5 1.75x
Nottinghamshire 4 1.67x
Yorkshire 4 0.23x
Channel Islands 3 5.70x
Wigtownshire 2 8.49x
Ayrshire 1 0.75x
Cumberland 1 0.65x
Glamorgan 1 0.32x
Gloucestershire 1 0.29x
Midlothian 1 0.42x
Shropshire 1 0.65x
Suffolk 1 0.46x
Warwickshire 1 0.22x
Wiltshire 1 0.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gateshead in Durham leads with 21 Hannings recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.11x.

Place Total Index
Gateshead 21 53.11x
Govan 14 9.86x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 10 43.71x
Newton 9 55.42x
Moss Side 8 72.14x
Mouswald 7 2058.82x
Cuddington 6 1818.18x
Elswick 6 28.46x
Penpont 6 833.33x
Stoke Damerel 6 23.20x
Hammersmith London 5 11.43x
Mile End Old Town London 5 13.23x
Plumstead 5 24.76x
Liverpool 4 3.13x
Nottingham St Mary 4 6.46x
Old Kilpatrick 4 70.92x
Anwoth 3 681.82x
Millbrook 3 32.75x
Saddleworth 3 22.11x
Southampton St Mary 3 13.11x
St Helier 3 17.51x
Taunton St Mary 3 57.14x
Brenchley 2 92.17x
Framwellgate 2 63.90x
Kilmaronock 2 350.88x
Penninghame 2 83.33x
Ruthwell 2 377.36x
Uxbridge 2 98.52x
Ashwick 1 217.39x
Auckinleck 1 24.33x
Benwell 1 34.60x
Birmingham 1 0.67x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 1 57.47x
Bromley London 1 2.56x
Cardiff St John 1 9.90x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 2.99x
Colvend 1 128.21x
Ellenborough Ewanrigg 1 94.34x
Everton 1 1.49x
Gloucester St Michael 1 125.00x
Hackney London 1 1.00x
Highworth 1 49.75x
Hylton 1 107.53x
Keir 1 222.22x
Kelston 1 909.09x
Lochmaben 1 58.14x
Lowestoft 1 9.79x
Margate St John Baptist 1 9.02x
Middlesbrough 1 4.36x
Minnigaff 1 103.09x
Minster In Sheppey 1 9.97x
Parton 1 227.27x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 3.51x
South Leith 1 3.74x
St Pancras London 1 0.70x
Stockton On Tees 1 3.93x
Tottenham 1 3.54x
Tynemouth 1 7.07x
Walton On Hill 1 8.76x
Westminster St Margaret 1 11.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Elizabeth 7
Jane 4
Sarah 4
Frances 3
Jessie 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Annie 2
Catherine 2
Ellen 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Susan 2
Agnes 1
Allise 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Elizth.A. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Georgina 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Jannet 1
Kate 1
Lydia 1
Marion 1
Mina 1
Nancy 1
Rachel 1
Serena 1
Sophy 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 12
James 8
Thomas 5
William 5
Adam 3
Henry 3
George 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Chas. 1
Clement 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Fredk.C. 1
Joseph 1
Patrick 1
Robt. 1
Rowland 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Hanning surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hanning surname in 1881?

In 1881, 181 people were recorded with the Hanning surname. That placed it at #13,690 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hanning surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 270 in 2016. That gives Hanning a modern rank of #15,913.

What does the Hanning surname mean?

Derived from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements "han" (cock) and "ning" (family or descendant).

What does the Hanning map show?

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