UK surname
An ancient English surname derived from a place name referring to someone from Jennings.
In the 1881 census there were 320 people recorded with the Jenning surname, ranking it #9,298 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 55, ranked #34,627, down from #9,298 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, Paddington and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jenning is 640 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 82.8%.
1881 census count
320
Ranked #9,298
Modern count
55
2016, ranked #34,627
Peak year
1891
640 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Jenning surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Jenning surname density by area, 1881 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 | 260 | #8,512 |
| 1861 | historical | 606 | #4,376 |
| 1881 | historical | 320 | #9,298 |
| 1891 | historical | 640 | #6,055 |
| 1901 | historical | 275 | #12,332 |
| 1911 | historical | 400 | #9,280 |
| 1997 | modern | 50 | #32,658 |
| 1998 | modern | 51 | #32,816 |
| 1999 | modern | 40 | #33,967 |
| 2000 | modern | 26 | #35,295 |
| 2001 | modern | 28 | #34,936 |
| 2002 | modern | 35 | #34,554 |
| 2003 | modern | 26 | #35,371 |
| 2004 | modern | 29 | #35,270 |
| 2005 | modern | 31 | #35,260 |
| 2006 | modern | 34 | #35,255 |
| 2007 | modern | 44 | #34,760 |
| 2008 | modern | 43 | #34,931 |
| 2009 | modern | 43 | #35,088 |
| 2010 | modern | 48 | #34,946 |
| 2011 | modern | 46 | #35,047 |
| 2012 | modern | 45 | #35,105 |
| 2013 | modern | 48 | #35,012 |
| 2014 | modern | 58 | #34,500 |
| 2015 | modern | 55 | #34,620 |
| 2016 | modern | 55 | #34,627 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, Paddington, London parishes, St Pancras and Lambeth. 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 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | Paddington | London (West Districts) |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 5 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Jenning 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 Jenning, 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 Jenning surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Jenning 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, Jenning 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 Jenning is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Jenning, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Jenning is of English origin, derived from the medieval personal name Jenyn, which was a diminutive form of the name John. The name is believed to have originated in the late 11th or early 12th century, following the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1166, which mention a person named William Jening. The name also appears in the Curia Regis Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1207, where a Hugo Jening is mentioned.
The surname Jenning is thought to have derived from the Anglo-Norman French form "Jenyn," which evolved from the Old French "Jehan" and ultimately from the Latin "Johannes." The name spread across various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Oxfordshire.
In the 13th century, the Jenning surname appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, which recorded landowners and tenants. The name was also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, suggesting its presence in that region as well.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Jenning was Robert Jenning, a Member of Parliament for Great Bedwyn in Wiltshire in 1332. Another prominent figure was Sir Stephen Jennings (c. 1390-1459), a wealthy merchant and Lord Mayor of London in 1454.
During the 16th century, the Jenning surname gained further recognition with individuals like Ralph Jenning (c. 1530-1615), an English clergyman and author, and Edward Jennings (1590-1668), a Puritan minister and one of the founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
In the 17th century, Sir Edmund Jennings (1597-1668) was a prominent English courtier and diplomat who served as a Member of Parliament and held various positions under King Charles I and King Charles II.
The Jenning surname has also been associated with notable places, such as Jennings' Field in Gloucestershire, which was named after a family that owned land in the area during the 16th century.
Throughout its history, the surname Jenning has been subject to various spelling variations, including Jennings, Jennins, Jennyns, and Jenyns, reflecting the evolving nature of English orthography over time.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jenning 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 59 Jennings recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.95x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 59 | 1.95x |
| Lancashire | 42 | 1.17x |
| Warwickshire | 31 | 4.06x |
| Yorkshire | 27 | 0.90x |
| Staffordshire | 21 | 2.06x |
| Surrey | 15 | 1.02x |
| Wiltshire | 14 | 5.24x |
| Somerset | 11 | 2.26x |
| Cornwall | 10 | 2.92x |
| Essex | 8 | 1.34x |
| Hampshire | 8 | 1.29x |
| Buckinghamshire | 7 | 3.83x |
| Kent | 7 | 0.68x |
| Cheshire | 5 | 0.75x |
| Derbyshire | 5 | 1.06x |
| Berkshire | 4 | 1.76x |
| Herefordshire | 4 | 3.23x |
| Hertfordshire | 4 | 1.92x |
| Leicestershire | 4 | 1.19x |
| Shropshire | 4 | 1.53x |
| Dumfriesshire | 3 | 4.49x |
| Suffolk | 3 | 0.81x |
| Cambridgeshire | 2 | 1.04x |
| Dorset | 2 | 1.01x |
| Sussex | 2 | 0.39x |
| Argyllshire | 1 | 1.19x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 0.10x |
| Lincolnshire | 1 | 0.21x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 0.22x |
| Northumberland | 1 | 0.22x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 0.25x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 2.78x |
| Worcestershire | 1 | 0.25x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 13 Jennings recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.11x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Jenning surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 25 |
| Elizabeth | 14 |
| Sarah | 10 |
| Annie | 7 |
| Maria | 6 |
| Catherine | 5 |
| Jane | 5 |
| Louisa | 5 |
| Alice | 4 |
| Anna | 4 |
| Ann | 3 |
| Caroline | 3 |
| Clara | 3 |
| Eliza | 3 |
| Ellen | 3 |
| May | 3 |
| Cicil | 2 |
| Edith | 2 |
| Emily | 2 |
| Emma | 2 |
| Fanny | 2 |
| Hannah | 2 |
| Kate | 2 |
| Lucy | 2 |
| Martha | 2 |
| Rose | 2 |
| Selina | 2 |
| Anoria | 1 |
| Betty | 1 |
| Blanch | 1 |
| Bridget | 1 |
| C. | 1 |
| Eleanor | 1 |
| Elizh. | 1 |
| Elizth. | 1 |
| Elizth.C. | 1 |
| Esther | 1 |
| Harriett | 1 |
| Honora | 1 |
| Isabella | 1 |
| Iva | 1 |
| Julia | 1 |
| L. | 1 |
| La.A. | 1 |
| Levinnia | 1 |
| Lilly | 1 |
| Mahala | 1 |
| Margaret | 1 |
| Margret | 1 |
| Susanna | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Jenning surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| William | 22 |
| John | 14 |
| George | 13 |
| Thomas | 11 |
| James | 9 |
| Charles | 6 |
| Henry | 6 |
| Frederick | 5 |
| Michael | 4 |
| Richard | 3 |
| Albert | 2 |
| Alfred | 2 |
| Arthur | 2 |
| Joshua | 2 |
| Patrick | 2 |
| Robert | 2 |
| Stephen | 2 |
| Thos. | 2 |
| Alexander | 1 |
| Barnard | 1 |
| Benjamin | 1 |
| Cuthbert | 1 |
| David | 1 |
| Davis | 1 |
| Edward | 1 |
| Edwd. | 1 |
| Edwin | 1 |
| Elliot | 1 |
| Francis | 1 |
| Geo. | 1 |
| Harry | 1 |
| Horace | 1 |
| Hy. | 1 |
| Jeremiah | 1 |
| Jesse | 1 |
| Joseph | 1 |
| Leonard | 1 |
| Marshall | 1 |
| Matthew | 1 |
| Peter | 1 |
| Samuel | 1 |
| Soloman | 1 |
| W. | 1 |
| Walter | 1 |
| Wm.John | 1 |
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 Jenning households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 43 |
| Labourer | 10 |
| Coal Miner | 4 |
| Housekeeper | 4 |
| Laundress | 4 |
| Annuitant | 3 |
| Charwoman | 3 |
| Coffin Maker | 3 |
| Cook | 3 |
| Brick Maker | 2 |
| Domestic | 2 |
| Domestic Servant | 2 |
| Dressmaker | 2 |
| Factory Hand | 2 |
| General Servant | 2 |
| Greengrocer | 2 |
| Gun Manufacturer | 2 |
| Joiner | 2 |
| Needleworker | 2 |
| Nurse | 2 |
| Pedlar | 2 |
| Shopkeeper | 2 |
| Annuatant | 1 |
| Bookseller And Stat | 1 |
| Bricklayers Labourer | 1 |
| Butler | 1 |
| Carman | 1 |
| Carpenter | 1 |
| Carter | 1 |
| Cloth Worker | 1 |
| Coachman | 1 |
| Coachman (ND) | 1 |
| Comml Traveller Sugar | 1 |
| Cook Domestic | 1 |
| Cook Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Cotton Winder | 1 |
| Crofter In Bleachworks | 1 |
| Ex Fusileer (Pensioner Army) | 1 |
| Ex P Constable (No Occ) | 1 |
| Farm Baliff Wife | 1 |
| Farm Lab | 1 |
| Farm Laborer | 1 |
| Farm Labourer | 1 |
| Farm Labourer Wife | 1 |
| Farm Labourers Daughter | 1 |
| Farm Serv Indoor | 1 |
| Farmer 28 Acr Emp 1 Man | 1 |
| Farmers Daur | 1 |
| Fish Salesman | 1 |
| Woollen Weaver Unemployed | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 320 people were recorded with the Jenning surname. That placed it at #9,298 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 55 in 2016. That gives Jenning a modern rank of #34,627.
An ancient English surname derived from a place name referring to someone from Jennings.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Jenning 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.