NameCensus.

UK surname

Kang

A Korean surname derived from a Chinese clan name meaning "river" or "stream."

In the 1881 census there were 3 people recorded with the Kang surname, ranking it #33,498 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,202, ranked #2,945, up from #33,498 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Slough, Warwick and Ealing.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kang is 2,260 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 73300.0%.

1881 census count

3

Ranked #33,498

Modern count

2,202

2016, ranked #2,945

Peak year

2014

2,260 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kang had 3 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,498 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,202 in 2016, ranked #2,945.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 21 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Kang surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kang surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kang 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
1861 historical 4 #33,628
1881 historical 3 #33,498
1891 historical 21 #32,526
1901 historical 1 #34,548
1997 modern 1,260 #4,519
1998 modern 1,334 #4,449
1999 modern 1,393 #4,325
2000 modern 1,445 #4,193
2001 modern 1,416 #4,181
2002 modern 1,548 #3,968
2003 modern 1,640 #3,681
2004 modern 1,717 #3,546
2005 modern 1,851 #3,282
2006 modern 1,919 #3,204
2007 modern 1,969 #3,165
2008 modern 2,024 #3,116
2009 modern 2,137 #3,033
2010 modern 2,238 #2,972
2011 modern 2,233 #2,942
2012 modern 2,173 #2,945
2013 modern 2,248 #2,911
2014 modern 2,260 #2,915
2015 modern 2,208 #2,935
2016 modern 2,202 #2,945

Geography

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Where Kangs 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 Slough, Warwick, Ealing and Walsall. 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 Slough 002 Slough
2 Warwick 013 Warwick
3 Ealing 037 Ealing
4 Walsall 035 Walsall
5 Warwick 010 Warwick

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kang

These lists show first names that appear often with the Kang 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 Kang

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Kang surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Kang household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Kang is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kang 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

Kang falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kang is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Indian

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

Meaning and origin of Kang

The surname Kang originates from Korea and has its roots in the ancient Korean language. It is believed to have derived from the Korean word "gang," which means "river" or "stream." This connection suggests that the name may have initially been associated with people living near rivers or residing in areas characterized by waterways.

Historically, the Kang surname can be traced back to the Silla Kingdom, one of the Three Kingdoms of ancient Korea that existed from 57 BC to 935 AD. During this period, the name appeared in various records and documents, indicating its widespread use among the Korean populace.

One of the earliest known references to the Kang surname can be found in the Samguk Sagi, a historical record compiled in 1145 AD by the scholar Kim Busik. This text chronicles the history of the Three Kingdoms period and mentions several notable figures bearing the Kang surname.

Among the prominent individuals with the Kang surname in ancient Korean history is Kang Gamchan (648-689 AD), a revered Buddhist monk and scholar who played a significant role in the dissemination of Buddhism in the Silla Kingdom. Another notable figure is Kang Sukku (1567-1624 AD), a renowned Confucian scholar and philosopher during the Joseon Dynasty.

In the realm of Korean literature, Kang Huian (1417-1474 AD) stands out as a celebrated poet and writer whose works have left an indelible mark on Korean literary tradition. His poetry, particularly his sijo (a traditional Korean poetic form), is widely acclaimed and studied to this day.

Moving into the modern era, Kang Youwei (1858-1927 AD) was a influential Chinese scholar and reformist who advocated for political and social reforms during the late Qing Dynasty. His ideas and writings had a significant impact on the intellectual discourse of his time.

Another notable figure bearing the Kang surname is Kang Kek Iew, better known as Comrade Duch (1942-2020 AD), a former Khmer Rouge leader who oversaw the notorious Tuol Sleng prison in Cambodia during the Cambodian genocide. His trial and conviction for crimes against humanity brought international attention to the atrocities committed during the Khmer Rouge regime.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kang families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kang 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. Middlesex leads with 3 Kangs recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.27x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 3 10.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bromley London in Middlesex leads with 3 Kangs recorded in 1881 and an index of 468.75x.

Place Total Index
Bromley London 3 468.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alfred 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 Kang households.

Occupation Count
Plate Layer 1

FAQ

Kang surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kang surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3 people were recorded with the Kang surname. That placed it at #33,498 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kang surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,202 in 2016. That gives Kang a modern rank of #2,945.

What does the Kang surname mean?

A Korean surname derived from a Chinese clan name meaning "river" or "stream."

What does the Kang map show?

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