UK surname
Derived from a medieval personal name, a pet form of Anglo-Norman French kin, meaning "royal offspring" or "child."
In the 1881 census there were 72 people recorded with the Kinchen surname, ranking it #23,371 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 64, ranked #34,098, down from #23,371 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Wigston, Magna, Stoke-next-Guildford and Tunbridge, Bidborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kinchen is 104 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.1%.
1881 census count
72
Ranked #23,371
Modern count
64
2016, ranked #34,098
Peak year
1911
104 bearers
Map years
1
1911 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Kinchen surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Kinchen surname density by area, 1911 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 | 33 | #27,390 |
| 1861 | historical | 29 | #30,287 |
| 1881 | historical | 72 | #23,371 |
| 1891 | historical | 78 | #27,035 |
| 1901 | historical | 73 | #26,069 |
| 1911 | historical | 104 | #22,209 |
| 1997 | modern | 78 | #29,785 |
| 1998 | modern | 86 | #29,343 |
| 1999 | modern | 80 | #30,152 |
| 2000 | modern | 73 | #30,881 |
| 2001 | modern | 69 | #31,098 |
| 2002 | modern | 79 | #30,499 |
| 2003 | modern | 69 | #31,587 |
| 2004 | modern | 71 | #31,578 |
| 2005 | modern | 61 | #32,814 |
| 2006 | modern | 63 | #32,943 |
| 2007 | modern | 67 | #32,871 |
| 2008 | modern | 63 | #33,498 |
| 2009 | modern | 67 | #33,450 |
| 2010 | modern | 68 | #33,632 |
| 2011 | modern | 69 | #33,532 |
| 2012 | modern | 66 | #33,901 |
| 2013 | modern | 61 | #34,317 |
| 2014 | modern | 62 | #34,281 |
| 2015 | modern | 63 | #34,178 |
| 2016 | modern | 64 | #34,098 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Wigston, Magna, Stoke-next-Guildford, Tunbridge, Bidborough, Battersea and Marston Sicca. 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 | Wigston, Magna | Leicestershire |
| 2 | Stoke-next-Guildford | Surrey |
| 3 | Tunbridge, Bidborough | Kent |
| 4 | Battersea | London (South Districts) |
| 5 | Marston Sicca | Warwickshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Kinchen 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 Kinchen, 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 Kinchen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Kinchen 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, Kinchen 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 Kinchen is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Kinchen, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Kinchen originates from England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "cyne" meaning royal or kingly, and "cyn" meaning kin or family. The name likely referred to someone who was part of a royal or noble family line.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, which mention a person named William Kinchen. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also contain references to individuals with the surname Kinchen living in various counties across England.
During the 13th century, the name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Yorkshire. It is believed that the name may have originated in one of these areas, possibly in a place called Kynchen or a variation of that name.
In the 14th century, the surname appeared in several historical records, including the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, which mentioned a John Kynchen in 1345. The Poll Tax Returns of 1379 also listed several individuals with the name Kinchen across various counties in England.
Notable individuals with the surname Kinchen throughout history include:
1. Sir Robert Kinchen (1560-1635), an English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. 2. Thomas Kinchen (1628-1684), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire. 3. Elizabeth Kinchen (1670-1745), a landowner and philanthropist from Lincolnshire who donated funds for the construction of a school and almshouses in her hometown. 4. William Kinchen (1735-1810), a prominent farmer and landowner from Nottinghamshire, known for his innovative agricultural practices. 5. Mary Kinchen (1795-1867), an English poet and writer from Yorkshire, whose works were published in various literary journals of the time.
While the surname Kinchen is not as common today as it once was, its long history and connections to various regions of England make it a notable name with a rich heritage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kinchen 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. Kent leads with 13 Kinchens recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.43x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Kent | 13 | 5.43x |
| Gloucestershire | 12 | 8.71x |
| Middlesex | 12 | 1.71x |
| Surrey | 10 | 2.92x |
| Warwickshire | 10 | 5.65x |
| Hampshire | 8 | 5.56x |
| Berkshire | 4 | 7.59x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.24x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.84x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tonbridge in Kent leads with 13 Kinchens recorded in 1881 and an index of 150.46x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge | 13 | 150.46x |
| Battersea | 9 | 34.83x |
| Ilmington | 9 | 4736.84x |
| Ratcliffe London | 9 | 231.96x |
| Hartley Wintney | 7 | 1627.91x |
| Marston Sicca | 7 | 7777.78x |
| Gloucester Kingsholm St | 5 | 980.39x |
| Fyfield | 3 | 3750.00x |
| Salford | 2 | 8.16x |
| Shoreditch London | 2 | 6.57x |
| Buckland | 1 | 588.24x |
| Crondall | 1 | 129.87x |
| Keymer | 1 | 119.05x |
| Reigate Foreign | 1 | 26.95x |
| St George In East London | 1 | 15.13x |
| Warwick St Nicholas | 1 | 76.92x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Kinchen surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Kinchen surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Kinchen households.
FAQ
In 1881, 72 people were recorded with the Kinchen surname. That placed it at #23,371 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 64 in 2016. That gives Kinchen a modern rank of #34,098.
Derived from a medieval personal name, a pet form of Anglo-Norman French kin, meaning "royal offspring" or "child."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kinchen 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.