NameCensus.

UK surname

Kings

A surname denoting royalty, sovereignty, or ruling authority.

In the 1881 census there were 578 people recorded with the Kings surname, ranking it #6,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 721, ranked #7,538, down from #6,027 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Great Malvern, Madresfield, Pershore Holy Cross, Pershore St Andrew and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bromsgrove and Wychavon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kings is 1,106 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.7%.

1881 census count

578

Ranked #6,027

Modern count

721

2016, ranked #7,538

Peak year

1911

1,106 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kings had 578 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 721 in 2016, ranked #7,538.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,106 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Kings surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kings surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kings 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 601 #4,271
1861 historical 897 #3,086
1881 historical 578 #6,027
1891 historical 958 #4,317
1901 historical 790 #5,701
1911 historical 1,106 #4,197
1997 modern 699 #7,254
1998 modern 724 #7,290
1999 modern 730 #7,290
2000 modern 738 #7,201
2001 modern 712 #7,267
2002 modern 731 #7,248
2003 modern 706 #7,331
2004 modern 714 #7,273
2005 modern 686 #7,472
2006 modern 695 #7,396
2007 modern 699 #7,429
2008 modern 683 #7,622
2009 modern 687 #7,750
2010 modern 705 #7,739
2011 modern 697 #7,715
2012 modern 725 #7,420
2013 modern 740 #7,429
2014 modern 746 #7,410
2015 modern 735 #7,438
2016 modern 721 #7,538

Geography

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Where Kings' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Great Malvern, Madresfield, Pershore Holy Cross, Pershore St Andrew, London parishes, Bromsgrove, Upton Warren and Leigh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bromsgrove and Wychavon. 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 Great Malvern, Madresfield Worcestershire
2 Pershore Holy Cross, Pershore St Andrew Worcestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Bromsgrove, Upton Warren Worcestershire
5 Leigh Worcestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bromsgrove 007 Bromsgrove
2 Wychavon 010 Wychavon
3 Bromsgrove 013 Bromsgrove
4 Bromsgrove 010 Bromsgrove
5 Bromsgrove 011 Bromsgrove

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kings

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kings

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Kings is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kings is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kings 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 Kings is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Kings

The surname Kings likely originates from England, with etymological roots stretching back to the Old English word cyning, meaning "king." This surname would have emerged around the medieval period when surnames began to be used more systematically. Kings could have originally been a nickname for someone who acted like a king or a title for someone in service to a king's household.

The surname Kings is encountered in historical records such as the Domesday Book of 1086, albeit primarily in forms like Cyninges and Cyng, which referred to lands associated with or held by the king. It is worth noting that surnames were not consistently spelled until much later in history, which accounts for the variations in records.

In the 13th century, records from Yorkshire mention a Geoffrey le Kyng (1204) and Simon King (1273). These early documentations exemplify how the name evolved into its more modern form. By this period, the surname often denoted individuals who held titles or responsibilities connected to the royal court, sometimes even families with a long tradition of serving the monarchy.

Several prominent individuals bore the surname Kings throughout history. One of the earliest recorded is John Kings, who serviced as a guild member in 1348 in the town of Leicester. Another significant figure was William Kings, born in 1510, who made substantial contributions to the clergy and is remembered through various ecclesiastical records in London.

By the late 17th century, Richard Kings (1649-1718) made a name as a notable landowner in Cornwall, with various land grants and legal documents corroborating his status. George Kings, a merchant born in 1723 and active in Liverpool until his death in 1791, was also a key figure in the trade networks of his time.

In the realm of literature, we find a Samuel Kings (1780-1855), who authored a series of well-regarded pamphlets and essays critical of the British Industrial Revolution's social impacts. His works remain archived in several British libraries, marking his contribution to social commentary literature.

Thus, the surname Kings has a rich tapestry of historical references and notable individuals. These historical records, land grants, literary contributions, and ecclesiastical involvements chronicle the name's journey from medieval England to various facets of British society over centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kings families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kings 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. Worcestershire leads with 290 Kings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.25x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 290 39.25x
Herefordshire 75 32.33x
Warwickshire 66 4.63x
Middlesex 25 0.44x
Lancashire 17 0.25x
Surrey 17 0.62x
Sussex 15 1.57x
Kent 13 0.67x
Staffordshire 9 0.47x
Yorkshire 9 0.16x
Leicestershire 7 1.12x
Devon 6 0.51x
Oxfordshire 6 1.72x
Somerset 6 0.66x
Durham 3 0.18x
Gloucestershire 3 0.27x
Hampshire 3 0.26x
Channel Islands 2 1.19x
Merionethshire 2 1.93x
Berkshire 1 0.24x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.28x
Cheshire 1 0.08x
Essex 1 0.09x
Hertfordshire 1 0.26x
Royal Navy 1 1.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bromsgrove in Worcestershire leads with 68 Kings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 273.42x.

Place Total Index
Bromsgrove 68 273.42x
Birmingham 26 5.47x
Leigh 25 278.71x
Pershore Holy Cross 25 527.43x
Aston 22 5.60x
Feckenham 17 200.95x
Kempsey 17 607.14x
Hereford St Peter 15 241.94x
Dodderhill 14 444.44x
Deptford St Paul 12 8.06x
Ross 12 130.01x
Redditch 10 66.76x
Claines 9 44.38x
Cradley 9 265.49x
Oldham 9 4.15x
Cuckfield 8 82.99x
Norton By Kempsey 8 496.89x
St Pancras London 8 1.76x
Webheath 8 606.06x
Battersea 7 3.36x
Hereford All Sts 7 65.85x
Leicester St Margaret 7 4.58x
Llanrothall 7 1944.44x
Southwick 7 138.61x
Stone 7 578.51x
Worcester St Peter 7 50.07x
Bretforton 6 550.46x
Bromley London 6 4.82x
Lydeard St Lawrence 6 588.24x
Old Stratford 6 74.26x
Pixley 6 3157.89x
Putley 6 1500.00x
Camberwell 5 1.38x
Great Malvern 5 32.43x
Hendon 5 24.56x
Oxford St Ebbe 5 48.64x
Pershore St Andrew 5 122.55x
Stoke Damerel 5 6.07x
Stoke Prior 5 109.65x
Upton Snodsbury 5 704.23x
Walsall Foreign 5 5.07x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 2.73x
Evesham All Sts 4 116.28x
Madresfield 4 769.23x
Tarrington 4 412.37x
Tutnall Cobley 4 412.37x
Yardley 4 21.16x
Alveston 3 160.43x
Bishampton 3 361.45x
Breinton 3 333.33x
Burton Upon Trent 3 6.71x
Kings Norton 3 4.53x
Ledbury 3 37.64x
Manchester 3 0.99x
Newland 3 697.67x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 2.64x
Studley 3 49.18x
Welland 3 177.51x
Whitwood 3 37.69x
Aylton 2 1176.47x
Bethnal Green London 2 0.81x
Hartlebury 2 45.45x
Heworth 2 6.03x
Lambeth 2 0.41x
Oversley 2 303.03x
Peopleton 2 377.36x
St Peter Port 2 6.45x
Trawsfynydd 2 53.48x
Upton Warren 2 312.50x
Abberley 1 85.47x
Chapel Allerton 1 11.92x
Chatteris 1 10.94x
Doncaster 1 2.44x
Edgbaston 1 2.26x
Hanley Castle 1 22.62x
Kidderminster Foreign 1 9.57x
Odiham 1 19.65x
Stockton On Tees 1 1.23x
Thatcham 1 15.29x
Thorp Arch 1 131.58x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 45
George 26
Thomas 26
James 21
John 20
Charles 18
Henry 15
Robert 14
Frederick 11
Joseph 9
Harry 7
Walter 7
Albert 6
Arthur 6
Alfred 5
Edward 4
Thos. 4
Edwin 3
Herbert 3
Samuel 3
Wm. 3
Allen 2
Enoch 2
Richard 2
Willm. 2
Amos 1
Andrew 1
Ben 1
Chas.A. 1
Ebenezer 1
Edwd. 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Geo 1
Goodwin 1
Infant 1
Inkerman 1
Isaac 1
Joshua 1
Lawrence 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Luke 1
Noah 1
Reginald 1
Rowland 1
Silas 1
Simon 1

FAQ

Kings surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kings surname in 1881?

In 1881, 578 people were recorded with the Kings surname. That placed it at #6,027 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kings surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 721 in 2016. That gives Kings a modern rank of #7,538.

What does the Kings surname mean?

A surname denoting royalty, sovereignty, or ruling authority.

What does the Kings map show?

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