NameCensus.

UK surname

Living

A surname derived from the verb "to live", indicating an ancestor's occupation or place of residence.

In the 1881 census there were 101 people recorded with the Living surname, ranking it #19,636 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 100, ranked #31,123, down from #19,636 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, Southampton St Mary and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Southampton, Greenwich and Camden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Living is 214 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.0%.

1881 census count

101

Ranked #19,636

Modern count

100

2016, ranked #31,123

Peak year

1861

214 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Living had 101 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,636 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016, ranked #31,123.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 214 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Living surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Living surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Living 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 91 #18,187
1861 historical 214 #11,365
1881 historical 101 #19,636
1891 historical 212 #14,318
1901 historical 172 #16,643
1911 historical 141 #18,571
1997 modern 103 #26,498
1998 modern 108 #26,417
1999 modern 106 #26,885
2000 modern 112 #25,978
2001 modern 106 #26,468
2002 modern 106 #26,985
2003 modern 96 #28,381
2004 modern 99 #28,136
2005 modern 93 #29,133
2006 modern 86 #30,425
2007 modern 88 #30,515
2008 modern 87 #30,999
2009 modern 88 #31,352
2010 modern 89 #31,745
2011 modern 97 #30,552
2012 modern 98 #30,612
2013 modern 95 #31,523
2014 modern 96 #31,667
2015 modern 98 #31,342
2016 modern 100 #31,123

Geography

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Where Livings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, Southampton St Mary, Lambeth, Stamford St George, Stamford St Michael and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Southampton, Greenwich, Camden and Havering. 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 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 Southampton St Mary Hampshire
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Stamford St George, Stamford St Michael Lincolnshire
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Southampton 032 Southampton
2 Greenwich 001 Greenwich
3 Greenwich 015 Greenwich
4 Camden 011 Camden
5 Havering 025 Havering

Forenames

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First names often paired with Living

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Living

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Living surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Living 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Living is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Living 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

Living falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Living 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
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Living

The surname LIVING originated in England, with records dating back to the late 16th century. It is derived from the Old English word "lifian," meaning "to live" or "to dwell." The name likely originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived in a particular location or was a resident of a certain area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname LIVING can be found in the parish records of Chaddesley Corbett, Worcestershire, in 1598, where a John Living was mentioned. There are also records of the name in Gloucestershire and Shropshire from the early 17th century.

The surname LIVING may have been influenced by the Old English place name "Lyfing," which referred to a settlement or dwelling place. Some early variations of the spelling include Lyvyng, Lyvinge, and Liveing.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholdings and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are no direct mentions of the surname LIVING. However, the book does contain entries for place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Livenemere (now Livermere) in Suffolk.

Notable historical figures with the surname LIVING include:

1. Sir Robert Living (1603-1671), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1654. 2. Edward Living (1762-1835), an English architect and surveyor who designed several churches and other buildings in London and the surrounding areas. 3. Mary Living (1794-1868), an English writer and activist who campaigned for women's rights and educational reform. 4. James Living (1836-1912), a Scottish botanist and explorer who conducted extensive research on the flora of South America and the Caribbean. 5. William Living (1872-1945), an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Living Foundation, which supported various educational and cultural initiatives.

While the surname LIVING may not be as common as some other English surnames, it has a rich history and can be traced back to the early modern period, with connections to various regions of England and notable individuals who contributed to various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Living families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Living 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 35 Livings recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.55x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 35 3.55x
Essex 20 10.28x
Hampshire 20 9.90x
Surrey 6 1.25x
Kent 5 1.49x
Warwickshire 4 1.61x
Lincolnshire 3 1.90x
Cambridgeshire 2 3.21x
Lancashire 2 0.17x
Cornwall 1 0.90x
Northamptonshire 1 1.08x
Staffordshire 1 0.30x
Sussex 1 0.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Ham in Essex leads with 14 Livings recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.61x.

Place Total Index
West Ham 14 32.61x
Shoreditch London 10 23.42x
Southampton St Mary 9 70.87x
Islington London 6 6.28x
Southampton All Sts 6 173.41x
St Pancras London 6 7.57x
Bethnal Green London 5 11.69x
Orpington 5 485.44x
Birmingham 4 4.83x
Bow London 4 31.90x
Southampton Holy Rood 4 2000.00x
Great Chesterford 3 967.74x
Stamford St George 3 422.54x
Camberwell 2 3.18x
Clapham 2 16.23x
St Giles Cambridge 2 246.91x
Toxteth Park 2 5.05x
Walthamstow 2 28.57x
All Hallows London Wall 1 909.09x
Croydon 1 3.75x
Falmouth 1 25.32x
Farlington 1 243.90x
Hackney London 1 1.81x
Hastings St Leonards 1 40.98x
Lichfield St Chad 1 133.33x
Newport 1 294.12x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 5.05x
St Marylebone London 1 1.90x
Tansor 1 1250.00x
Tottenham 1 6.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eliza 7
Ann 4
Sarah 4
Amelia 3
Annie 3
Alice 2
Elizabeth 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Jane 2
Adel 1
Adelaide 1
An. 1
Betena 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Catherine 1
Clemintina 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Francis 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Hope 1
Kate 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Mary 1
Sar. 1
Selena 1
Selina 1
Sophia 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 5
George 5
William 5
Henry 4
John 4
Joseph 3
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Robert 2
Stephen 2
Daniel 1
Edwd 1
Francis 1
Godsell 1
Josiah 1
Obad 1
Richard 1
Walker 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Living surname: questions and answers

How common was the Living surname in 1881?

In 1881, 101 people were recorded with the Living surname. That placed it at #19,636 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Living surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016. That gives Living a modern rank of #31,123.

What does the Living surname mean?

A surname derived from the verb "to live", indicating an ancestor's occupation or place of residence.

What does the Living map show?

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