NameCensus.

UK surname

Mao

A Chinese surname meaning "hair" or "feather," originally referring to a person's physical characteristics or occupation involving fur or feathers.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bexley, Hackney and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mao is 215 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

215

2016, ranked #18,670

Peak year

2016

215 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 215 in 2016, ranked #18,670.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Mao surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mao surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Mao 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
1997 modern 31 #34,582
1998 modern 40 #33,856
1999 modern 49 #33,130
2000 modern 50 #33,087
2001 modern 51 #32,850
2002 modern 69 #31,527
2003 modern 85 #29,877
2004 modern 101 #27,813
2005 modern 123 #24,663
2006 modern 130 #24,053
2007 modern 136 #23,708
2008 modern 147 #22,720
2009 modern 158 #22,168
2010 modern 185 #20,453
2011 modern 176 #20,957
2012 modern 188 #20,018
2013 modern 203 #19,327
2014 modern 205 #19,375
2015 modern 206 #19,208
2016 modern 215 #18,670

Geography

Back to top

Where Maos 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 Bexley, Hackney, Newcastle upon Tyne, Southwark and Enfield. 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 Bexley 018 Bexley
2 Hackney 025 Hackney
3 Newcastle upon Tyne 008 Newcastle upon Tyne
4 Southwark 027 Southwark
5 Enfield 010 Enfield

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Mao

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Mao

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Mao surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Mao 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 includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Mao 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

Mao 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

Mao falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mao 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
Asian - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Mao

The surname Mao originated in China, with records indicating its use dating back to the 4th century AD during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. This name is believed to be derived from the ancient Chinese word "mao," which means "hair" or "fur." It may have originally referred to someone with a distinctive hairstyle or perhaps a person who worked with animal fur or hair.

One of the earliest known references to the name Mao can be found in the historical text "Book of Jin," which documents the lives of prominent figures during the Jin Dynasty. This work mentions a scholar and calligrapher named Mao Xing, who lived from 334 to 398 AD and was renowned for his exceptional penmanship and literary contributions.

During the Tang Dynasty, which ruled from 618 to 907 AD, the Mao surname gained prominence in various regions of China, particularly in the areas now known as Henan, Shandong, and Anhui provinces. Records from this period show several notable individuals bearing the Mao name, including the poet Mao Ying (625-705 AD) and the military strategist Mao Sui (589-644 AD).

In the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the Mao surname was well-established in the region of Shandong, where a prominent branch of the family resided in the city of Linzi (now part of Zibo). One of the most famous individuals from this era was the scholar and philosopher Mao Qiling (1090-1155 AD), who made significant contributions to the Neo-Confucian movement.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the Mao surname continued to be well-represented among the scholarly and literary elite. One notable figure was Mao Jin (1599-1659 AD), a renowned playwright and author who wrote several influential works, including the play "The Peony Pavilion."

In more recent history, the most famous individual bearing the Mao surname is undoubtedly Mao Zedong (1893-1976 AD), the founding leader of the People's Republic of China and a pivotal figure in the Chinese Communist Revolution. Other notable individuals with the Mao surname include the writer and activist Mao Dun (1896-1981 AD) and the contemporary artist Mao Xuhui (born 1956).

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Mao surname: questions and answers

How common is the Mao surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 215 in 2016. That gives Mao a modern rank of #18,670.

What does the Mao surname mean?

A Chinese surname meaning "hair" or "feather," originally referring to a person's physical characteristics or occupation involving fur or feathers.

What does the Mao map show?

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