NameCensus.

UK surname

Min

A Korean surname derived from the Chinese character meaning "jade," "king," or "folk."

In the 1881 census there were 16 people recorded with the Min surname, ranking it #31,301 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 117, ranked #28,033, up from #31,301 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Southwark, Bolton and Kensington and Chelsea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Min is 117 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 631.3%.

1881 census count

16

Ranked #31,301

Modern count

117

2016, ranked #28,033

Peak year

2016

117 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Min had 16 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,301 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016, ranked #28,033.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 16 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Min surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Min surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Min 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 10 #31,497
1881 historical 16 #31,301
1901 historical 4 #33,876
1997 modern 22 #35,584
1998 modern 25 #35,365
1999 modern 29 #35,031
2000 modern 32 #34,705
2001 modern 31 #34,648
2002 modern 40 #34,133
2003 modern 40 #34,215
2004 modern 40 #34,387
2005 modern 45 #34,160
2006 modern 46 #34,415
2007 modern 60 #33,539
2008 modern 64 #33,402
2009 modern 67 #33,450
2010 modern 82 #32,492
2011 modern 79 #32,743
2012 modern 89 #31,934
2013 modern 99 #30,934
2014 modern 101 #30,855
2015 modern 104 #30,269
2016 modern 117 #28,033

Geography

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Where Mins 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 Southwark, Bolton, Kensington and Chelsea and Kingston upon Thames. 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 Southwark 002 Southwark
2 Bolton 030 Bolton
3 Kensington and Chelsea 013 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Kingston upon Thames 008 Kingston upon Thames
5 Kingston upon Thames 012 Kingston upon Thames

Forenames

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First names often paired with Min

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

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Min, 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 Min surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Min 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, Min 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

Min 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

Min falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Min 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Min

The surname "Min" is believed to have originated in China, where it has been traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE). The name is thought to derive from the Old Chinese word "min," meaning "people" or "subjects," suggesting that the original bearers of this surname may have been commoners or citizens.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname "Min" can be found in the "Zizhi Tongjian," a renowned historical work compiled during the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE). This text documents the existence of individuals with the surname "Min" during the Tang Dynasty.

In ancient Chinese records, the surname "Min" is sometimes spelled using alternative characters, such as "民" or "旻," which share similar pronunciations and meanings.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE), the "Min" surname gained prominence in the southern coastal regions of China, particularly in the provinces of Fujian and Guangdong. This may be attributed to the migration of people from northern China to the southern regions during this period.

Notable historical figures with the surname "Min" include:

1. Min Ziqian (1828-1900), a famous Chinese scholar and official during the Qing Dynasty. 2. Min Zidong (1444-1532), a renowned painter and calligrapher who lived during the Ming Dynasty. 3. Min Guizhi (1638-1718), a prominent Chinese playwright and novelist of the late Ming and early Qing periods. 4. Min Yuren (1635-1708), a renowned Chinese landscape painter and poet of the early Qing Dynasty. 5. Min Erchang (1504-1585), a renowned Chinese military general and strategist during the Ming Dynasty.

While the surname "Min" originated in China, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its roots and earliest recorded instances can be traced back to ancient China, where it held a significant presence and historical relevance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Min families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Min 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. Monmouthshire leads with 4 Mins recorded in 1881 and an index of 63.09x.

County Total Index
Monmouthshire 4 63.09x
Lancashire 3 2.88x
Ayrshire 1 15.24x
Hampshire 1 5.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Woollos in Monmouthshire leads with 4 Mins recorded in 1881 and an index of 563.38x.

Place Total Index
St Woollos 4 563.38x
Everton 3 90.63x
Coylton 1 1111.11x
Millbrook 1 222.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 1
Belina 1
Christine 1
Mary 1
Rosa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Edward 1
John 1
Thomas 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 Min households.

FAQ

Min surname: questions and answers

How common was the Min surname in 1881?

In 1881, 16 people were recorded with the Min surname. That placed it at #31,301 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Min surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016. That gives Min a modern rank of #28,033.

What does the Min surname mean?

A Korean surname derived from the Chinese character meaning "jade," "king," or "folk."

What does the Min map show?

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