NameCensus.

UK surname

Ni

A Chinese surname meaning "peaceful" or "tranquil," derived from a word referring to calm water or peace.

In the 1881 census there were 4 people recorded with the Ni surname, ranking it #33,288 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 146, ranked #24,173, up from #33,288 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wandsworth, Sutton and Murrayfield and Ravelston.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ni is 146 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 3550.0%.

1881 census count

4

Ranked #33,288

Modern count

146

2016, ranked #24,173

Peak year

2016

146 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ni had 4 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,288 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 146 in 2016, ranked #24,173.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Ni surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ni surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ni 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
1881 historical 4 #33,288
1997 modern 11 #36,912
1998 modern 15 #36,457
1999 modern 18 #36,151
2000 modern 18 #36,104
2001 modern 15 #36,265
2002 modern 20 #35,894
2003 modern 28 #35,200
2004 modern 31 #35,105
2005 modern 52 #33,619
2006 modern 51 #33,992
2007 modern 60 #33,539
2008 modern 74 #32,460
2009 modern 79 #32,372
2010 modern 95 #31,000
2011 modern 110 #28,478
2012 modern 115 #27,717
2013 modern 125 #26,695
2014 modern 131 #26,089
2015 modern 135 #25,481
2016 modern 146 #24,173

Geography

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Where Nis 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 Wandsworth, Sutton, Murrayfield and Ravelston, Barnet and Harrow. 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 Wandsworth 026 Wandsworth
2 Sutton 012 Sutton
3 Murrayfield and Ravelston City of Edinburgh
4 Barnet 008 Barnet
5 Harrow 013 Harrow

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ni

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

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

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Ni surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Ni 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 never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Ni is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ni 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

Ni 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 Ni is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Ni

The surname "Ni" has its origins in China, where it first emerged during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is derived from the Chinese character "倪," which was originally used as a clan name in various regions of China, particularly in the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Ni" can be found in the "Tōki Wakashū," a historical anthology of Japanese poetry compiled in the early 8th century AD. This work includes poems attributed to individuals with the surname "Ni," suggesting that the name had already gained recognition in East Asia by that time.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the "Ni" surname gained further prominence, with several notable scholars and officials bearing this name. One such individual was Ni Zan (1301-1374), a renowned Chinese painter and calligrapher who hailed from the Ni clan of Wuxi in Jiangsu Province.

The "Ni" surname also has a strong association with the city of Huizhou in Anhui Province, where it was particularly prevalent among the local gentry and merchant classes. In the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties (16th-17th centuries), several prominent figures with the "Ni" surname emerged from this region, including Ni Yuanlu (1593-1644), a scholar-official who served as a minister in the Ming court.

Another notable individual with the "Ni" surname was Ni Tsan (1301-1374), a famous Chinese painter and calligrapher who was also known by the courtesy name "Yunlin." His works, including landscapes and calligraphic pieces, are highly regarded in Chinese art history.

In more recent times, the "Ni" surname has been carried by several influential figures, such as Ni Zhengyu (1928-2021), a Chinese mathematician and computer scientist who made significant contributions to the development of computer science in China, and Ni Kuang (1935-2017), a renowned writer and screenwriter best known for his novels and screenplays depicting life in Shanghai.

While the surname "Ni" has its roots in China, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. Today, individuals with the "Ni" surname can be found in various countries across Asia, as well as in communities of Chinese descent in other regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ni families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ni 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. Derbyshire leads with 1 Nis recorded in 1881 and an index of 66.23x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 1 66.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mickleover in Derbyshire leads with 1 Nis recorded in 1881 and an index of 0.00x.

Place Total Index
Mickleover 1 0.00x

Top male names

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

Name Count
J. 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 Ni households.

Occupation Count
Coach Painter 1

FAQ

Ni surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ni surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4 people were recorded with the Ni surname. That placed it at #33,288 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ni surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 146 in 2016. That gives Ni a modern rank of #24,173.

What does the Ni surname mean?

A Chinese surname meaning "peaceful" or "tranquil," derived from a word referring to calm water or peace.

What does the Ni map show?

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