NameCensus.

UK surname

Ping

A Chinese surname referring to the sound of a musical instrument, often a lute or zither.

In the 1881 census there were 133 people recorded with the Ping surname, ranking it #16,676 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 196, ranked #19,848, down from #16,676 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Rawmarsh, Wath-on-Dearn (Swinton). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fenland, Southampton and Ashford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ping is 196 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.4%.

1881 census count

133

Ranked #16,676

Modern count

196

2016, ranked #19,848

Peak year

2016

196 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ping had 133 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,676 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 196 in 2016, ranked #19,848.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 179 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ping surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ping surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ping 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 87 #18,695
1861 historical 137 #16,465
1881 historical 133 #16,676
1891 historical 146 #18,664
1901 historical 142 #18,633
1911 historical 179 #16,023
1997 modern 150 #21,119
1998 modern 155 #21,227
1999 modern 158 #21,102
2000 modern 164 #20,584
2001 modern 163 #20,372
2002 modern 167 #20,457
2003 modern 170 #20,023
2004 modern 169 #20,206
2005 modern 172 #19,908
2006 modern 158 #21,229
2007 modern 153 #21,912
2008 modern 163 #21,238
2009 modern 174 #20,782
2010 modern 185 #20,453
2011 modern 176 #20,957
2012 modern 175 #20,984
2013 modern 183 #20,722
2014 modern 184 #20,809
2015 modern 188 #20,417
2016 modern 196 #19,848

Geography

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Where Pings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Rawmarsh, Wath-on-Dearn (Swinton), Doddington and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fenland, Southampton, Ashford and Sheffield. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Rawmarsh, Wath-on-Dearn (Swinton) Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Doddington Cambridgeshire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fenland 008 Fenland
2 Southampton 020 Southampton
3 Ashford 007 Ashford
4 Sheffield 009 Sheffield
5 Southampton 021 Southampton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ping

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ping

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ping, 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 Ping surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Ping 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Ping is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Ping 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

Ping 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 Ping 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 - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Ping

The surname PING is believed to have originated in China, with its earliest known origins dating back to the 5th century AD during the Southern and Northern Dynasties period. This Chinese family name is thought to be derived from the word "ping," which means "level" or "peaceful" in the Chinese language.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the PING surname can be found in the Tang Dynasty poetry anthology known as the "Quan Tangshi," which includes works by several poets with the surname PING, such as PING Jixing (629-706 AD) and PING Xiyuan (683-758 AD). This suggests that the PING surname was already well-established in China during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD).

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the PING surname was particularly prominent in the region of Jiangxi province, where several notable figures bearing this name emerged. One such individual was PING Zhengmin (1096-1156 AD), a renowned scholar and poet who served as a high-ranking official in the imperial court.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the PING surname was associated with several influential families, including the PING clan of Xiangtan, Hunan province. One of the most notable members of this clan was PING He (1502-1555 AD), a successful military leader and scholar-official who played a significant role in the suppression of the Guanxi Rebellion.

Another prominent figure with the PING surname was PING Tingzhang (1636-1718 AD), a celebrated playwright and poet who lived during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD). His works, such as the play "The Peony Pavilion," are considered masterpieces of Chinese literature.

During the late imperial period, the PING surname was also found in other regions of China, such as Shandong and Guangdong provinces. However, its highest concentration remained in the areas of Hunan and Jiangxi provinces, where it had been historically rooted for centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ping families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ping 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. Yorkshire leads with 25 Pings recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.04x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 25 2.04x
Bedfordshire 19 29.62x
Northamptonshire 16 13.73x
Buckinghamshire 14 18.69x
Middlesex 11 0.89x
Cambridgeshire 8 10.20x
Derbyshire 6 3.09x
Essex 4 1.64x
Gloucestershire 4 1.65x
Norfolk 4 2.10x
Oxfordshire 4 5.23x
Lincolnshire 3 1.51x
Worcestershire 3 1.85x
Fife 2 2.73x
Kent 2 0.47x
Lancashire 1 0.07x
Surrey 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cranfield in Bedfordshire leads with 19 Pings recorded in 1881 and an index of 3064.52x.

Place Total Index
Cranfield 19 3064.52x
Nether Hallam 17 102.35x
Little Brickhill 8 8000.00x
March 8 304.18x
Middleton Cheney 8 1568.63x
Dronfield 6 240.96x
Northampton St Giles 6 135.14x
Eston 4 149.81x
Grays Thurrock 4 176.21x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 4 69.93x
St Marylebone London 4 6.05x
Wroxton 4 1428.57x
Rawmarsh 3 69.12x
Redditch 3 91.46x
Sherington 3 1153.85x
Auchtertool 2 666.67x
Bethnal Green London 2 3.72x
Cheltenham 2 10.67x
Eastington 2 250.00x
Greenwich 2 10.14x
Sutton St Mary 2 106.95x
Barton St Peter 1 109.89x
Cheetham 1 9.12x
Harrow On The Hill 1 40.49x
Newport Pagnell 1 63.69x
Northampton Priory St 1 14.31x
Rotherham 1 14.45x
Shoreditch London 1 1.86x
Simpson 1 322.58x
Southwark Christchurch 1 17.24x
St Clement Danes 1 49.75x
St Pancras London 1 1.00x
Stoke Poges 1 109.89x
Westminster St James 1 7.86x
Wootton 1 285.71x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Ping surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ping surname in 1881?

In 1881, 133 people were recorded with the Ping surname. That placed it at #16,676 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ping surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 196 in 2016. That gives Ping a modern rank of #19,848.

What does the Ping surname mean?

A Chinese surname referring to the sound of a musical instrument, often a lute or zither.

What does the Ping map show?

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