NameCensus.

UK surname

Ung

A Chinese surname derived from a place name, also referring to a ceremonial vessel or a measuring container.

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Ung surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 191, ranked #20,194, up from #34,027 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Birmingham, Caerphilly and Westminster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ung is 191 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19000.0%.

1881 census count

1

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

191

2016, ranked #20,194

Peak year

2016

191 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ung had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 191 in 2016, ranked #20,194.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Ung surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ung surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ung 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 1 #33,412
1881 historical 1 #34,027
1997 modern 113 #25,106
1998 modern 117 #25,190
1999 modern 115 #25,620
2000 modern 113 #25,843
2001 modern 115 #25,222
2002 modern 139 #22,991
2003 modern 145 #22,172
2004 modern 146 #22,202
2005 modern 138 #22,999
2006 modern 144 #22,520
2007 modern 144 #22,804
2008 modern 154 #22,034
2009 modern 160 #21,978
2010 modern 175 #21,186
2011 modern 171 #21,337
2012 modern 174 #21,065
2013 modern 186 #20,502
2014 modern 185 #20,739
2015 modern 184 #20,719
2016 modern 191 #20,194

Geography

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Where Ungs 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 Birmingham, Caerphilly, Westminster, Haringey and Merton. 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 Birmingham 030 Birmingham
2 Caerphilly 009 Caerphilly
3 Westminster 017 Westminster
4 Haringey 037 Haringey
5 Merton 022 Merton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ung

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

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ung is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ung 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

Ung 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 Ung 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 Ung, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ung

The surname UNG has its origins in the Scandinavian countries, particularly Norway, where it first emerged in the Viking era around the 8th-10th centuries. The name is thought to derive from the Old Norse word "ungr," meaning "young" or "youthful," and may have been used as a descriptive surname for a young person or the youngest child in a family.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name UNG can be found in the Landnámabók, an Icelandic medieval manuscript detailing the settlement of Iceland in the 9th and 10th centuries. It mentions several individuals with the name, such as Ung Bjarnason, who settled in the Vestfirðir region of Iceland in the late 9th century.

In Norway, the name UNG can be traced back to the 13th century, with records mentioning individuals like Sigurd Ung, a prominent landowner and chieftain in the Trøndelag region during the reign of King Håkon IV Håkonsson (1217-1263).

The surname UNG also appeared in various historical records and documents across Scandinavia, including the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of medieval Norwegian diplomas and charters. One notable example is Haakon Ung, a Norwegian nobleman and military commander who lived in the late 14th century and played a role in the struggles between the Danish and Norwegian monarchies.

In later centuries, the name UNG spread to other parts of Europe, particularly through migration and trade connections with Scandinavia. For instance, Jens Ung (1598-1659) was a Danish merchant and ship owner who operated in the Baltic Sea region during the 17th century.

Another notable bearer of the surname UNG was Carl Gustaf Ung (1797-1865), a Swedish artist and painter known for his landscapes and seascapes. He was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts and had a significant influence on the development of Swedish romantic landscape painting.

In the 19th century, the name UNG also gained prominence in the United States, where it was brought by Scandinavian immigrants. One such individual was Hans Ung (1828-1901), a Norwegian-American businessman and pioneer who settled in Wisconsin and played a key role in the development of the state's lumber industry.

Over the centuries, the surname UNG has seen various spelling variations, including Unge, Unger, and Yngve, reflecting regional and linguistic differences in Scandinavia and other parts of Europe where the name has been adopted.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ung families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ung 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. Essex leads with 1 Ungs recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.63x.

County Total Index
Essex 1 52.63x

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 1 Ungs recorded in 1881 and an index of 238.10x.

Place Total Index
West Ham 1 238.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Marie 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 Ung households.

Occupation Count
Firemans Wife 1

FAQ

Ung surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ung surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1 people were recorded with the Ung surname. That placed it at #34,027 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ung surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 191 in 2016. That gives Ung a modern rank of #20,194.

What does the Ung surname mean?

A Chinese surname derived from a place name, also referring to a ceremonial vessel or a measuring container.

What does the Ung map show?

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