NameCensus.

UK surname

Wring

A surname derived from an occupation associated with twisting or wringing, possibly a launderer or washer.

In the 1881 census there were 89 people recorded with the Wring surname, ranking it #21,091 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 243, ranked #17,131, up from #21,091 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster and Christchurch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wring is 265 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 173.0%.

1881 census count

89

Ranked #21,091

Modern count

243

2016, ranked #17,131

Peak year

2010

265 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wring had 89 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,091 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 243 in 2016, ranked #17,131.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 183 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wring surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wring surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wring 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 65 #21,747
1861 historical 106 #20,147
1881 historical 89 #21,091
1891 historical 126 #20,604
1901 historical 122 #20,344
1911 historical 183 #15,811
1997 modern 217 #16,761
1998 modern 227 #16,754
1999 modern 232 #16,594
2000 modern 242 #16,101
2001 modern 235 #16,147
2002 modern 240 #16,291
2003 modern 241 #16,013
2004 modern 227 #16,778
2005 modern 235 #16,335
2006 modern 238 #16,288
2007 modern 238 #16,505
2008 modern 242 #16,432
2009 modern 260 #15,972
2010 modern 265 #16,115
2011 modern 263 #16,058
2012 modern 249 #16,572
2013 modern 248 #16,877
2014 modern 251 #16,865
2015 modern 242 #17,191
2016 modern 243 #17,131

Geography

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Where Wrings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster, Christchurch, Wiveliscombe and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Bedminster Somerset
3 Christchurch Monmouthshire
4 Wiveliscombe Somerset
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Somerset 004 North Somerset
2 Bristol 053 Bristol, City of
3 North Somerset 013 North Somerset
4 North Somerset 007 North Somerset
5 South Gloucestershire 031 South Gloucestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wring

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wring

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Wring is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wring is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wring falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Wring is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Wring

The surname Wring finds its origin in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be localized in the southwestern counties, particularly Devon and Somerset. The name derives from the Old English word "wringan," which means "to bend" or "to wring.” This Old English terminology alludes to the possible meaning of the surname—someone who possibly twisted or wrung textiles as part of their occupation.

Historical references to the surname Wring can be traced to medieval manuscripts and legal records. The name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset dating back to the 14th century, indicating the presence of individuals bearing this surname in that region during this period. One of the earliest recorded instances is a Willelmus Wryingge from Somerset in the mid-1300s, as documented in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327.

In terms of notable figures, Ralph Wring, born around 1450, was a known resident of Devon and is documented in several local records for transactions concerning land and property. Another significant figure, John Wring, born in 1536, served as a churchwarden in Exeter, further cementing the surname’s presence in Devonshire parish records.

The surname also appears in coroner's inquests and manorial court rolls during the 16th and 17th centuries. For instance, Robert Wring, mentioned in the manorial records of Tiverton in 1587, was involved in a dispute over land boundaries. His involvement in the community highlights the name's occurrence in legal and ecclesiastical records.

William Wring, born in 1692, was a noted yeoman farmer in Somerset. His will, documented in 1751, provides valuable genealogical information about the Wring family and their status in society during that time. This document, held in the Somerset Record Office, is often referenced by genealogists tracing the Wring lineage.

Finally, in the early 19th century, we find Mary Wring, born in 1803, who became well-known in her local village of Ottery St Mary in Devon for her role as a midwife. She is recorded in parish records for her service to the community, assisting with numerous births over the course of her life until her death in 1871.

Thus, the surname Wring encapsulates a rich history that spans several centuries, with its bearers contributing to the fabric of their local communities in various roles, from yeoman farmers to churchwardens and midwives.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wring families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wring 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. Somerset leads with 42 Wrings recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.11x.

County Total Index
Somerset 42 31.11x
Middlesex 10 1.19x
Gloucestershire 9 5.47x
Yorkshire 9 1.08x
Monmouthshire 7 11.55x
Cambridgeshire 2 3.77x
Essex 2 1.21x
Lancashire 1 0.10x
Leicestershire 1 1.08x
Royal Navy 1 10.01x
Surrey 1 0.24x
Worcestershire 1 0.91x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bedminster in Somerset leads with 35 Wrings recorded in 1881 and an index of 275.81x.

Place Total Index
Bedminster 35 275.81x
Bradford 9 44.73x
Newport 7 242.21x
St Pancras London 7 10.37x
Wiveliscombe 6 800.00x
Westbury On Trym 5 89.77x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 4 25.82x
Great Bentley 2 769.23x
Meldreth 2 952.38x
St Andrew Holborn 2 70.42x
Dudley 1 7.51x
Kingston On Thames 1 10.18x
Kirkdale 1 5.97x
Royal Navy 1 11.71x
St Anne Soho London 1 20.88x
Whitwick 1 84.75x
Yeovil 1 36.50x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Wring surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wring surname in 1881?

In 1881, 89 people were recorded with the Wring surname. That placed it at #21,091 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wring surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 243 in 2016. That gives Wring a modern rank of #17,131.

What does the Wring surname mean?

A surname derived from an occupation associated with twisting or wringing, possibly a launderer or washer.

What does the Wring map show?

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