NameCensus.

UK surname

Zhang

A Chinese surname meaning "archer" or "bowyer," referring to an ancestor's occupation or military role.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Zhang is 2,851 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

2,851

2016, ranked #2,358

Peak year

2016

2,851 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,851 in 2016, ranked #2,358.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Student Living and Professional Footholds.

Zhang surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Zhang surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Zhang 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
1997 modern 124 #23,669
1998 modern 176 #19,584
1999 modern 214 #17,494
2000 modern 289 #14,272
2001 modern 308 #13,519
2002 modern 434 #10,751
2003 modern 679 #7,576
2004 modern 804 #6,642
2005 modern 1,013 #5,491
2006 modern 1,086 #5,187
2007 modern 1,284 #4,537
2008 modern 1,396 #4,268
2009 modern 1,575 #3,929
2010 modern 2,086 #3,166
2011 modern 1,867 #3,427
2012 modern 2,373 #2,740
2013 modern 2,543 #2,628
2014 modern 2,689 #2,518
2015 modern 2,761 #2,447
2016 modern 2,851 #2,358

Geography

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Where Zhangs 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 Swansea, Birmingham and Liverpool. 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 Swansea 026 Swansea
2 Birmingham 138 Birmingham
3 Liverpool 060 Liverpool
4 Swansea 024 Swansea
5 Birmingham 135 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Zhang

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

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

Student Living and Professional Footholds

Nationally, the Zhang surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Student Living and Professional Footholds, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Zhang household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

The Group includes many students, some of whom reside in communal residences. Single-person households are the most prevalent and the modal age band is 25 to 44. There are few families with dependent children. A significant number of White residents were born in EU countries (although UK-born residents are more common than in the rest of the Group), and households reflect a diversity of ethnic groups. Residential turnover is exceptionally high and, communal properties aside, flats are the norm. Some properties, including those in the private rental sector, are over-crowded. Many residents are professionals and technicians educated to degree level, and the Group is particularly common near the campuses of established university towns and cities.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Zhang is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Zhang 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

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

Meaning and origin of Zhang

The surname ZHANG originates from China and can be traced back to the Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC – 256 BC). It is one of the most common surnames in mainland China and among Chinese communities worldwide. The name is derived from the Old Chinese word "Zhang," which means "stretch" or "extend," and was initially used as a descriptive surname for an individual's physical appearance or occupation.

ZHANG is a single-character surname, which was prevalent during the ancient Zhou Dynasty when single-character surnames were commonly used. The name has various Chinese characters, but the most common one is written as "张" in simplified Chinese and "張" in traditional Chinese.

Historical records indicate that the ZHANG surname can be found in ancient Chinese texts and documents, such as the "Shiji" (Records of the Grand Historian) by Sima Qian, a renowned historian from the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). The text mentions several prominent figures with the surname ZHANG, including Zhang Liang (circa 250 BC), a renowned military strategist and advisor to the emperor.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the ZHANG surname can be found in the "Zuozhuan" (Commentary of Zuo), a historical text from the Spring and Autumn period (770 BC – 476 BC), which mentions a person named Zhang Yi. Zhang Yi was a nobleman from the state of Lu (present-day Shandong Province) who played a significant role in the political affairs of his time.

Throughout Chinese history, several notable individuals have borne the ZHANG surname. These include Zhang Zhuozhen (1670 – 1718), a renowned Qing Dynasty painter and calligrapher; Zhang Zhidong (1837 – 1909), a prominent statesman and reformist during the late Qing Dynasty; Zhang Xueliang (1901 – 2001), a powerful warlord and military leader in the early 20th century; Zhang Yimou (born 1950), an acclaimed film director known for his work in the Fifth Generation of Chinese cinema; and Zhang Ziyi (born 1979), an internationally renowned actress who has starred in numerous award-winning films.

The ZHANG surname has also been associated with various place names in China, such as Zhangzhou (a city in Fujian Province), Zhangjiajie (a famous scenic area in Hunan Province), and Zhangbei (a county in Hebei Province). These place names often derive from local historical figures or events related to individuals with the ZHANG surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Zhang surname: questions and answers

How common is the Zhang surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,851 in 2016. That gives Zhang a modern rank of #2,358.

What does the Zhang surname mean?

A Chinese surname meaning "archer" or "bowyer," referring to an ancestor's occupation or military role.

What does the Zhang map show?

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