Find out how popular the last name Canning is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Canning.

Canning, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Canning surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Canning in America

Canning is the 8227th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Canning surname appeared 4,033 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Canning.

We can also compare 2010 data for Canning to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Canning

The surname Canning is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is thought to have originated as a locational name, derived from the village of Canning in Somerset, England. The name of the village itself is believed to come from the Old English word "canning," meaning "royal messenger" or "king's messenger."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Canning surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Caninga." This version of the name likely refers to the inhabitants of the village of Canning, suggesting that the surname was already in use by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show a William de Canynges, who was a prominent merchant and benefactor in Bristol, England. He played a significant role in the city's development and was instrumental in the construction of several notable buildings, including the Church of St. Mary Redcliffe.

Another notable figure with the Canning surname was George Canning, born in 1770, who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1827 until his death later that year. He is remembered for his role in the abolition of the slave trade and his efforts to promote political reform.

In the 18th century, the Canning family established itself as a powerful political dynasty in Britain. Charles John Canning, born in 1812, was a British statesman and served as the Governor-General of India from 1856 to 1862. His son, Henry John Canning, born in 1847, followed in his footsteps and had a distinguished career in the British Foreign Office.

The name Canning also appears in various other historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is spelled "Canynges," and the Subsidy Rolls of 1327, where it appears as "Canynge." These variations in spelling were common during the medieval and early modern periods, as standardized spelling conventions were not yet established.

Other notable individuals with the Canning surname include Stratford Canning, born in 1786, a British diplomat who served as the Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, and Charles John Canning, born in 1809, who served as the Governor-General of India from 1858 to 1862.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Canning

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Canning.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Canning was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Canning has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Canning was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Canning, please contact us.

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