2000
#6,124
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,158
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.91
Rare Last name
Vining
Habitational surname derived from various places named Vining, likely referring to someone living near a vineyard or vine-covered area.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,785 Americans carry the last name Vining. That puts it at #6,472 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.69 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 59,249 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vining surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Vining with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.8K
1 in 59,249
Census rank
#6,472
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,045 bearers of the surname Vining in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.69 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6472nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vining, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.1%. The next largest groups are Black (7.6%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vining
The surname Vining is of English origin, derived from the Old English word 'Vineyarde,' which means 'vine grower.' This name was first recorded in the 12th century and was initially used as an occupational surname for those involved in the cultivation of vineyards or the production of wine.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Vining can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1190, where a person named William le Vinur was mentioned. This suggests that the name was in use as early as the late 12th century in the county of Gloucestershire, England.
Throughout history, the surname Vining has undergone several spelling variations, including Vinor, Vyner, and Vynor, reflecting the regional dialects and the evolution of the English language over time. The name is also closely associated with certain place names, such as Vining Street in London, which may have been named after someone with the surname Vining.
One notable individual bearing this surname was Sir Thomas Vining (1570-1638), an English merchant and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1633-1634. Another prominent figure was Robert Vining (1773-1830), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Peter's in Paddington.
In the literary world, the name Vining is associated with Elizabeth Gray Vining (1902-1999), an American writer and educator who served as a tutor to the Crown Prince of Japan, Akihito, and wrote several books about her experiences in Japan.
John Vining (1758-1802) was a British naval officer who played a significant role in the Battle of Camperdown during the French Revolutionary Wars, commanding the HMS Monmouth and contributing to the victory over the Dutch fleet.
Another notable figure was Edward Vining (1825-1898), an English clergyman and author who wrote several books on theology and served as the Rector of St. Peter's Church in Wolverhampton.
While the surname Vining may not have been as widespread as some other English surnames, it has a rich history dating back to the 12th century, with connections to various occupations, places, and notable individuals throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vining
Among Census respondents with the surname Vining, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.1%. The next largest groups are Black (7.6%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Vining bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Vining surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.1% · 4,241
- Black or African American7.6% · 382
- Two or more races3.9% · 196
- Hispanic or Latino3.2% · 160
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 36
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 30
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vining
Vining appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#6,468
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,253
+95 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 1.78
Rank movement Down 344 places
2020
#6,472
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,045
-208 bearers (-4.0%)
Per 100,000 1.69
Rank movement Down 4 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,124 | 5,158 | 1.91 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,468 | 5,253 | 1.78 | +95 bearers (+1.8%) | Down 344 places |
| 2020 | #6,472 | 5,045 | 1.69 | -208 bearers (-4.0%) | Down 4 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Vining surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,468 | #6,472 | -0.1% |
| Count | 5,253 | 5,045 | -4.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.78 | 1.69 | -5.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vining bearers went from 5,253 to 5,045 (-4.0% change). The surname moved down 4 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,468 to #6,472.
FAQ
Vining surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vining?
Name Census estimates that about 5,785 living Americans carry the surname Vining. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 59,249 residents.
How common is Vining?
Vining ranks #6,472 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.69 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,045 people with the surname Vining. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,785), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.69 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.69 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Vining.
Has Vining become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vining went from 5,253 recorded bearers to 5,045. That is a decrease of 208 (-4.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,468 to #6,472.
What does the Census say about the background of Vining?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vining, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.1%. The next largest groups are Black (7.6%) and Two or More Races (3.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Vining in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.1% (4,241 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vining appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.1%), Black (7.6%), Two or More Races (3.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Vining (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Vining mean?
Habitational surname derived from various places named Vining, likely referring to someone living near a vineyard or vine-covered area. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Vining (1.69 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Vining?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Vining, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.