History of your Surname
Get access to Ring family records.Start a free trial

Ring Family History

Ring Name Meaning

English Danish German and Dutch: metonymic occupational name for a maker of rings (from Middle English ring Middle High German rinc Middle Dutch ring) either to be worn as jewelry or as component parts of chain-mail harnesses and other objects. It may also have arisen as a nickname for a wearer of a ring. This name (of German origin) is also found in Slovenia and in Czechia. Compare English Ringer and German Rink . Norwegian: variant of Ringen . German: topographic name from Middle High German Middle Low German rink rinc ‘circle’ for someone who lived at a square or market place; or a nickname for a quick or slight small person from Middle High German ringe ‘quick nimble; small not noteworthy’. Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Rinn ‘descendant of Reann’ a personal name possibly derived from reann ‘spear’. Irish: from Mac Bhroin; see McCrann .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Rind, Kring, Ing, Rink, King, Bing, Rinn, Ming, Dring, Ringe

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Ring family from?

You can see how Ring families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ring family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ring families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 458 Ring families living in London. This was about 29% of all the recorded Ring's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Ring families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ring surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Ring ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Ring. 18% of Ring men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Ring women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ring were General Labourer Heavy Worker and Private Means. .

View Census Data for Ring | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    18%
  • Builders Labourer
    16%
  • Bricklayer
    6%
  • General Labourer Heavy Worker
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Ring family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 132,000 census records available for the last name Ring. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ring census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ring

Passenger Lists

There are 19,000 immigration records available for the last name Ring. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Ring immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 33,000 military records available for the last name Ring. For the veterans among your Ring ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ring military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ring family history

Discover More

What is the average Ring lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Ring life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Ring in 1940 was 67, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ring

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Ring family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Ring last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial