Ring
A surname most often tied to a ring-shaped place or circular open space, or to a bell-ringer by occupation.
The #2,226 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 18,848 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Ring can have more than one origin. In English place-name usage, it likely comes from Old English hring, meaning “ring,” “circle,” or something round, and could refer to a circular enclosure, open space, or a place so named. A separate occupational sense also existed: in older English, a ringer of church bells could acquire Ring as a surname.
History
Historical surname references in English sources connect Ring both with local features and with bell-ringing. Lower specifically notes that some old towns had a “Ring” or circular open space, while Harrison links related names to Old English hring and related place-names. Because the name can arise independently in more than one way, bearers of Ring may not share a single family origin.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same root behind Ring also appears in older place-names like Ringland and Ringshaw, both of which were explained from Old English hring in 19th-century surname studies.
From the historical record
“(stone) circle. RING ROSE (Eng.) [the first element is doubtless O.E. hring, a ring, circle, round; while the second app. represents the pi. of O.E. rckw, a row (as of houses or hedges : cp. Dial. E. row, a hedge] This seems to be specifically a York- shire surname : it is foundas Ryngrose in the 1 6th cent.…”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)