NameCensus.

UK surname

Abdulahi

Derived from the Arabic personal name Abd Allah, meaning "servant of Allah" or "servant of God."

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Abdulahi is 106 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

106

2016, ranked #29,927

Peak year

2016

106 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 106 in 2016, ranked #29,927.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Abdulahi surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Abdulahi surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Abdulahi 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 5 #37,891
1998 modern 3 #38,304
1999 modern 3 #38,318
2000 modern 5 #37,823
2001 modern 5 #37,652
2002 modern 10 #36,902
2003 modern 12 #36,715
2004 modern 21 #35,969
2005 modern 31 #35,260
2006 modern 42 #34,714
2007 modern 40 #35,037
2008 modern 53 #34,315
2009 modern 73 #32,923
2010 modern 84 #32,289
2011 modern 89 #31,659
2012 modern 98 #30,612
2013 modern 97 #31,239
2014 modern 101 #30,855
2015 modern 105 #30,092
2016 modern 106 #29,927

Geography

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Where Abdulahis 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 Birmingham, Leicester, Ealing, Hounslow and Bradford. 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 Birmingham 082 Birmingham
2 Leicester 011 Leicester
3 Ealing 017 Ealing
4 Hounslow 005 Hounslow
5 Bradford 050 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Abdulahi

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

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Abdulahi surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Abdulahi household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Abdulahi is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Abdulahi 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

Abdulahi falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Abdulahi 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
Other Ethnic Group

This describes the area pattern most associated with Abdulahi, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Abdulahi

The surname Abdulahi is of Arabic origin and it can be traced back to the 7th century AD in the Arabian Peninsula. The name is derived from the Arabic words "Abd" meaning "servant" and "Al-Lahi" meaning "of God". This combination signifies "servant of God" or "servant of the Almighty".

During the 7th century, the spread of Islam across the Middle East and North Africa led to the adoption of Arabic names by many people, including those of non-Arab descent. The name Abdulahi became particularly popular among Muslim communities in the Horn of Africa region, which includes countries like Somalia, Djibouti, and parts of Ethiopia.

Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name Abdulahi can be found in ancient Arabic manuscripts and historical records from the medieval period. One notable person with this surname was Abdulahi ibn Yasin, a Moroccan Muslim scholar and theologian who lived in the 12th century and founded the Almoravid movement.

In the 13th century, the name Abdulahi appeared in several chronicles and records from the Somali region, indicating its widespread use among the local population. One famous Somali figure with this surname was Abdulahi al-Qutbi, a 16th-century scholar and poet who was renowned for his contributions to the Somali literary tradition.

Throughout history, the name Abdulahi has been associated with various places and regions in the Horn of Africa, including the ancient city of Zeila (now in Somaliland), the Somali coast, and the Ogaden region of Ethiopia. The name has also been carried by individuals from other parts of the Islamic world, such as the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa.

Other notable individuals with the surname Abdulahi include Abdulahi Yusuf Ahmed, a 20th-century Somali politician who served as the second President of Somalia from 2004 to 2008, and Abdulahi Warsame, a contemporary Somali-American writer and educator known for his contributions to Somali literature and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Abdulahi surname: questions and answers

How common is the Abdulahi surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 106 in 2016. That gives Abdulahi a modern rank of #29,927.

What does the Abdulahi surname mean?

Derived from the Arabic personal name Abd Allah, meaning "servant of Allah" or "servant of God."

What does the Abdulahi map show?

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