NameCensus.

UK surname

Abdullah

An Arabic surname meaning "servant of Allah" or "servant of God."

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Abdullah surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,874, ranked #2,341, up from #34,027 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sheffield, Liverpool and Bolton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Abdullah is 2,874 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 287300.0%.

1881 census count

1

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

2,874

2016, ranked #2,341

Peak year

2016

2,874 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Abdullah had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,874 in 2016, ranked #2,341.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Abdullah surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Abdullah surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Abdullah 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
1851 historical 2 #33,133
1861 historical 3 #33,861
1881 historical 1 #34,027
1891 historical 5 #33,939
1901 historical 5 #33,728
1911 historical 9 #32,754
1997 modern 947 #5,735
1998 modern 990 #5,714
1999 modern 1,026 #5,597
2000 modern 1,055 #5,448
2001 modern 1,042 #5,402
2002 modern 1,178 #4,979
2003 modern 1,216 #4,754
2004 modern 1,294 #4,502
2005 modern 1,426 #4,138
2006 modern 1,545 #3,848
2007 modern 1,675 #3,620
2008 modern 1,851 #3,347
2009 modern 2,099 #3,080
2010 modern 2,351 #2,838
2011 modern 2,387 #2,769
2012 modern 2,559 #2,567
2013 modern 2,661 #2,527
2014 modern 2,770 #2,467
2015 modern 2,839 #2,386
2016 modern 2,874 #2,341

Geography

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Where Abdullahs 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 Sheffield, Liverpool, Bolton, Manchester and Birmingham. 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 Sheffield 022 Sheffield
2 Liverpool 039 Liverpool
3 Bolton 005 Bolton
4 Manchester 026 Manchester
5 Birmingham 083 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Abdullah

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

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

Abdullah 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

Abdullah 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 Abdullah 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 Abdullah, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Abdullah

The surname Abdullah is an Arabic name that originated in the Middle East. It is derived from the Arabic words "Abd" meaning "servant" and "Allah" meaning "God". The name translates to "Servant of God" or "Servant of Allah".

The name has its roots in the Islamic faith and can be traced back to the 7th century AD, during the time of the Prophet Muhammad and the early days of Islam. It became a common name among Arabs and Muslims, particularly those living in the Arabian Peninsula and the surrounding regions.

One of the earliest known references to the name Abdullah can be found in the Quran, the central religious text of Islam. The name is mentioned several times, most notably as the name of the father of the Prophet Muhammad, Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib.

In the centuries that followed, the name Abdullah became widespread throughout the Islamic world and was adopted by people from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds who embraced Islam. It appeared in numerous historical records, manuscripts, and documents from different parts of the Middle East and North Africa.

Some notable historical figures who bore the surname Abdullah include:

1. Abdullah ibn Jahsh (died 624 AD), a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and the leader of the first military expedition in Islamic history. 2. Abdullah ibn Umar (610-693 AD), a prominent companion of the Prophet Muhammad and a scholar of Islam. 3. Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (594-653 AD), another close companion of the Prophet Muhammad and a renowned scholar and reciter of the Quran. 4. Abdullah ibn Salam (died 663 AD), a Jewish scholar from Medina who converted to Islam and became a companion of the Prophet Muhammad. 5. Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr (624-692 AD), a influential figure in early Islamic history and a claimant to the caliphate during the Second Islamic Civil War.

The name Abdullah has remained popular among Muslims throughout the centuries and is still widely used today in various parts of the Arab world, as well as in other regions with significant Muslim populations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Abdullah families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Abdullah surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Royal Navy leads with 3 Abdullahs recorded in 1881 and an index of 652.17x.

County Total Index
Royal Navy 3 652.17x
Norfolk 1 16.75x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Royal Navy in Royal Navy leads with 3 Abdullahs recorded in 1881 and an index of 750.00x.

Place Total Index
Royal Navy 3 750.00x
Norwich St John Timberhill 1 5000.00x

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Abdullah surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Feroze 1
Said 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Abdullah households.

FAQ

Abdullah surname: questions and answers

How common was the Abdullah surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1 people were recorded with the Abdullah surname. That placed it at #34,027 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Abdullah surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,874 in 2016. That gives Abdullah a modern rank of #2,341.

What does the Abdullah surname mean?

An Arabic surname meaning "servant of Allah" or "servant of God."

What does the Abdullah map show?

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