NameCensus.

UK surname

Abe

A Japanese surname meaning "avenue" or "ridge," likely referring to a place of residence near those geographical features.

In the 1881 census there were 26 people recorded with the Abe surname, ranking it #29,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 197, ranked #19,777, up from #29,911 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Greenwich, Hackney and Southwark.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Abe is 198 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 657.7%.

1881 census count

26

Ranked #29,911

Modern count

197

2016, ranked #19,777

Peak year

2014

198 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Abe had 26 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,911 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 197 in 2016, ranked #19,777.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 26 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Abe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Abe surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Abe 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 15 #30,614
1881 historical 26 #29,911
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1901 historical 23 #31,466
1997 modern 45 #33,168
1998 modern 54 #32,518
1999 modern 62 #31,893
2000 modern 58 #32,317
2001 modern 56 #32,379
2002 modern 66 #31,821
2003 modern 86 #29,752
2004 modern 111 #26,293
2005 modern 132 #23,623
2006 modern 135 #23,486
2007 modern 150 #22,212
2008 modern 156 #21,862
2009 modern 155 #22,438
2010 modern 176 #21,101
2011 modern 171 #21,337
2012 modern 170 #21,379
2013 modern 190 #20,201
2014 modern 198 #19,841
2015 modern 192 #20,138
2016 modern 197 #19,777

Geography

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Where Abes 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 Greenwich, Hackney, Southwark and Barking and Dagenham. 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 Greenwich 007 Greenwich
2 Hackney 021 Hackney
3 Southwark 019 Southwark
4 Barking and Dagenham 021 Barking and Dagenham
5 Southwark 018 Southwark

Forenames

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First names often paired with Abe

These lists show first names that appear often with the Abe surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Abe

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Abe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Abe 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 includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Abe 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

Abe 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

Abe falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Abe 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
Black - African

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

Meaning and origin of Abe

The surname "Abe" is of Japanese origin, and it is believed to have originated in the 15th century or earlier. The name is derived from the Japanese word "abe," which means "willow tree." It is thought that the name was initially used to identify people who lived near or worked with willow trees.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Abe" can be found in the Kamakura period (1185-1333), where it appears in historical records and documents from that time. The name was particularly prevalent in the Shizuoka and Aichi prefectures of Japan, suggesting that these regions may have been the original areas where the surname was commonly used.

Historically, the name "Abe" has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the most famous was Abe no Seimei (921-1005), a renowned onmyoji (traditional Japanese occultist) and astrologer during the Heian period (794-1185). His works and teachings had a significant impact on Japanese culture and influenced various aspects of society, including literature and the arts.

Another notable figure with the surname "Abe" was Abe no Nakamaro (698-770), a Japanese scholar, poet, and statesman who served as a high-ranking official during the Nara period (710-794). He was known for his contributions to the development of Japanese literature and his diplomatic missions to China.

In the 16th century, Abe Sadayoshi (1536-1607) was a prominent Japanese daimyo (feudal lord) who played a crucial role in the unification of Japan under the Tokugawa shogunate. He was a skilled military strategist and a loyal supporter of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), the Abe clan was a influential samurai family based in the Aizu region of present-day Fukushima Prefecture. One notable member of this clan was Abe Masahiro (1819-1857), a skilled swordsman and martial arts instructor who played a significant role in the development of the Shinto Munen-ryu school of swordsmanship.

In more recent times, Abe Shinzo (1954-2022) was a prominent Japanese politician who served as the Prime Minister of Japan from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020, becoming one of the longest-serving prime ministers in Japanese history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Abe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Abe 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. Yorkshire leads with 12 Abes recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.60x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 12 4.60x
Lincolnshire 9 21.38x
Warwickshire 4 6.03x
Renfrewshire 1 4.90x
Staffordshire 1 1.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 12 Abes recorded in 1881 and an index of 81.47x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 12 81.47x
Clee With Weelsby 8 869.57x
Coventry Holy Trinity 4 202.02x
Denston 1 2500.00x
Great Grimsby 1 37.45x
Middle Greenock 1 178.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emily 2
Jessie 2
Agnes 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Henryette 1
Kate 1
Lucy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Francis 4
Charles 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Harrison 1
John 1
Percy 1
Thomas 1
Thos. 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 Abe households.

FAQ

Abe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Abe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 26 people were recorded with the Abe surname. That placed it at #29,911 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Abe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 197 in 2016. That gives Abe a modern rank of #19,777.

What does the Abe surname mean?

A Japanese surname meaning "avenue" or "ridge," likely referring to a place of residence near those geographical features.

What does the Abe map show?

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