NameCensus.

UK surname

Abraham

A biblical patriarch's name adopted as a surname, likely denoting a person's Jewish faith or ancestry.

In the 1881 census there were 2,933 people recorded with the Abraham surname, ranking it #1,524 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,751, ranked #1,168, up from #1,524 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Christ Church Spitalfields. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swansea, Barnet and Hackney.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Abraham is 5,794 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 96.1%.

1881 census count

2,933

Ranked #1,524

Modern count

5,751

2016, ranked #1,168

Peak year

2014

5,794 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Abraham had 2,933 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,524 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,751 in 2016, ranked #1,168.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,902 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Abraham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Abraham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Abraham 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 2,307 #1,285
1861 historical 2,631 #1,116
1881 historical 2,933 #1,524
1891 historical 3,656 #1,312
1901 historical 3,247 #1,717
1911 historical 3,902 #1,318
1997 modern 4,056 #1,594
1998 modern 4,178 #1,614
1999 modern 4,247 #1,598
2000 modern 4,257 #1,577
2001 modern 4,145 #1,583
2002 modern 4,347 #1,548
2003 modern 4,394 #1,506
2004 modern 4,587 #1,447
2005 modern 4,714 #1,379
2006 modern 4,936 #1,324
2007 modern 5,031 #1,313
2008 modern 5,197 #1,280
2009 modern 5,464 #1,242
2010 modern 5,690 #1,213
2011 modern 5,660 #1,202
2012 modern 5,635 #1,178
2013 modern 5,745 #1,176
2014 modern 5,794 #1,172
2015 modern 5,730 #1,176
2016 modern 5,751 #1,168

Geography

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Where Abrahams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Christ Church Spitalfields and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swansea, Barnet and Hackney. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Christ Church Spitalfields London (East Districts)
4 London parishes London 1
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swansea 019 Swansea
2 Barnet 032 Barnet
3 Barnet 034 Barnet
4 Barnet 037 Barnet
5 Hackney 001 Hackney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Abraham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Abraham

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

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Abraham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Abraham household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

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, Abraham 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

Abraham 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

Abraham 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 Abraham 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
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Abraham

The surname Abraham has its origins in the Middle East, tracing back to ancient Hebrew and Aramaic languages. It is derived from the Hebrew personal name "Avraham," which means "father of many" or "father of a multitude." This name is associated with the biblical patriarch Abraham, revered in the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

The name Abraham first appeared in historical records as early as the 6th century BCE, when it was mentioned in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). It was a common name among Jewish communities in the Middle East and gradually spread to other regions as Jewish communities dispersed throughout the Mediterranean region and beyond.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Abraham can be found in medieval Spain, where it was used by Sephardic Jews. During the 12th century, the Abraham family was prominent in the city of Toledo, with scholars and philosophers like Moses Abraham ben Maimon (also known as Maimonides, born in 1135 CE) bearing this name.

In England, the surname Abraham can be traced back to the 13th century, when Jews were allowed to settle in certain areas. The Pipe Rolls of 1186 mention a "Solomon Abraham" in Lincolnshire. Another early record is from the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a "Jacob Abraham" in Oxfordshire.

As the surname spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Abrahams, Abram, and Abrahami. These variations were likely influenced by local languages and dialects.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the surname Abraham:

1. Walter Abraham (1876-1922), a German physicist known for his contributions to the development of electron theory and the study of ionized gases.

2. Karl Abraham (1877-1925), a German psychoanalyst and one of the earliest collaborators of Sigmund Freud.

3. Ralph Abraham (1936-2022), an American mathematician and pioneer in the fields of chaos theory and dynamical systems.

4. Mazharul Islam Abraham (1922-1997), a Bengali writer, playwright, and journalist from Bangladesh.

5. Roger Abraham (1924-2019), a British film editor known for his work on numerous acclaimed films, including "The Godfather Part III" and "The Snowman."

The surname Abraham has a rich history rooted in ancient cultures and religious traditions, and it has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and fields, contributing to various aspects of society throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Abraham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Abraham 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. Middlesex leads with 511 Abrahams recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.77x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 511 1.77x
Lancashire 326 0.95x
Hampshire 281 4.76x
Glamorgan 263 5.24x
Yorkshire 149 0.52x
Surrey 123 0.88x
Essex 102 1.79x
Northamptonshire 102 3.76x
Cornwall 91 2.79x
Devon 88 1.47x
Bedfordshire 85 5.70x
Huntingdonshire 83 14.51x
Lincolnshire 68 1.48x
Monmouthshire 67 3.22x
Durham 47 0.55x
Kent 46 0.47x
Somerset 46 0.99x
Cheshire 40 0.63x
Warwickshire 38 0.52x
Hertfordshire 34 1.71x
Gloucestershire 33 0.58x
Buckinghamshire 32 1.84x
Lanarkshire 32 0.34x
Sussex 26 0.54x
Berkshire 24 1.11x
Dunbartonshire 23 2.97x
Renfrewshire 23 1.03x
Channel Islands 22 2.58x
Staffordshire 22 0.23x
Suffolk 18 0.51x
Cambridgeshire 17 0.93x
Oxfordshire 15 0.84x
Norfolk 10 0.23x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.26x
Worcestershire 8 0.21x
Denbighshire 7 0.64x
Derbyshire 7 0.16x
Brecknockshire 6 1.04x
Cumberland 5 0.20x
Wiltshire 5 0.20x
Leicestershire 3 0.09x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.17x
Dorset 2 0.11x
Northumberland 2 0.05x
Westmorland 2 0.32x
Anglesey 1 0.20x
Angus 1 0.04x
Cardiganshire 1 0.14x
Fife 1 0.06x
Herefordshire 1 0.08x
Midlothian 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.29x
Stirlingshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 69 Abrahams recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.96x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 69 5.96x
West Derby 45 4.50x
Whitechapel London 45 15.84x
Ystradyfodwg 45 10.22x
Merthyr Tydfil 44 9.12x
Leighton Buzzard 43 67.00x
Manchester 43 2.80x
Bedwellty 37 10.06x
St George In East London 37 13.65x
Alverstoke 36 16.84x
Lambeth 36 1.43x
Clase 31 16.62x
Mile End Old Town London 31 5.05x
St Pancras London 31 1.34x
Liverpool 30 1.44x
Paddington London 29 2.74x
St Botolph Aldgate London 29 48.87x
Toxteth Park 29 2.50x
Leeds 26 1.61x
Shoreditch London 26 2.08x
Earls Barton 25 108.13x
West Ham 25 1.99x
Bromley London 24 3.79x
Swansea Town 21 5.11x
Aberdare 20 5.81x
Brighton 20 2.04x
Hackney London 20 1.24x
Spitalfields London 20 9.23x
St Neots 20 64.31x
Birmingham 19 0.78x
Stoke Upon Trent 19 1.84x
Tottenham 19 4.14x
Camborne 18 13.39x
Newington 18 1.69x
Prescot 18 29.11x
Bonhill 17 13.68x
Eastwood 17 12.36x
Fareham 17 23.95x
Greenwich 17 3.71x
Everton 16 1.47x
Liskeard 16 29.31x
Northampton St Sepulchre 16 11.60x
Barony 15 0.64x
Camberwell 15 0.81x
Eling 15 25.08x
Islington London 15 0.54x
Kensington London 15 0.94x
Olney 15 62.27x
St Marylebone London 15 0.98x
Stoke Damerel 15 3.57x
Battersea 14 1.32x
Chelsea London 14 1.61x
Crowan 14 54.18x
Northampton St Giles 14 13.56x
Botley 13 122.30x
Clevedon 13 26.95x
Northampton Priory St 13 7.99x
Offord D Arcy 13 380.12x
Armley 12 9.53x
Aston 12 0.60x
Boldre 12 56.71x
Clerkenwell London 12 1.76x
Hail Weston 12 348.84x
Langley 12 303.80x
Neath 12 11.75x
Poplar London 12 2.21x
Bethnal Green London 11 0.88x
Brampton 11 92.36x
Deptford St Paul 11 1.45x
Gateshead 11 1.71x
Inkpen 11 161.05x
Latchford 11 26.03x
Westminster St Margaret 11 7.91x
Carisbrooke 10 12.20x
Ealing 10 3.88x
Ecclesall Bierlow 10 1.72x
Huddersfield 10 2.40x
Llanfabon 10 38.11x
Monks Coppenhall 10 4.17x
St Cleer 10 35.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 162
Sarah 108
Elizabeth 100
Jane 54
Annie 53
Ann 47
Eliza 41
Alice 36
Emma 35
Ellen 30
Fanny 30
Charlotte 26
Emily 26
Caroline 24
Hannah 23
Catherine 22
Florence 21
Kate 21
Esther 19
Margaret 18
Martha 18
Maria 17
Rebecca 17
Rose 15
Louisa 14
Clara 12
Leah 12
Rachel 12
Lucy 11
Ada 10
Anne 10
Harriet 10
Harriett 10
Edith 9
Isabella 9
Susannah 9
Frances 8
Julia 8
Elizth. 7
Rachael 7
Susan 7
Agnes 6
Amelia 6
Lydia 6
Minnie 6
Sophia 6
Amy 5
Bessie 5
Betsy 5
Georgina 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 168
William 162
Thomas 94
George 79
James 62
Joseph 62
Henry 52
Charles 42
Robert 41
Samuel 37
David 31
Alfred 29
Richard 29
Albert 24
Arthur 24
Edward 24
Isaac 23
Harry 16
Benjamin 14
Lewis 13
Walter 13
Frederick 12
Abraham 11
Evan 10
Herbert 10
Mark 10
Thos. 10
Frank 9
Ernest 8
Wm. 7
Francis 6
Fred 6
Griffith 6
Morris 6
Aaron 5
Edmund 5
Jacob 5
Louis 5
Michael 5
Phillip 5
Caleb 4
Hy. 4
Hyman 4
Israel 4
Morgan 4
Moses 4
Simon 4
Soloman 4
Alexander 3
Harris 3

FAQ

Abraham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Abraham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,933 people were recorded with the Abraham surname. That placed it at #1,524 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Abraham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,751 in 2016. That gives Abraham a modern rank of #1,168.

What does the Abraham surname mean?

A biblical patriarch's name adopted as a surname, likely denoting a person's Jewish faith or ancestry.

What does the Abraham map show?

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