NameCensus.

UK surname

Adesanya

One who comes from a place where ada palm trees grow.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Adesanya is 577 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

502

2016, ranked #9,961

Peak year

2010

577 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 502 in 2016, ranked #9,961.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Adesanya surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Adesanya surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Adesanya 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 198 #17,729
1998 modern 227 #16,754
1999 modern 228 #16,790
2000 modern 214 #17,457
2001 modern 233 #16,260
2002 modern 281 #14,619
2003 modern 333 #12,875
2004 modern 356 #12,299
2005 modern 403 #11,120
2006 modern 443 #10,369
2007 modern 496 #9,626
2008 modern 497 #9,681
2009 modern 518 #9,588
2010 modern 577 #9,028
2011 modern 536 #9,468
2012 modern 530 #9,445
2013 modern 548 #9,359
2014 modern 540 #9,535
2015 modern 504 #9,944
2016 modern 502 #9,961

Geography

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Where Adesanyas 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 Hackney, Barking and Dagenham, Greenwich, Thurrock and Barnet. 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 Hackney 019 Hackney
2 Barking and Dagenham 021 Barking and Dagenham
3 Greenwich 002 Greenwich
4 Thurrock 020 Thurrock
5 Barnet 015 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Adesanya

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Adesanya

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

Adesanya 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

Adesanya falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Adesanya 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 Adesanya, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Adesanya

The surname Adesanya originates from the Yoruba ethnic group of southwestern Nigeria. It can be traced back to the 17th century and is believed to have derived from the Yoruba words "Ade" meaning "crown" and "Sanya" meaning "sought after" or "desired."

The earliest recorded instances of the Adesanya surname can be found in historical records and documents from the ancient Oyo Empire, a prominent Yoruba kingdom that existed between the 16th and 19th centuries. The name is thought to have been initially used to denote individuals who held esteemed positions or were highly respected within their communities.

One of the earliest known individuals bearing the Adesanya surname was Oba Adesanya Abiodun, who ruled as the Alafin (king) of the Oyo Empire from 1774 to 1789. His reign was marked by significant territorial expansion and the consolidation of Oyo's power in the region.

In the 19th century, the Adesanya surname gained further recognition through the exploits of Samuel Adesanya Crowther (1809-1891), a pioneering figure in the Anglican Church and the first black bishop in Nigeria. Crowther played a crucial role in the translation of the Bible into the Yoruba language and the establishment of the Church Missionary Society in Nigeria.

Another prominent Adesanya was Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (née Adesanya) (1900-1978), a renowned political activist and women's rights campaigner. She was a leading figure in the Nigerian independence movement and played a pivotal role in the struggle for women's enfranchisement in the country.

In more recent times, the Adesanya surname has gained global recognition through Israel Adesanya (born 1989), a Nigerian-born New Zealand professional mixed martial artist and former UFC Interim Middleweight Champion.

While the Adesanya surname has its roots in the Yoruba culture of southwestern Nigeria, it has since spread beyond its region of origin and can now be found among various communities across Nigeria and other parts of the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Adesanya surname: questions and answers

How common is the Adesanya surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 502 in 2016. That gives Adesanya a modern rank of #9,961.

What does the Adesanya surname mean?

One who comes from a place where ada palm trees grow.

What does the Adesanya map show?

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