NameCensus.

UK surname

Alao

A Yoruba surname meaning "owner of chieftaincy" or "one who owns a title."

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Alao is 225 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

204

2016, ranked #19,320

Peak year

2010

225 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 204 in 2016, ranked #19,320.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Alao surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Alao surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Alao 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
1891 historical 5 #33,939
1997 modern 79 #29,672
1998 modern 93 #28,563
1999 modern 114 #25,766
2000 modern 111 #26,111
2001 modern 106 #26,468
2002 modern 135 #23,398
2003 modern 142 #22,460
2004 modern 168 #20,300
2005 modern 166 #20,379
2006 modern 182 #19,402
2007 modern 200 #18,485
2008 modern 201 #18,584
2009 modern 210 #18,426
2010 modern 225 #18,000
2011 modern 201 #19,213
2012 modern 198 #19,340
2013 modern 197 #19,725
2014 modern 203 #19,504
2015 modern 205 #19,269
2016 modern 204 #19,320

Geography

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Where Alaos 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 Barnet, Greenwich, Bexley and Brent. 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 Barnet 040 Barnet
2 Greenwich 002 Greenwich
3 Bexley 001 Bexley
4 Greenwich 003 Greenwich
5 Brent 030 Brent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Alao

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

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Alao, 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 Alao surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Alao 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Alao is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Alao 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

Alao 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 Alao is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Alao

The surname ALAO originated in the Yoruba region of what is now southwestern Nigeria. It can be traced back to the 15th century, and is derived from the Yoruba words "ala" meaning "dream" and "o" meaning "of". Thus, ALAO likely translates to something along the lines of "of the dream".

This name was initially found primarily in the areas around the cities of Ibadan and Oyo. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name appear in oral histories and genealogies passed down through generations in these regions. Written accounts mentioning individuals with the surname ALAO begin to emerge in the late 18th century.

One early notable bearer of this name was Akinyemi ALAO, a respected village elder and adviser to the Alaafin (ruler) of Oyo in the mid-1700s. Records show he helped negotiate important trade agreements and treaties between the Oyo Empire and neighboring kingdoms.

In the 19th century, Chief Oluwole ALAO was a prominent leader in the Yoruba civil wars against the forces of the Fulani Empire. He commanded troops at the Battle of Ijaiye in 1860 before being captured and executed by Fulani warriors later that year.

The surname spread beyond Nigeria in the 20th century as people emigrated abroad. Kunle ALAO was a Nigerian playwright and poet who moved to London in the 1950s and helped establish the African Writers' Association there. His works explored Yoruba folklore and cultural themes.

Folashade ALAO gained international fame as the first black African woman to compete in the Miss World pageant in 1957, representing Nigeria. Though she did not win, her participation was seen as a milestone for expanding opportunities for African women at the time.

Another accomplished individual was Sir Kehinde ALAO, a Nigerian-British businessman and philanthropist. He founded a successful import/export company in the 1960s and later funded educational initiatives and community development projects across West Africa up until his death in 2012.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Alao surname: questions and answers

How common is the Alao surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 204 in 2016. That gives Alao a modern rank of #19,320.

What does the Alao surname mean?

A Yoruba surname meaning "owner of chieftaincy" or "one who owns a title."

What does the Alao map show?

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