NameCensus.

UK surname

Alee

Derived from the Arabic surname Ali, meaning "lofty," "sublime," or "elevated."

In the 1881 census there were 11 people recorded with the Alee surname, ranking it #32,081 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 102, ranked #30,722, up from #32,081 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Plymouth and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Alee is 108 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 827.3%.

1881 census count

11

Ranked #32,081

Modern count

102

2016, ranked #30,722

Peak year

2011

108 bearers

Map years

2

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Alee had 11 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,081 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016, ranked #30,722.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 55 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Alee surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Alee surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Alee 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 55 #23,413
1861 historical 29 #30,287
1881 historical 11 #32,081
1891 historical 34 #31,604
1901 historical 32 #30,501
1911 historical 33 #29,703
1997 modern 91 #28,215
1998 modern 102 #27,314
1999 modern 101 #27,617
2000 modern 103 #27,280
2001 modern 98 #27,672
2002 modern 100 #27,944
2003 modern 99 #27,871
2004 modern 100 #27,964
2005 modern 106 #27,044
2006 modern 99 #28,453
2007 modern 105 #27,868
2008 modern 106 #28,016
2009 modern 101 #29,445
2010 modern 106 #29,305
2011 modern 108 #28,811
2012 modern 101 #30,078
2013 modern 101 #30,591
2014 modern 102 #30,714
2015 modern 103 #30,444
2016 modern 102 #30,722

Geography

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Where Alees 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 Plymouth and Cornwall. 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 Plymouth 009 Plymouth
2 Plymouth 013 Plymouth
3 Cornwall 035 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 026 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 027 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Alee

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Alee

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Alee surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Alee household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Alee is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Alee is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Alee 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 Alee 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Alee

The surname ALEE originates from the Indian subcontinent, likely deriving from the Arabic word "Ali" or the Sanskrit word "Alaya" meaning "abode" or "dwelling place." It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ALEE can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This work mentions an individual named Alee Khan, a nobleman and military commander who served under Akbar's reign.

In the 17th century, the name ALEE appeared in various Persian manuscripts and records, indicating its presence among the elite classes of the Mughal Empire. One notable figure from this era was Mir Jumla II, also known as Muhammad Saeed Alee, a successful military leader and briefly the governor of Bengal in the 1660s.

As the British Empire expanded its influence in India during the 18th and 19th centuries, the name ALEE became more widespread and was recorded in colonial records and documents. One prominent individual was Sir Syed Ahmed Alee Khan (1817-1898), a renowned educator and social reformer who played a pivotal role in the establishment of modern education in India.

Another historical figure bearing the surname ALEE was Muhammad Alee Jinnah (1876-1948), the founder and first Governor-General of Pakistan. Jinnah's ancestral roots can be traced back to the Alee family of Gujarat, India, further solidifying the name's Indian origins.

In the 20th century, the name ALEE gained recognition through individuals like Alee Ahmad Suroor (1896-1963), a prominent Pakistani poet and writer, and Alee Mazrui (1933-2014), a Kenyan-American political scientist and academic who made significant contributions to the field of African studies.

While the surname ALEE has its roots in the Indian subcontinent, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, it remains closely tied to its historical origins and continues to be a respected name within the South Asian diaspora.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Alee families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Alee 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 1 Alees recorded in 1881 and an index of 909.09x.

County Total Index
Royal Navy 1 909.09x

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 1 Alees recorded in 1881 and an index of 1000.00x.

Place Total Index
Royal Navy 1 1000.00x

Top male names

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

Name Count
Joseph 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 Alee households.

Occupation Count
2nd Capt Dk Men 1

FAQ

Alee surname: questions and answers

How common was the Alee surname in 1881?

In 1881, 11 people were recorded with the Alee surname. That placed it at #32,081 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Alee surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016. That gives Alee a modern rank of #30,722.

What does the Alee surname mean?

Derived from the Arabic surname Ali, meaning "lofty," "sublime," or "elevated."

What does the Alee map show?

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