NameCensus.

UK surname

Alwan

A surname of Arabic origin meaning "the colored one" or relating to colors.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Merthyr Tydfil, Blackburn with Darwen and Kensington and Chelsea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Alwan is 159 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

159

2016, ranked #22,798

Peak year

2016

159 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 159 in 2016, ranked #22,798.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Alwan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Alwan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Alwan 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
1861 historical 1 #34,435
1997 modern 42 #33,459
1998 modern 55 #32,399
1999 modern 61 #31,971
2000 modern 80 #30,139
2001 modern 79 #30,065
2002 modern 85 #29,867
2003 modern 89 #29,380
2004 modern 100 #27,964
2005 modern 106 #27,044
2006 modern 113 #26,267
2007 modern 118 #25,913
2008 modern 121 #25,785
2009 modern 135 #24,594
2010 modern 151 #23,377
2011 modern 152 #23,101
2012 modern 135 #24,952
2013 modern 146 #24,107
2014 modern 154 #23,439
2015 modern 156 #23,106
2016 modern 159 #22,798

Geography

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Where Alwans 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 Merthyr Tydfil, Blackburn with Darwen, Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham. 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 Merthyr Tydfil 002 Merthyr Tydfil
2 Blackburn with Darwen 007 Blackburn with Darwen
3 Kensington and Chelsea 009 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Kensington and Chelsea 012 Kensington and Chelsea
5 Hammersmith and Fulham 001 Hammersmith and Fulham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Alwan

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

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

Alwan 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

Alwan 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 Alwan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 40-50 mbit/s.

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

7
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Alwan

The surname ALWAN is of Arabic origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages in the region of the Levant, which includes modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan. The name is derived from the Arabic word "alwan," which means "colors" or "hues," suggesting a possible connection to occupations involving dyeing or weaving.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ALWAN can be found in a manuscript from the 11th century, which mentions a scholar and poet named Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn al-Alwan, who lived in present-day Lebanon during the Fatimid Caliphate. This historical reference suggests that the surname was already well-established in the region at that time.

In the 13th century, a prominent figure named Shams al-Din al-Alwan served as a high-ranking judge and legal scholar in the Ayyubid Sultanate, which ruled over parts of modern-day Syria, Egypt, and Yemen. His full name, Shams al-Din Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Alwan, is recorded in several legal documents and historical texts from that period.

During the Ottoman Empire era, the ALWAN surname appeared in various regions under Ottoman rule, including the Levant, Anatolia, and the Balkans. One notable figure was Mehmed Alwan, a 17th-century Ottoman architect who designed several mosques and public buildings in Istanbul and other parts of the Empire.

In the 19th century, a Lebanese Christian poet and writer named Ibrahim al-Alwan gained recognition for his contributions to Arabic literature. He was born in 1829 in the town of Zahle, which was part of the Ottoman Empire at the time, and passed away in 1899.

Another prominent individual with the ALWAN surname was Muhammad Alwan al-Ayyubi, an Iraqi politician and military leader who played a significant role in the Iraqi Revolt against the British Mandate in the early 20th century. He was born in 1892 and died in 1965.

It is worth noting that the ALWAN surname has also been found in other parts of the Middle East and North Africa, potentially indicating migration patterns or shared linguistic roots. However, its origins can be traced back to the Levant region, where it has a rich historical presence spanning several centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Alwan surname: questions and answers

How common is the Alwan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 159 in 2016. That gives Alwan a modern rank of #22,798.

What does the Alwan surname mean?

A surname of Arabic origin meaning "the colored one" or relating to colors.

What does the Alwan map show?

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