NameCensus.

UK surname

Amissah

A surname of Akan origin meaning "born on Saturday".

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Amissah is 138 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

138

2016, ranked #25,127

Peak year

2016

138 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016, ranked #25,127.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Amissah surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Amissah surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Amissah 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 1 #34,674
1997 modern 62 #31,412
1998 modern 67 #31,282
1999 modern 74 #30,759
2000 modern 75 #30,668
2001 modern 72 #30,813
2002 modern 77 #30,709
2003 modern 91 #29,121
2004 modern 97 #28,455
2005 modern 95 #28,817
2006 modern 90 #29,893
2007 modern 108 #27,391
2008 modern 102 #28,664
2009 modern 109 #28,145
2010 modern 125 #26,448
2011 modern 126 #26,060
2012 modern 129 #25,705
2013 modern 132 #25,789
2014 modern 133 #25,851
2015 modern 132 #25,859
2016 modern 138 #25,127

Geography

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Where Amissahs 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 Enfield, Chesterfield, Barnet, Islington and Richmond upon Thames. 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 Enfield 029 Enfield
2 Chesterfield 011 Chesterfield
3 Barnet 029 Barnet
4 Islington 022 Islington
5 Richmond upon Thames 009 Richmond upon Thames

Forenames

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First names often paired with Amissah

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Amissah

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Amissah 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

Amissah 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

Amissah 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 Amissah 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
Black - African

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

Meaning and origin of Amissah

The surname AMISSAH is of Ghanaian origin, derived from the Akan language spoken by the Akan people of Ghana and Ivory Coast. It is believed to have originated in the 16th or 17th century during the era of the great Akan kingdoms such as the Ashanti Empire.

AMISSAH is thought to be derived from the Akan word "amisa" which means "one who is born on Sunday." The name may have been given to children born on that day as a way to commemorate their birth. It is also possible that the name has roots in the Twi dialect of the Akan language, where similar words with slightly different spellings could have been used.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name AMISSAH can be found in the writings of European traders and explorers who visited the Gold Coast (now Ghana) in the 18th century. These accounts often mentioned local chiefs and rulers, some of whom may have borne the name AMISSAH or variations of it.

In the 19th century, as European colonization of West Africa increased, more detailed records were kept by colonial officials and missionaries. These records may contain references to individuals with the surname AMISSAH, providing insight into the name's prevalence and distribution across different regions of what is now Ghana.

Notable individuals with the surname AMISSAH throughout history include:

1. Nana Amissah I, a powerful chief who ruled the Akwamu state in the late 17th century, known for his military conquests and expansion of the Akwamu Empire.

2. Kwame Amissah-Arthur (1951-2018), a Ghanaian economist and politician who served as the Vice President of Ghana from 2015 to 2017.

3. Ama Amissah, a 19th-century Ghanaian trader and entrepreneur who established one of the first successful export businesses in the Gold Coast.

4. Ebenezer Amissah (1924-2006), a Ghanaian lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of Ghana from 1986 to 1990.

5. Charles Amissah-Arthur (1921-2009), a Ghanaian diplomat and politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1965 to 1966.

While the surname AMISSAH has its roots in Ghana, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins remain firmly grounded in the rich cultural heritage of the Akan people and their ancestral lands in West Africa.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Amissah surname: questions and answers

How common is the Amissah surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016. That gives Amissah a modern rank of #25,127.

What does the Amissah surname mean?

A surname of Akan origin meaning "born on Saturday".

What does the Amissah map show?

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