NameCensus.

UK surname

Amoah

A surname of Ghanaian origin meaning "born on Thursday".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Southwark, Lambeth and Newham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Amoah is 678 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

678

2016, ranked #7,909

Peak year

2016

678 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 678 in 2016, ranked #7,909.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Amoah surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Amoah surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Amoah 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 3 #33,861
1901 historical 1 #34,548
1997 modern 222 #16,508
1998 modern 219 #17,115
1999 modern 233 #16,554
2000 modern 251 #15,692
2001 modern 260 #15,113
2002 modern 315 #13,561
2003 modern 354 #12,319
2004 modern 398 #11,321
2005 modern 432 #10,531
2006 modern 481 #9,750
2007 modern 523 #9,238
2008 modern 564 #8,792
2009 modern 590 #8,699
2010 modern 614 #8,638
2011 modern 589 #8,814
2012 modern 598 #8,627
2013 modern 622 #8,501
2014 modern 659 #8,161
2015 modern 665 #8,044
2016 modern 678 #7,909

Geography

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Where Amoahs 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 Southwark, Lambeth, Newham and Hackney. 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 Southwark 026 Southwark
2 Lambeth 012 Lambeth
3 Newham 006 Newham
4 Hackney 016 Hackney
5 Lambeth 011 Lambeth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Amoah

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Amoah

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

Amoah 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

Amoah 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 Amoah 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 Amoah, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Amoah

The surname Amoah originates from the Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast in West Africa. It is believed to have derived from the Akan word 'amoa', which means 'born on Thursday'. The name was likely given to children born on Thursdays as a day name.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Amoah can be traced back to the 17th century in what was then known as the Gold Coast region of West Africa. Some of the first documented references to the name appear in records kept by European traders and colonial administrators in the area.

One notable early figure with the surname Amoah was Nana Amoah, a prominent chief and ruler of the Akuapem state in the late 18th century. He played a significant role in the resistance against British colonial expansion during that period.

In the 19th century, the name Amoah can be found in various historical documents and records related to the Ashanti Kingdom, which was one of the major political and military powers in the region at the time.

Another well-known individual with the surname Amoah was Kwasi Amoah, a respected linguist and scholar of the Akan language who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He authored several works that helped preserve and document the Akan language and culture.

In more recent times, the name Amoah has been carried by several notable figures, including Kwadwo Amoah, a Ghanaian politician and diplomat who served as the country's ambassador to the United Nations in the 1970s, and Nana Amoah III, a respected traditional ruler and chief in the Ashanti region of Ghana in the 20th century.

While the surname Amoah is most commonly associated with the Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast, it has also been adopted by individuals of other ethnic groups and nationalities within West Africa and beyond, as a result of migration and cultural exchange.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Amoah surname: questions and answers

How common is the Amoah surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 678 in 2016. That gives Amoah a modern rank of #7,909.

What does the Amoah surname mean?

A surname of Ghanaian origin meaning "born on Thursday".

What does the Amoah map show?

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