NameCensus.

UK surname

Ankrah

A Ghanaian surname derived from the Akan phrase meaning "tail of a leopard".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Islington, Liverpool and Haringey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ankrah is 337 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

331

2016, ranked #13,735

Peak year

2015

337 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 331 in 2016, ranked #13,735.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Ankrah surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ankrah surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ankrah 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
1911 historical 1 #34,332
1997 modern 168 #19,642
1998 modern 189 #18,737
1999 modern 202 #18,127
2000 modern 197 #18,384
2001 modern 192 #18,388
2002 modern 222 #17,147
2003 modern 253 #15,493
2004 modern 278 #14,609
2005 modern 281 #14,411
2006 modern 271 #14,880
2007 modern 287 #14,464
2008 modern 287 #14,580
2009 modern 305 #14,257
2010 modern 314 #14,258
2011 modern 302 #14,535
2012 modern 304 #14,388
2013 modern 315 #14,245
2014 modern 323 #14,081
2015 modern 337 #13,560
2016 modern 331 #13,735

Geography

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Where Ankrahs 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 Islington, Liverpool, Haringey, Brent and Camden. 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 Islington 003 Islington
2 Liverpool 037 Liverpool
3 Haringey 002 Haringey
4 Brent 009 Brent
5 Camden 010 Camden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ankrah

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ankrah

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

Ankrah 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

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

Meaning and origin of Ankrah

The surname Ankrah originates from Ghana in West Africa. It is derived from the Akan language spoken by the Akan ethnic group. The name is believed to have its roots in the 15th century during the height of the Ashanti Empire.

The name Ankrah is thought to be a combination of the Akan words "an" meaning eye and "kra" meaning soul or spirit. Thus, the name can be interpreted as "soul's eye" or "eye of the soul". This name may have been given to someone who was perceived as having deep spiritual insight or wisdom.

Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ankrah can be found in oral histories and traditional folktales passed down through generations among the Akan people. The name is also found in some historical records kept by European traders and explorers who visited the region in the 17th and 18th centuries.

One notable bearer of the Ankrah name was Nana Ankrah, a powerful chief and military leader of the Ashanti people in the late 18th century. He led his armies in battles against the British and other European forces during the series of conflicts known as the Anglo-Ashanti Wars.

Another historically significant figure with the Ankrah surname was Kwadwo Ankrah, a prominent Ghanaian politician and diplomat in the mid-20th century. He served as Ghana's Minister of Foreign Affairs and played a key role in international relations during the early years of the country's independence.

In the 19th century, an Ankrah family is recorded as having settled in the coastal town of Anomabu, which was an important trading center during that time. This family produced several influential merchants and traders who facilitated commerce between Ghana and other parts of West Africa.

Other notable individuals with the Ankrah surname include Samuel Ankrah, a Ghanaian educator and writer in the early 20th century, and Joseph Ankrah, a renowned Ghanaian musician and composer who helped popularize traditional Akan music in the latter half of the 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Ankrah surname: questions and answers

How common is the Ankrah surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 331 in 2016. That gives Ankrah a modern rank of #13,735.

What does the Ankrah surname mean?

A Ghanaian surname derived from the Akan phrase meaning "tail of a leopard".

What does the Ankrah map show?

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