NameCensus.

UK surname

Ara

Possibly derived from the Basque word for 'valley' or the Turkish/Armenian word for 'throne'.

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Ara surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 373, ranked #12,515, up from #34,027 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ara is 373 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37200.0%.

1881 census count

1

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

373

2016, ranked #12,515

Peak year

2016

373 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ara had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 373 in 2016, ranked #12,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Ara surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ara surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Ara 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
1881 historical 1 #34,027
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1997 modern 148 #21,295
1998 modern 157 #21,058
1999 modern 165 #20,535
2000 modern 171 #20,044
2001 modern 174 #19,562
2002 modern 193 #18,713
2003 modern 202 #18,032
2004 modern 210 #17,644
2005 modern 223 #16,938
2006 modern 249 #15,784
2007 modern 277 #14,818
2008 modern 281 #14,782
2009 modern 288 #14,838
2010 modern 310 #14,378
2011 modern 326 #13,775
2012 modern 343 #13,158
2013 modern 350 #13,186
2014 modern 354 #13,153
2015 modern 361 #12,857
2016 modern 373 #12,515

Geography

Back to top

Where Aras 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 Birmingham. 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 Birmingham 139 Birmingham
2 Birmingham 052 Birmingham
3 Birmingham 051 Birmingham
4 Birmingham 048 Birmingham
5 Birmingham 063 Birmingham

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Ara

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Ara

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

Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students

Nationally, the Ara surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Ara household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples with dependent children are common in this Group, with many parents born in Africa or the EU. The representation of residents amongst different ethnic minority groups is high, particularly for individuals of Pakistani ethnic group. For many residents, English is not their main language, and affiliation to Christian religions is less common. Privately rented terrace properties predominate and levels of overcrowding are high. Part time work is common, with many employed in elementary occupations and sales and customer services. There are also many students living within these areas, and overall unemployment levels are high.

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Ara 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

Ara 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

Ara 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 Ara 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Ara

The surname Ara has its origins in the Basque region of Spain and France, dating back to at least the 12th century. It is derived from the Basque word "ara," meaning a flat or smooth surface, possibly referring to a physical feature of the area where the name originated.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ara can be found in the Cartulario de San Millán de la Cogolla, a medieval manuscript from the Monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla in La Rioja, Spain, which mentions an individual named Sancho Ara in the year 1203.

The name Ara is also closely associated with the town of Ara in the Biscay province of the Basque Country, which likely contributed to its widespread usage in the region. The town's name itself is believed to be derived from the same Basque word, describing the flat terrain surrounding it.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Diccionario Histórico de las Calles de Madrid, a historical record of street names in Madrid, indicating the presence of individuals bearing the surname Ara in the city at that time.

Notable individuals with the surname Ara throughout history include Juan Ara, a 16th-century Spanish painter known for his religious works, and Gaspar Ara, a 17th-century Spanish architect responsible for the design of several churches and monasteries in Aragon.

In the 18th century, José Ara y Fuente, a Spanish military officer and engineer, was renowned for his contributions to fortification design and construction in Spain and its colonies.

The 19th century saw the birth of José Ara Repollés, a Spanish politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of the Spanish parliament, in the late 1800s.

One of the most notable figures with the surname Ara in modern times was Julio Ara Martínez, a Spanish philosopher and educator born in 1892, whose works focused on ethics and moral philosophy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Ara families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ara 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. Middlesex leads with 1 Aras recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.37x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1 10.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 1 Aras recorded in 1881 and an index of 107.53x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 1 107.53x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Margaret 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 Ara households.

Occupation Count
Dressmaker 1

FAQ

Ara surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ara surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1 people were recorded with the Ara surname. That placed it at #34,027 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ara surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 373 in 2016. That gives Ara a modern rank of #12,515.

What does the Ara surname mean?

Possibly derived from the Basque word for 'valley' or the Turkish/Armenian word for 'throne'.

What does the Ara map show?

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