NameCensus.

UK surname

Ashrafi

A surname indicating someone of noble birth or descendant from nobility.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolton, Croydon and Milton Keynes.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ashrafi is 121 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

119

2016, ranked #27,704

Peak year

2012

121 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 119 in 2016, ranked #27,704.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Ashrafi surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ashrafi surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ashrafi 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 5 #33,418
1997 modern 36 #34,071
1998 modern 37 #34,149
1999 modern 47 #33,320
2000 modern 54 #32,710
2001 modern 58 #32,180
2002 modern 64 #32,007
2003 modern 58 #32,619
2004 modern 62 #32,478
2005 modern 75 #31,400
2006 modern 86 #30,425
2007 modern 95 #29,493
2008 modern 107 #27,844
2009 modern 110 #27,991
2010 modern 115 #27,874
2011 modern 115 #27,634
2012 modern 121 #26,829
2013 modern 120 #27,406
2014 modern 118 #27,961
2015 modern 118 #27,833
2016 modern 119 #27,704

Geography

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Where Ashrafis 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 Bolton, Croydon, Milton Keynes, Chorley and Newlands. 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 Bolton 022 Bolton
2 Croydon 001 Croydon
3 Milton Keynes 005 Milton Keynes
4 Chorley 006 Chorley
5 Newlands Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ashrafi

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

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

Ashrafi 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

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

Meaning and origin of Ashrafi

The surname Ashrafi has its origins in the Arabic and Persian languages, with roots tracing back to the Middle East and South Asia. It is derived from the word "ashrafi," which was a type of gold coin minted during the medieval Islamic era.

This surname likely originated among families or individuals who were involved in the minting, trading, or handling of these gold coins, which were widely circulated across the region. The earliest known records of the name date back to the 13th century, during the reign of the Delhi Sultanate in the Indian subcontinent.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Ashrafi was Khwaja Mu'in al-Din Chishti Ashrafi, a renowned Sufi saint and spiritual leader who lived in the 12th-13th century. He was born in Sistan, present-day Iran, and later migrated to the Indian subcontinent, where he established the Chishti order of Sufism.

Another notable figure was Mir Abdul Qasim Ashrafi, a 17th-century Persian poet and calligrapher from Isfahan, Iran. His works were highly regarded and included collections of poetry and calligraphic manuscripts.

During the Mughal Empire in India, several individuals bearing the Ashrafi surname held influential positions. One example is Mirza Muhammad Ashrafi, a 16th-century courtier and military commander who served under the Mughal emperors Akbar and Jahangir.

In more recent history, Maulana Syed Husain Ahmad Madani Ashrafi (1879-1957) was a prominent Islamic scholar and leader from the Indian subcontinent. He played a significant role in the Khilafat Movement and the struggle for Indian independence.

Another notable figure was Syed Mir Ashrafi Gilani (1914-1987), a renowned Pakistani poet, writer, and scholar who made significant contributions to Urdu literature and served as the President of the Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu Pakistan.

While the surname Ashrafi has its roots in the Middle East and South Asia, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, the earliest known records and historical figures associated with this surname can be traced back to the medieval Islamic era in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Ashrafi surname: questions and answers

How common is the Ashrafi surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 119 in 2016. That gives Ashrafi a modern rank of #27,704.

What does the Ashrafi surname mean?

A surname indicating someone of noble birth or descendant from nobility.

What does the Ashrafi map show?

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