NameCensus.

UK surname

Ban

A Hungarian surname derived from the word "bán," meaning "governor" or "viceroy," denoting a person of high rank.

In the 1881 census there were 39 people recorded with the Ban surname, ranking it #28,137 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 180, ranked #21,022, up from #28,137 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cardiff, Slough and North Hertfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ban is 180 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 361.5%.

1881 census count

39

Ranked #28,137

Modern count

180

2016, ranked #21,022

Peak year

2016

180 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ban had 39 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,137 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 180 in 2016, ranked #21,022.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 66 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Ban surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ban surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ban 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
1851 historical 66 #21,617
1881 historical 39 #28,137
1891 historical 15 #32,956
1901 historical 44 #29,276
1997 modern 33 #34,377
1998 modern 33 #34,532
1999 modern 41 #33,866
2000 modern 38 #34,146
2001 modern 36 #34,171
2002 modern 49 #33,377
2003 modern 41 #34,113
2004 modern 46 #33,883
2005 modern 56 #33,264
2006 modern 59 #33,330
2007 modern 68 #32,760
2008 modern 72 #32,656
2009 modern 80 #32,277
2010 modern 88 #31,875
2011 modern 98 #30,384
2012 modern 100 #30,258
2013 modern 131 #25,932
2014 modern 147 #24,177
2015 modern 160 #22,701
2016 modern 180 #21,022

Geography

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Where Bans 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 Cardiff, Slough, North Hertfordshire, Lambeth and Barnet. 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 Cardiff 004 Cardiff
2 Slough 004 Slough
3 North Hertfordshire 003 North Hertfordshire
4 Lambeth 018 Lambeth
5 Barnet 036 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ban

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

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

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

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

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Ban is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

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

Ban 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

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

Meaning and origin of Ban

The surname Ban originated in India during the medieval period, stemming from the Sanskrit word "bana" which means "arrow" or "shaft." It was likely an occupational name given to skilled archers or makers of arrows and shafts. Some of the earliest instances of the name can be found in ancient Hindu texts and inscriptions from the 5th to 10th centuries AD.

In the 11th century, the Ban surname began appearing in various regions of India, particularly in the northwestern areas of modern-day Punjab and Rajasthan. It was often associated with the warrior class or Kshatriya caste, as archery and weaponry were highly valued skills in those times.

During the Delhi Sultanate period (12th-16th centuries), several notable figures bore the Ban surname, including Malik Ban, a prominent military commander who served under Sultan Alauddin Khilji in the early 14th century. Another notable individual was Rai Ban Singh, a 16th-century ruler of the princely state of Bundi in Rajasthan.

As the Mughal Empire expanded across India in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Ban surname continued to be represented among soldiers, warriors, and nobility. One famous example was Raja Ban Bihari Mal, a 17th-century ruler of the Gohad princely state in central India.

The name also found its way into other parts of the Indian subcontinent, including present-day Bangladesh and Pakistan. In the 18th century, a notable figure was Nawab Ban Begum, a powerful noble and regent who ruled the princely state of Sardhana in northern India.

Over time, some variations of the spelling emerged, such as Bhan, Bann, and Bane, but the core meaning and origin remained rooted in the ancient Sanskrit word for "arrow" or "shaft." The Ban surname continues to be prevalent among various communities in India and the Indian diaspora worldwide.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ban families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ban 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 8 Bans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.82x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 8 1.82x
Surrey 8 3.74x
Yorkshire 6 1.38x
Kent 4 2.67x
Midlothian 4 6.81x
Lanarkshire 3 2.11x
Lancashire 3 0.58x
Warwickshire 3 2.71x
Berwickshire 1 18.83x
Devon 1 1.09x
Herefordshire 1 5.56x
Norfolk 1 1.48x
Pembrokeshire 1 7.17x
Renfrewshire 1 2.94x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 7 Bans recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.30x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 7 18.30x
Holy Trinity 6 57.36x
Charlton Next Woolwich 4 256.41x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 16.91x
Westminster St John 4 74.91x
Cambuslang 3 209.79x
Foleshill 3 258.62x
Hampstead London 2 29.28x
West Derby 2 13.13x
Croydon 1 8.42x
Kensington London 1 4.10x
Lauder 1 344.83x
Milford Haven 1 909.09x
Much Woolton 1 140.85x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 1 227.27x
Paddington London 1 6.20x
Paisley High Church 1 36.90x
Plymouth Charles The 1 24.88x
Winslow 1 1666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emily 3
Alithie 2
Mary 2
Ann 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
E.D. 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Georgina 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Janet 1
Kitty 1
Lavinia 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Sarah 1
Selina 1
Sushannah 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 2
George 1
Henry 1
James 1
Jesse 1
John 1
Machel 1
Matthew 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 Ban households.

FAQ

Ban surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ban surname in 1881?

In 1881, 39 people were recorded with the Ban surname. That placed it at #28,137 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ban surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 180 in 2016. That gives Ban a modern rank of #21,022.

What does the Ban surname mean?

A Hungarian surname derived from the word "bán," meaning "governor" or "viceroy," denoting a person of high rank.

What does the Ban map show?

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