NameCensus.

UK surname

Bashar

An Arabic surname possibly derived from the root word bshr meaning to rejoice or be glad.

In the 1881 census there were 2 people recorded with the Bashar surname, ranking it #33,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 175, ranked #21,383, up from #33,721 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bashar is 181 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8650.0%.

1881 census count

2

Ranked #33,721

Modern count

175

2016, ranked #21,383

Peak year

2014

181 bearers

Map years

0

Key insights

  • Bashar had 2 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 175 in 2016, ranked #21,383.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 26 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Timeline

Back to top

Bashar 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 4 #32,658
1861 historical 26 #30,677
1881 historical 2 #33,721
1891 historical 8 #33,550
1901 historical 1 #34,548
1997 modern 78 #29,785
1998 modern 81 #29,849
1999 modern 88 #29,287
2000 modern 93 #28,701
2001 modern 92 #28,528
2002 modern 106 #26,985
2003 modern 110 #26,220
2004 modern 112 #26,159
2005 modern 123 #24,663
2006 modern 120 #25,269
2007 modern 136 #23,708
2008 modern 144 #23,037
2009 modern 153 #22,611
2010 modern 160 #22,487
2011 modern 162 #22,101
2012 modern 166 #21,683
2013 modern 175 #21,320
2014 modern 181 #21,033
2015 modern 172 #21,649
2016 modern 175 #21,383

Geography

Back to top

Where Bashars 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 Tower Hamlets and Haringey. 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 Tower Hamlets 003 Tower Hamlets
2 Tower Hamlets 011 Tower Hamlets
3 Haringey 008 Haringey
4 Tower Hamlets 014 Tower Hamlets
5 Haringey 011 Haringey

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Bashar

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Bashar

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Challenged Inner London Communities

Within London, Bashar is most associated with areas classed as Challenged Inner London Communities, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Resident in some of Inner London’s most over-crowded communities, many families have children and marriage/civil partnership rates are above the Supergroup average. Other adults such as students live in communal establishments. Few residents have Level 4 educational qualifications, levels of unemployment are above the Supergroup average, and employment is concentrated in service occupations such as distribution, hotels and restaurants. Relative to the Supergroup average, fewer residents identify as being of mixed/multiple ethnicities, Black or Other Asian.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bashar 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

Bashar 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 Bashar is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
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 Bashar, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bashar

The surname Bashar has its origins in the Arabic language and is believed to have originated in the Middle East, particularly in the regions that make up modern-day Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine. The name is derived from the Arabic word "bashir," which means "bringer of good news" or "harbinger of joy."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bashar can be found in medieval Arabic manuscripts and historical records from the 9th to 12th centuries. During this period, the name was often associated with scholars, poets, and intellectuals who were considered bearers of knowledge and enlightenment.

In the 13th century, the name Bashar gained prominence with the rise of the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt and Syria. One of the most notable figures bearing this name was Bashar al-Malik al-Kamil, an Ayyubid sultan who ruled from 1218 to 1238. He was known for his military prowess and his efforts to recover territory from the Crusaders.

Another notable individual with the surname Bashar was Ibn Bashar al-Murri, a renowned Arab poet and scholar who lived in the 8th century. His works, which focused on themes of love, nature, and philosophy, have been preserved and studied by scholars for centuries.

In the 20th century, the surname Bashar gained further recognition with the birth of Hafez al-Assad, the former president of Syria, in 1930. His son, Bashar al-Assad, succeeded him as the president of Syria in 2000 and continues to bear the family name.

Other notable figures with the surname Bashar include:

1. Bashar Murad (1932-2005), a prominent Palestinian poet and writer known for his contributions to modern Arabic literature. 2. Bashar Fahmi (born 1942), an Egyptian actor and filmmaker who has appeared in numerous films and television series. 3. Bashar al-Maliki (born 1977), an Iraqi politician and former finance minister. 4. Bashar Shammout (1914-1984), a renowned Palestinian artist and painter whose works depicted the struggles and aspirations of the Palestinian people. 5. Bashar Azzam (born 1981), a Syrian-American author and journalist who has written extensively on Middle Eastern affairs and the Syrian conflict.

While the surname Bashar has its roots in the Middle East, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, the historical significance and cultural associations of this name remain deeply rooted in the Arab world, particularly in Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Bashar families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bashar 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. Cornwall leads with 2 Bashars recorded in 1881 and an index of 91.74x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 2 91.74x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Grade in Cornwall leads with 2 Bashars recorded in 1881 and an index of 0.00x.

Place Total Index
Grade 2 0.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 1
Martha 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 Bashar households.

FAQ

Bashar surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bashar surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2 people were recorded with the Bashar surname. That placed it at #33,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bashar surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 175 in 2016. That gives Bashar a modern rank of #21,383.

What does the Bashar surname mean?

An Arabic surname possibly derived from the root word bshr meaning to rejoice or be glad.

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.