NameCensus.

UK surname

Basra

A surname of Arabic origin meaning "The Good News".

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Basra is 1,457 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

1,361

2016, ranked #4,431

Peak year

2010

1,457 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,361 in 2016, ranked #4,431.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Basra surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Basra surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Basra 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
1997 modern 923 #5,853
1998 modern 998 #5,682
1999 modern 1,032 #5,570
2000 modern 1,054 #5,450
2001 modern 1,055 #5,351
2002 modern 1,169 #5,015
2003 modern 1,219 #4,743
2004 modern 1,265 #4,598
2005 modern 1,267 #4,539
2006 modern 1,321 #4,390
2007 modern 1,364 #4,321
2008 modern 1,387 #4,288
2009 modern 1,405 #4,321
2010 modern 1,457 #4,280
2011 modern 1,442 #4,266
2012 modern 1,388 #4,331
2013 modern 1,423 #4,312
2014 modern 1,406 #4,379
2015 modern 1,387 #4,381
2016 modern 1,361 #4,431

Geography

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Where Basras 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 Slough, Blaby, Gravesham and Wolverhampton. 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 Slough 012 Slough
2 Blaby 005 Blaby
3 Slough 007 Slough
4 Gravesham 002 Gravesham
5 Wolverhampton 010 Wolverhampton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Basra

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

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Basra surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Basra household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Basra 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

Basra 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

Basra falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Basra 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
Asian - Indian

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

Meaning and origin of Basra

The surname BASRA has its origins in the Middle East, specifically in the region of Basra, a city located in present-day Iraq. The name can be traced back to the 7th century AD, during the early Islamic era when the city of Basra was founded by the Arab conquerors.

The name BASRA is derived from the Arabic word "al-Basrah," which means "the overflowing" or "the swampy ground." This is likely a reference to the city's location near the Shatt al-Arab waterway, where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers converge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname BASRA can be found in the chronicles of the renowned Arab historian, Al-Tabari, who lived in the 9th and 10th centuries AD. He mentions several individuals with the surname BASRA who were prominent figures in the early Islamic caliphates.

In the 11th century, a famous scholar and poet named Abu Nasr al-Basri was highly regarded for his contributions to Arabic literature. He was born in Basra in 1020 and died in 1094.

During the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled from 750 to 1258 AD, the city of Basra was a major center of trade and learning. Many families adopted the surname BASRA during this period to signify their connection to the prosperous city.

One notable figure from this time was Ibn al-Basri, a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist who lived from 691 to 763 AD. He played a significant role in the development of Islamic jurisprudence and is considered one of the founders of the Hanbali school of Islamic law.

In the 13th century, a famous Sufi mystic named Suhrawardi al-Basri, born in 1145 and died in 1234, gained recognition for his teachings and writings on the spiritual path of Sufism.

Another prominent individual with the surname BASRA was Abu Bakr al-Basri, a 9th-century Arab mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the development of algebra and the study of celestial bodies.

While the surname BASRA has its roots in the Middle East, it has since spread to various parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its historical significance remains deeply rooted in the city of Basra and the rich cultural heritage of the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Basra surname: questions and answers

How common is the Basra surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,361 in 2016. That gives Basra a modern rank of #4,431.

What does the Basra surname mean?

A surname of Arabic origin meaning "The Good News".

What does the Basra map show?

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