NameCensus.

UK surname

Boafo

A surname of Akan origin indicating one's connection to a plant or tree.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Merton, Wandsworth and Bexley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boafo is 144 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

140

2016, ranked #24,865

Peak year

2010

144 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016, ranked #24,865.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Boafo surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boafo surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boafo 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 52 #32,444
1998 modern 62 #31,735
1999 modern 65 #31,605
2000 modern 61 #32,039
2001 modern 62 #31,798
2002 modern 66 #31,821
2003 modern 71 #31,393
2004 modern 89 #29,623
2005 modern 107 #26,875
2006 modern 130 #24,053
2007 modern 137 #23,590
2008 modern 141 #23,383
2009 modern 139 #24,161
2010 modern 144 #24,147
2011 modern 137 #24,716
2012 modern 137 #24,731
2013 modern 139 #24,912
2014 modern 134 #25,711
2015 modern 138 #25,103
2016 modern 140 #24,865

Geography

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Where Boafos 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 Merton, Wandsworth, Bexley and Brent. 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 Merton 019 Merton
2 Merton 007 Merton
3 Wandsworth 037 Wandsworth
4 Bexley 020 Bexley
5 Brent 031 Brent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boafo

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

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

Boafo 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

Boafo 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 Boafo 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
Black - African

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

Meaning and origin of Boafo

The surname BOAFO is of Ghanaian origin, emerging in the Akan-speaking regions of southern Ghana during the 17th century. It is derived from the Akan word "boafo," meaning "hunter" or "trapper," suggesting that the name may have originated as an occupational surname for individuals involved in hunting or trapping activities.

The earliest recorded instances of the BOAFO surname date back to the late 17th century, when it appeared in written records and oral traditions within the Akan communities. The name is closely associated with the Ashanti and Fante ethnic groups, who were among the dominant populations in the region during that period.

One notable historical figure bearing the BOAFO surname was Nana Akua BOAFO, a powerful queen mother of the Ashanti Kingdom in the late 18th century. She played a significant role in advising the Asantehene (king) and governing the kingdom during a time of political turmoil and conflict with the British.

Another prominent BOAFO was Kwasi BOAFO, a renowned Akan storyteller and oral historian who lived in the early 19th century. His vivid tales and recounts of Akan folklore and history were instrumental in preserving the cultural heritage of the Akan people during a period of rapid social change.

In the mid-19th century, a man named Kwadwo BOAFO gained recognition as a skilled farmer and innovator in agricultural practices. His methods for improving crop yields and sustainable farming techniques were widely adopted across the Akan regions, contributing to the region's agricultural prosperity.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the BOAFO surname appeared in various records and documents related to the Akan people's interactions with European traders and colonial authorities. This includes mentions of BOAFO individuals involved in trade, diplomacy, and resistance movements against colonial rule.

As the name BOAFO spread beyond its original Akan homeland, it became more widely adopted throughout Ghana and by Ghanaian diaspora communities around the world. While its historical roots can be traced back to the Akan regions of southern Ghana, the surname BOAFO has since become a part of the broader Ghanaian cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Boafo surname: questions and answers

How common is the Boafo surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016. That gives Boafo a modern rank of #24,865.

What does the Boafo surname mean?

A surname of Akan origin indicating one's connection to a plant or tree.

What does the Boafo map show?

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