NameCensus.

UK surname

Boamah

A West African surname of Akan origin meaning "helps or rescues".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brent, Ythanside and Barking and Dagenham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boamah is 232 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

232

2016, ranked #17,694

Peak year

2016

232 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 232 in 2016, ranked #17,694.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Boamah surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boamah surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boamah 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 1 #34,435
1997 modern 57 #31,917
1998 modern 68 #31,181
1999 modern 79 #30,243
2000 modern 81 #30,036
2001 modern 80 #29,945
2002 modern 103 #27,443
2003 modern 115 #25,538
2004 modern 136 #23,207
2005 modern 158 #21,052
2006 modern 179 #19,592
2007 modern 198 #18,600
2008 modern 205 #18,359
2009 modern 213 #18,284
2010 modern 213 #18,660
2011 modern 211 #18,630
2012 modern 213 #18,422
2013 modern 218 #18,441
2014 modern 228 #17,977
2015 modern 226 #17,995
2016 modern 232 #17,694

Geography

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Where Boamahs 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 Brent, Ythanside, Barking and Dagenham and Newham. 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 Brent 025 Brent
2 Ythanside Aberdeenshire
3 Barking and Dagenham 019 Barking and Dagenham
4 Brent 021 Brent
5 Newham 030 Newham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boamah

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boamah

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

Boamah 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

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

Meaning and origin of Boamah

The surname Boamah originates from Ghana in West Africa. It is an Akan name from the Ashanti region. The name likely derives from the Akan words "boa" meaning stone or rock, and "man" meaning nation or town, suggesting the name may refer to a town or settlement situated near a rocky area.

In earlier records, variations of the spelling include Boamar, Bwamar, and Buamar. The name was prominently documented in the 18th century writings of European travelers and traders who visited the Ashanti Empire. One notable figure was Osei Boamah, an Ashanti military leader and diplomat who negotiated treaties with the British in the 1820s.

A famous bearer of the name was Emmanuel Boamah, a Ghanaian writer and academic who lived from 1926 to 2008. He published several works on Akan literature and culture. Another notable Boamah was Kwesi Boamah, a Ghanaian diplomat who served as Ambassador to the United Nations in the 1960s.

In the 19th century, the name appeared in records of the British colonial administration in Ghana, such as the Gold Coast Census of 1891, where several families with the surname Boamah were documented in the Ashanti region. A historical figure from this era was Yaw Boamah, a chief and landowner in the village of Asamang.

The Boamah name can also be found in ancient oral traditions and folklore of the Akan people, often associated with stories of bravery, strength, and connection to the land. One such tale involves an Ashanti warrior named Kofi Boamah who led a resistance against invading forces in the 17th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Boamah surname: questions and answers

How common is the Boamah surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 232 in 2016. That gives Boamah a modern rank of #17,694.

What does the Boamah surname mean?

A West African surname of Akan origin meaning "helps or rescues".

What does the Boamah map show?

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