NameCensus.

UK surname

Bokhari

A surname of Arabic origin potentially indicating someone from Bukhara.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pendle, Birmingham and Redbridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bokhari is 431 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

398

2016, ranked #11,924

Peak year

2013

431 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 398 in 2016, ranked #11,924.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Bokhari surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bokhari surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bokhari 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 209 #17,157
1998 modern 236 #16,304
1999 modern 244 #16,052
2000 modern 245 #15,955
2001 modern 242 #15,832
2002 modern 258 #15,485
2003 modern 280 #14,472
2004 modern 319 #13,342
2005 modern 335 #12,795
2006 modern 343 #12,626
2007 modern 366 #12,176
2008 modern 381 #11,918
2009 modern 404 #11,636
2010 modern 414 #11,673
2011 modern 413 #11,560
2012 modern 421 #11,245
2013 modern 431 #11,231
2014 modern 424 #11,463
2015 modern 404 #11,814
2016 modern 398 #11,924

Geography

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Where Bokharis 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 Pendle, Birmingham, Redbridge, Waltham Forest and Bradford. 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 Pendle 010 Pendle
2 Birmingham 071 Birmingham
3 Redbridge 032 Redbridge
4 Waltham Forest 019 Waltham Forest
5 Bradford 042 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bokhari

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

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Bokhari 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

Bokhari 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

Bokhari falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bokhari 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 Bokhari, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bokhari

The surname Bokhari is of Arabic origin, derived from the word "Bukhari" which refers to someone from the city of Bukhara in modern-day Uzbekistan. Bukhara was an important center of trade, culture, and Islamic scholarship during the medieval period, and the Bukhari name is associated with this region.

The earliest recorded examples of the Bokhari surname can be traced back to the 9th and 10th centuries CE, when scholars and intellectuals from Bukhara made significant contributions to various fields, particularly in Islamic jurisprudence and hadith literature. One of the most renowned individuals with this surname was Muhammad al-Bukhari, a celebrated Islamic scholar born in 810 CE in Bukhara. He compiled the famous hadith collection known as Sahih al-Bukhari, which is considered one of the most authentic and authoritative sources in Sunni Islam.

During the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled from 750 to 1258 CE, the city of Bukhara flourished as a center of learning and culture. Many scholars and intellectuals from this region adopted the surname Bokhari, including Abu'l-Hasan al-Bukhari, a renowned jurist and theologian who lived in the 10th century.

The Bokhari surname also appears in historical records from the Samanid Empire, which ruled in Central Asia from 819 to 999 CE. This dynasty patronized scholars and promoted the spread of Islamic knowledge, leading to the proliferation of the Bokhari surname among the intellectual elite of the region.

Another notable figure with the Bokhari surname was Abu Nasr al-Farabi, also known as Al-Farabi, who was born in the village of Wasij near Farab in modern-day Kazakhstan around 870 CE. He was a renowned philosopher, logician, and scientist, and his works had a significant influence on medieval Islamic and Western thought.

Throughout the centuries, the Bokhari surname has been carried by numerous scholars, intellectuals, and prominent figures across the Islamic world and beyond. Some examples include Abul Fazl al-Bokhari, a 13th-century Sufi scholar and poet, and Mir Alam al-Bukhari, a 17th-century Islamic scholar from India who wrote extensively on Islamic jurisprudence and theology.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Bokhari surname: questions and answers

How common is the Bokhari surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 398 in 2016. That gives Bokhari a modern rank of #11,924.

What does the Bokhari surname mean?

A surname of Arabic origin potentially indicating someone from Bukhara.

What does the Bokhari map show?

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