NameCensus.

UK surname

Bukhari

A surname derived from the name of the Afghan city Bukhara.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Redbridge, Slough and Stoke-on-Trent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bukhari is 1,071 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

1,038

2016, ranked #5,614

Peak year

2013

1,071 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,038 in 2016, ranked #5,614.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Bukhari surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bukhari surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bukhari 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 338 #12,489
1998 modern 379 #11,851
1999 modern 409 #11,264
2000 modern 457 #10,300
2001 modern 476 #9,814
2002 modern 547 #9,017
2003 modern 601 #8,328
2004 modern 646 #7,875
2005 modern 720 #7,161
2006 modern 793 #6,677
2007 modern 834 #6,479
2008 modern 881 #6,236
2009 modern 941 #6,040
2010 modern 1,027 #5,753
2011 modern 1,019 #5,733
2012 modern 1,053 #5,482
2013 modern 1,071 #5,505
2014 modern 1,052 #5,615
2015 modern 1,046 #5,594
2016 modern 1,038 #5,614

Geography

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Where Bukharis 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 Redbridge, Slough, Stoke-on-Trent and Luton. 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 Redbridge 032 Redbridge
2 Slough 009 Slough
3 Stoke-on-Trent 015 Stoke-on-Trent
4 Luton 019 Luton
5 Luton 010 Luton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bukhari

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

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

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Bukhari 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

Bukhari 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

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

Meaning and origin of Bukhari

The surname Bukhari traces its origins back to the ancient city of Bukhara, located in present-day Uzbekistan. This city was a major trade hub along the Silk Road during the 8th to 15th centuries and was renowned for its scholarly Islamic culture. The name is believed to have derived from the Persian word "bukhār," which means "perfumed land" or "fragrant land," referring to the city's thriving cultivation of roses and other fragrant plants.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Bukhari can be found in the works of the renowned Muslim scholar, Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari (810-870 CE). He was a prominent hadith scholar who compiled the highly respected collection of hadith known as "Sahih al-Bukhari," which is considered one of the most authentic and authoritative sources of prophetic traditions in Islam.

The Bukhari name also appears in various historical records from Central Asia, including the works of the famous Persian poet and scholar, Rudaki (858-941 CE), who was born in the village of Panjrudak, near Bukhara. Another notable figure was the Sufi mystic and poet, Bahauddin Naqshband (1318-1389 CE), who founded the Naqshbandi Sufi order and was born in the village of Qasri Hinduan, near Bukhara.

During the Timurid dynasty (1370-1507), which ruled over a vast empire stretching from modern-day Turkey to India, the Bukhari name was associated with several prominent scholars and statesmen. One such figure was Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani (1314-1384 CE), a renowned Sufi saint and scholar who played a crucial role in spreading Islam in Kashmir.

In more recent times, the Bukhari surname has been carried by various notable individuals, such as the Indian philosopher and educator, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan (1817-1898 CE), who is regarded as the founder of the Aligarh Muslim University in India. Another prominent figure was the Pakistani historian and scholar, Syed Sulaiman Nadvi (1884-1953 CE), who was a renowned expert on Islamic history and culture.

Overall, the surname Bukhari has a rich historical legacy that spans centuries and is deeply rooted in the scholarly and cultural traditions of Central Asia and the Islamic world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Bukhari surname: questions and answers

How common is the Bukhari surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,038 in 2016. That gives Bukhari a modern rank of #5,614.

What does the Bukhari surname mean?

A surname derived from the name of the Afghan city Bukhara.

What does the Bukhari map show?

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