NameCensus.

UK surname

Chander

A Hindu surname derived from the Sanskrit word "chandra" meaning moon.

In the 1881 census there were 33 people recorded with the Chander surname, ranking it #28,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 533, ranked #9,534, up from #28,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Carlisle St Cuthbert, St Leonard Shoreditch and Lewisham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wolverhampton, Ealing and Sandwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chander is 551 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1515.2%.

1881 census count

33

Ranked #28,965

Modern count

533

2016, ranked #9,534

Peak year

2011

551 bearers

Map years

4

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chander had 33 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 533 in 2016, ranked #9,534.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 125 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Chander surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chander surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chander 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
1851 historical 21 #29,550
1861 historical 125 #17,678
1881 historical 33 #28,965
1891 historical 95 #24,694
1901 historical 43 #29,380
1911 historical 38 #29,147
1997 modern 407 #10,869
1998 modern 420 #10,973
1999 modern 409 #11,264
2000 modern 418 #11,047
2001 modern 409 #11,032
2002 modern 428 #10,880
2003 modern 436 #10,552
2004 modern 452 #10,270
2005 modern 464 #9,976
2006 modern 480 #9,772
2007 modern 487 #9,753
2008 modern 483 #9,890
2009 modern 494 #9,953
2010 modern 528 #9,651
2011 modern 551 #9,251
2012 modern 535 #9,375
2013 modern 538 #9,514
2014 modern 538 #9,556
2015 modern 540 #9,465
2016 modern 533 #9,534

Geography

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Where Chanders are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Carlisle St Cuthbert, St Leonard Shoreditch, Lewisham, London parishes and Eversley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wolverhampton, Ealing, Sandwell and Birmingham. 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 Carlisle St Cuthbert Cumberland
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 Lewisham London (South Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Eversley Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wolverhampton 006 Wolverhampton
2 Ealing 026 Ealing
3 Sandwell 020 Sandwell
4 Wolverhampton 030 Wolverhampton
5 Birmingham 039 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chander

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chander

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

Chander 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

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

Meaning and origin of Chander

The surname Chander originates from the Indian subcontinent, with its roots tracing back to the Sanskrit word 'Chandra,' meaning 'moon.' The name is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, when many families adopted surnames based on personal traits, occupations, or natural elements.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Chander can be found in the 'Ain-i-Akbari,' a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. The text mentions several individuals bearing the name, suggesting its widespread use among various communities in the region.

The name Chander has also been associated with various place names across the Indian subcontinent. For instance, the town of Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh, India, is believed to have derived its name from the Sanskrit word 'Chandra-vedi,' meaning 'place of the moon.' Additionally, the village of Chander Nagar in Uttar Pradesh is thought to have been named after a prominent individual or family with the surname Chander.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Chander. One such figure is Raja Chander Shekhar Azad (1906-1931), a renowned Indian revolutionary who played a pivotal role in the Indian independence movement. Another prominent individual is Chander Shekhar (1927-2007), an Indian politician who served as the 8th Prime Minister of India from 1990 to 1991.

Other notable individuals with the surname Chander include Satish Chander (1922-2007), an Indian diplomat and former Foreign Secretary of India; Chander Uday Singh (1891-1959), an Indian anthropologist and historian; and Virender Chander (1950-2020), an Indian cricketer who represented the Indian national team in the 1970s.

While the surname Chander has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. Today, individuals bearing the name can be found across various regions, but the historical significance and cultural roots of the surname remain deeply rooted in the Indian subcontinent.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chander families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chander surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Bedfordshire leads with 10 Chanders recorded in 1881 and an index of 60.06x.

County Total Index
Bedfordshire 10 60.06x
Cumberland 7 25.28x
Hampshire 5 7.58x
Middlesex 5 1.55x
Surrey 2 1.28x
Cambridgeshire 1 4.91x
Kent 1 0.91x
Leicestershire 1 2.80x
Sussex 1 1.84x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire leads with 10 Chanders recorded in 1881 and an index of 1388.89x.

Place Total Index
Leighton Buzzard 10 1388.89x
St Cuthbert W O 7 518.52x
Paddington London 4 33.81x
Portsea 3 23.22x
Basingstoke 2 263.16x
Battersea 1 8.45x
Bromley London 1 14.12x
Eastbourne 1 40.00x
Erith 1 92.59x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 1 454.55x
Lambeth 1 3.57x
Leicester St Mary 1 34.72x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Chander surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Alma 1
Beatrice 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Elizabeth 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Harrott 1
Jessie 1
Lydia 1
Mary 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Chander surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
George 3
William 3
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Ellen 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Henry 1
Richd.D. 1
Selby 1
Walter 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Chander households.

FAQ

Chander surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chander surname in 1881?

In 1881, 33 people were recorded with the Chander surname. That placed it at #28,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chander surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 533 in 2016. That gives Chander a modern rank of #9,534.

What does the Chander surname mean?

A Hindu surname derived from the Sanskrit word "chandra" meaning moon.

What does the Chander map show?

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