NameCensus.

UK surname

Chatha

A Punjabi surname derived from the Sanskrit 'Kshatriya', referring to an ancient warrior or ruling caste.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chatha is 454 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

431

2016, ranked #11,170

Peak year

2010

454 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 431 in 2016, ranked #11,170.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Chatha surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chatha surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chatha 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
1911 historical 1 #34,332
1997 modern 228 #16,211
1998 modern 240 #16,117
1999 modern 258 #15,467
2000 modern 257 #15,468
2001 modern 269 #14,776
2002 modern 295 #14,146
2003 modern 333 #12,875
2004 modern 341 #12,673
2005 modern 349 #12,390
2006 modern 356 #12,284
2007 modern 386 #11,676
2008 modern 386 #11,795
2009 modern 396 #11,815
2010 modern 454 #10,833
2011 modern 437 #11,036
2012 modern 425 #11,157
2013 modern 447 #10,885
2014 modern 453 #10,830
2015 modern 435 #11,120
2016 modern 431 #11,170

Geography

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Where Chathas 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 Barking and Dagenham, Kirklees, Shropshire, Walsall and Ealing. 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 Barking and Dagenham 016 Barking and Dagenham
2 Kirklees 027 Kirklees
3 Shropshire 028 Shropshire
4 Walsall 010 Walsall
5 Ealing 029 Ealing

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chatha

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

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Chatha surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Chatha household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Chatha 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

Chatha 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

Chatha 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 Chatha is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Indian

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

Meaning and origin of Chatha

The surname CHATHA has its origins in India, specifically in the northern regions of Punjab and Haryana. It is believed to have emerged sometime around the 12th century CE. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "Chath," which means "roof" or "shelter," and was likely a title or occupational descriptor given to those who worked as builders or architects.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name CHATHA can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document compiled during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This document mentions several individuals with the surname, suggesting that the name was well-established in that region by that time.

During the medieval period, the CHATHA family held significant influence and landed estates in various parts of Punjab and Haryana. Historical records indicate that they were known for their contributions to architecture and construction, particularly in the building of forts, palaces, and religious structures.

One notable figure from this lineage was Rai Chatha, a renowned architect who lived in the 16th century and is credited with designing and overseeing the construction of several iconic buildings, including the Shahi Qila (Royal Fort) in Lahore, Pakistan.

Another prominent individual with the surname CHATHA was Bhai Lakhmir Singh Chatha (1784-1859), a Sikh warrior and military leader who played a crucial role in the Punjab campaigns against the British East India Company during the Anglo-Sikh Wars of the 19th century.

In the 18th century, the CHATHA family gained further prominence when Sardar Jodh Singh Chatha (1725-1786) became a prominent military leader and chieftain in the Sikh Confederacy, controlling a substantial territory in the Cis-Sutlej region of Punjab.

The name CHATHA has also been associated with literary and scholarly accomplishments. Bhai Vir Singh Chatha (1872-1957) was a renowned Sikh theologian, poet, and writer who made significant contributions to the Punjabi language and Sikh literature.

Over time, the surname CHATHA has spread beyond its traditional strongholds in Punjab and Haryana, with individuals bearing this name found in various parts of India and the diaspora communities around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Chatha surname: questions and answers

How common is the Chatha surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 431 in 2016. That gives Chatha a modern rank of #11,170.

What does the Chatha surname mean?

A Punjabi surname derived from the Sanskrit 'Kshatriya', referring to an ancient warrior or ruling caste.

What does the Chatha map show?

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