NameCensus.

UK surname

Choudhury

A surname of Indian origin, referring to the holder of the position of a top-ranking official or administrator.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Luton, Oldham and Tower Hamlets.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Choudhury is 8,187 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

7,761

2016, ranked #851

Peak year

2010

8,187 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,761 in 2016, ranked #851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Choudhury surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Choudhury surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Choudhury 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 4,482 #1,468
1998 modern 4,994 #1,365
1999 modern 5,340 #1,284
2000 modern 5,504 #1,240
2001 modern 5,469 #1,215
2002 modern 6,096 #1,115
2003 modern 6,386 #1,048
2004 modern 6,622 #999
2005 modern 6,877 #945
2006 modern 7,148 #906
2007 modern 7,409 #885
2008 modern 7,652 #857
2009 modern 7,869 #854
2010 modern 8,187 #830
2011 modern 8,034 #838
2012 modern 7,520 #884
2013 modern 7,790 #863
2014 modern 7,836 #862
2015 modern 7,766 #860
2016 modern 7,761 #851

Geography

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Where Choudhurys 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 Luton, Oldham and Tower Hamlets. 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 Luton 017 Luton
2 Luton 010 Luton
3 Oldham 016 Oldham
4 Tower Hamlets 015 Tower Hamlets
5 Tower Hamlets 019 Tower Hamlets

Forenames

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First names often paired with Choudhury

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

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Challenged Inner London Communities

Within London, Choudhury is most associated with areas classed as Challenged Inner London Communities, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Resident in some of Inner London’s most over-crowded communities, many families have children and marriage/civil partnership rates are above the Supergroup average. Other adults such as students live in communal establishments. Few residents have Level 4 educational qualifications, levels of unemployment are above the Supergroup average, and employment is concentrated in service occupations such as distribution, hotels and restaurants. Relative to the Supergroup average, fewer residents identify as being of mixed/multiple ethnicities, Black or Other Asian.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Choudhury 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

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

Meaning and origin of Choudhury

The surname Choudhury traces its origins to Bengal, a region that encompasses the present-day nations of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "Chaudhuree," which means a landholder or an affluent individual who collected revenue on behalf of the ruling authorities during ancient times.

The Choudhurys were influential zamindars (landlords) and played a significant role in the socio-economic fabric of Bengal during the medieval and colonial periods. The name is believed to have emerged around the 11th century, during the reign of the Pala Empire, which ruled over parts of the Indian subcontinent.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Choudhury can be found in the "Ain-i-Akbari," a 16th-century Persian chronicle written during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. The text mentions several Choudhury families who held significant landholdings and administrative positions in Bengal.

In the 17th century, the Choudhurys of Burdwan, a prominent zamindar family, gained prominence in Bengal. The family's ancestral homeland was Burdwan, a town located in the present-day Indian state of West Bengal. Notable members of the Burdwan Choudhury family included Rajah Raj Bullub Choudhury (1768-1829), who played a crucial role in the establishment of the Hindu College in Calcutta (now Kolkata).

Another notable figure was Sir Khwaja Nazim-ud-Din Choudhury (1834-1907), a prominent lawyer, politician, and social reformer from Dhaka, Bangladesh. He was instrumental in establishing the Dhaka Nawab Family and was knighted by the British government for his contributions.

In the 20th century, Sir Ashutosh Choudhury (1864-1923) was a renowned educator, jurist, and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta. He played a pivotal role in the Calcutta University Commission of 1917-1919 and was knighted for his services to education.

Other prominent individuals with the surname Choudhury include Abul Fazal Choudhury (1897-1953), a renowned Bengali writer and poet, and Syed Muazzem Ali Choudhury (1906-1989), a distinguished diplomat and jurist from Bangladesh who served as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

While the Choudhury surname is primarily associated with Bengal, it has also been adopted by various communities and regions across South Asia, reflecting the rich cultural diversity and historical connections within the subcontinent.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Choudhury surname: questions and answers

How common is the Choudhury surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,761 in 2016. That gives Choudhury a modern rank of #851.

What does the Choudhury surname mean?

A surname of Indian origin, referring to the holder of the position of a top-ranking official or administrator.

What does the Choudhury map show?

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