NameCensus.

UK surname

Farhan

An Arabic surname meaning "joy" or "happiness."

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Charnwood, Manchester and Cardiff.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Farhan is 335 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

335

2016, ranked #13,611

Peak year

2016

335 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 335 in 2016, ranked #13,611.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Farhan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Farhan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Farhan 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 8 #31,867
1861 historical 8 #32,887
1997 modern 54 #32,210
1998 modern 59 #32,027
1999 modern 60 #32,078
2000 modern 78 #30,361
2001 modern 82 #29,714
2002 modern 100 #27,944
2003 modern 114 #25,664
2004 modern 127 #24,224
2005 modern 149 #21,866
2006 modern 174 #19,921
2007 modern 194 #18,855
2008 modern 211 #17,997
2009 modern 227 #17,544
2010 modern 248 #16,886
2011 modern 261 #16,145
2012 modern 282 #15,158
2013 modern 296 #14,876
2014 modern 301 #14,809
2015 modern 306 #14,536
2016 modern 335 #13,611

Geography

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Where Farhans 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 Charnwood, Manchester, Cardiff, Birmingham and Redbridge. 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 Charnwood 004 Charnwood
2 Manchester 027 Manchester
3 Cardiff 036 Cardiff
4 Birmingham 088 Birmingham
5 Redbridge 032 Redbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Farhan

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

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

Farhan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Farhan

The surname FARHAN is of Arabic origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula. It emerged during the medieval period, around the 7th to 10th centuries AD, when Arabic language and culture were spreading across the region and beyond.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name FARHAN can be found in ancient Arabic manuscripts and genealogical records from the 9th century. It is believed to be derived from the Arabic word "farhan," which means "joy" or "happiness." This suggests that the name may have originally been bestowed upon individuals who brought happiness or joy to their families or communities.

During the Islamic Golden Age, which spanned from the 8th to the 13th centuries, the name FARHAN gained prominence as several notable individuals bore this surname. One such figure was Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi, also known as Rhazes or Razi (865-925 AD), a Persian polymath who made significant contributions to the fields of medicine, philosophy, and alchemy.

Another prominent bearer of the FARHAN surname was Ibn al-Farhan (1239-1317 AD), a renowned Arab mathematician and astronomer from Damascus. He authored several influential works on astronomy and mathematics, including a treatise on the use of the astrolabe, a device used for celestial observations and navigation.

In the 13th century, the FARHAN surname also appeared in historical records from the Iberian Peninsula, where the name may have been introduced during the Moorish rule in parts of Spain and Portugal. One noteworthy individual from this era was Abu al-Qasim al-Farhan (1235-1285 AD), a poet and scholar from Seville who was renowned for his expertise in Arabic literature and Islamic jurisprudence.

The FARHAN surname has also been associated with various place names and localities throughout the Arab world. For instance, there is a village called Farhan in present-day Saudi Arabia, as well as a town named Farhan in Yemen. These place names may have contributed to the spread and adoption of the surname in different regions.

Other notable individuals with the FARHAN surname include Khalid al-Farhan (1909-1980), a Saudi Arabian diplomat and politician who served as the country's ambassador to several nations, and Fahad Al-Farhan (born 1960), a Kuwaiti businessman and philanthropist who has made significant contributions to various charitable organizations in the Gulf region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Farhan surname: questions and answers

How common is the Farhan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 335 in 2016. That gives Farhan a modern rank of #13,611.

What does the Farhan surname mean?

An Arabic surname meaning "joy" or "happiness."

What does the Farhan map show?

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