NameCensus.

UK surname

Gaffar

A surname derived from an Arabic word meaning "forgiver" or "merciful one".

In the 1881 census there were 2 people recorded with the Gaffar surname, ranking it #33,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 337, ranked #13,552, up from #33,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leicester, Lambeth and Oadby and Wigston.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gaffar is 347 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16750.0%.

1881 census count

2

Ranked #33,721

Modern count

337

2016, ranked #13,552

Peak year

2010

347 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gaffar had 2 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 337 in 2016, ranked #13,552.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Gaffar surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gaffar surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gaffar 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 4 #32,658
1861 historical 4 #33,628
1881 historical 2 #33,721
1901 historical 2 #34,263
1997 modern 156 #20,593
1998 modern 176 #19,584
1999 modern 199 #18,293
2000 modern 225 #16,891
2001 modern 225 #16,664
2002 modern 244 #16,085
2003 modern 253 #15,493
2004 modern 259 #15,348
2005 modern 253 #15,514
2006 modern 260 #15,329
2007 modern 282 #14,618
2008 modern 294 #14,327
2009 modern 316 #13,933
2010 modern 347 #13,325
2011 modern 344 #13,249
2012 modern 324 #13,751
2013 modern 345 #13,326
2014 modern 346 #13,370
2015 modern 343 #13,365
2016 modern 337 #13,552

Geography

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Where Gaffars 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 Leicester, Lambeth, Oadby and Wigston and Merton. 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 Leicester 027 Leicester
2 Leicester 018 Leicester
3 Lambeth 026 Lambeth
4 Oadby and Wigston 009 Oadby and Wigston
5 Merton 008 Merton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gaffar

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gaffar

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Gaffar is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gaffar 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

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

Meaning and origin of Gaffar

The surname GAFFAR originates from the Arabic language and is believed to have its roots in regions of the Middle East, particularly in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Syria. It is derived from the Arabic word "ghaffar," which means "forgiver" or "one who forgives."

The earliest known references to the surname GAFFAR can be traced back to the 7th century CE, during the rise of Islam and the expansion of Arabic culture. The name was likely adopted by individuals who were known for their merciful and forgiving nature or who held positions of authority within religious or judicial institutions.

In the 9th century CE, the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled over vast territories stretching from North Africa to Central Asia, recorded the name GAFFAR in administrative documents and tax records. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname were present in various parts of the caliphate during that time.

As the Arab world expanded through trade and conquest, the surname GAFFAR spread to other regions, including parts of Europe and the Indian subcontinent. In the 12th century, the Moroccan explorer and traveler Ibn Battuta mentioned encountering individuals with the surname GAFFAR during his travels through the Middle East and Central Asia.

One notable figure in history who bore the surname GAFFAR was Abdul Gaffar Khan (1890-1988), a prominent advocate for non-violent resistance and a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. He was also known as the "Frontier Gandhi" and played a significant role in the Indian independence movement.

Another prominent individual with the surname GAFFAR was Mirza Mahmoud Gaffar (1885-1955), an Iranian politician and diplomat who served as the Prime Minister of Iran from 1942 to 1944. He was instrumental in negotiating the Anglo-Iranian Treaty of 1919, which established Iran's sovereignty and independence.

In the 13th century, the name GAFFAR appeared in the Ruznameh-ye Ghaznavi, a historical chronicle of the Ghaznavid Empire, which ruled over parts of modern-day Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran. The chronicle mentioned a scholar and jurist named Shams al-Din Gaffar, who served as a judge and legal advisor to the Ghaznavid rulers.

During the Ottoman Empire, the surname GAFFAR was found among individuals living in various regions of the empire, including present-day Turkey, Greece, and the Balkans. One notable figure from this period was Mustafa Gaffar Pasha (1636-1703), an Ottoman statesman and military leader who served as the Grand Vizier, the highest-ranking political and military official in the empire.

In more recent history, Mohammad Gaffar Khan (1914-1994) was a prominent Pakistani politician and leader of the Khudai Khidmatgar movement, which advocated for non-violent resistance against British colonial rule in the region that is now Pakistan.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gaffar families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gaffar 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. Suffolk leads with 2 Gaffars recorded in 1881 and an index of 85.11x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 2 85.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bacton in Suffolk leads with 2 Gaffars recorded in 1881 and an index of 0.00x.

Place Total Index
Bacton 2 0.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eliza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 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 Gaffar households.

FAQ

Gaffar surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gaffar surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2 people were recorded with the Gaffar surname. That placed it at #33,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gaffar surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 337 in 2016. That gives Gaffar a modern rank of #13,552.

What does the Gaffar surname mean?

A surname derived from an Arabic word meaning "forgiver" or "merciful one".

What does the Gaffar map show?

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