NameCensus.

UK surname

Gharib

An Arabic surname meaning "stranger" or "foreigner."

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North East Lincolnshire, Ealing and Westminster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gharib is 140 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

133

2016, ranked #25,765

Peak year

2014

140 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 133 in 2016, ranked #25,765.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Gharib surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gharib surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gharib 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 29 #34,795
1998 modern 33 #34,532
1999 modern 36 #34,323
2000 modern 36 #34,317
2001 modern 37 #34,082
2002 modern 49 #33,377
2003 modern 57 #32,704
2004 modern 62 #32,478
2005 modern 69 #32,007
2006 modern 70 #32,240
2007 modern 78 #31,748
2008 modern 87 #30,999
2009 modern 96 #30,239
2010 modern 106 #29,305
2011 modern 107 #28,979
2012 modern 123 #26,561
2013 modern 135 #25,395
2014 modern 140 #24,977
2015 modern 133 #25,729
2016 modern 133 #25,765

Geography

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Where Gharibs 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 North East Lincolnshire, Ealing, Westminster and Helensburgh West and Rhu. 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 North East Lincolnshire 017 North East Lincolnshire
2 Ealing 028 Ealing
3 Westminster 004 Westminster
4 Ealing 007 Ealing
5 Helensburgh West and Rhu Argyll and Bute

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gharib

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

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Gharib surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Gharib household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Gharib is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

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

Gharib 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

Gharib 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 Gharib is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
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 Gharib, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Gharib

The surname GHARIB originates from the Arabic word "gharib", meaning "stranger" or "foreigner". It is believed to have its roots in the Middle East, particularly in the regions of present-day Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Syria, dating back to the 7th century CE, during the early years of the Islamic era.

The name likely originated as a descriptive term for individuals who migrated or settled in new lands, identifying them as outsiders or strangers in those communities. It may have been used to distinguish those who were not native to a particular region or tribe.

One of the earliest known references to the name GHARIB can be found in historical records from the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled over vast territories in the Middle East and North Africa between the 8th and 13th centuries. These records often mention individuals bearing the name, suggesting its widespread use during that period.

In the 11th century, the name appeared in the writings of the renowned Persian scholar and poet, Abu'l-Qasim Firdausi, in his epic masterpiece, the Shahnameh. Firdausi (940-1020 CE) mentioned a character named Gharib, who was a warrior and hero in the story.

During the Mamluk Sultanate, which ruled over Egypt, Syria, and parts of the Levant in the 13th to 16th centuries, the name GHARIB was also found in various administrative and legal documents, indicating its continued use among the population.

One notable historical figure who bore the name GHARIB was Abu'l-Gharib al-Naji (1066-1147 CE), a renowned Islamic scholar and judge from Baghdad, who made significant contributions to the field of jurisprudence and Islamic law.

Another prominent individual was Gharib ibn Sa'd (718-799 CE), a renowned Arab poet and philologist from Basra, Iraq, who was renowned for his extensive knowledge of the Arabic language and literature.

In the 14th century, the name GHARIB also appeared in the travelogues of the famous Moroccan explorer and scholar, Ibn Battuta (1304-1369 CE), who encountered individuals with this surname during his extensive travels across the Muslim world.

The name GHARIB has also been associated with various place names and geographical locations, such as Al-Gharib, a village in Egypt, and Gharib Aswan, a region in southern Egypt near the city of Aswan.

Throughout history, the surname GHARIB has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, including scholars, poets, warriors, and travelers, reflecting its widespread use and cultural significance within the Arabic-speaking world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Gharib surname: questions and answers

How common is the Gharib surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 133 in 2016. That gives Gharib a modern rank of #25,765.

What does the Gharib surname mean?

An Arabic surname meaning "stranger" or "foreigner."

What does the Gharib map show?

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