NameCensus.

UK surname

Hafiz

A surname indicating that the bearer has memorized the Quran.

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Hafiz surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 681, ranked #7,872, up from #34,027 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waltham Forest, Southampton and Crawley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hafiz is 690 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 68000.0%.

1881 census count

1

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

681

2016, ranked #7,872

Peak year

2010

690 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hafiz had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 681 in 2016, ranked #7,872.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Hafiz surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hafiz surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hafiz 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 2 #33,133
1881 historical 1 #34,027
1901 historical 1 #34,548
1997 modern 373 #11,600
1998 modern 414 #11,073
1999 modern 425 #10,954
2000 modern 427 #10,867
2001 modern 422 #10,773
2002 modern 472 #10,060
2003 modern 510 #9,350
2004 modern 533 #9,071
2005 modern 512 #9,286
2006 modern 551 #8,799
2007 modern 587 #8,505
2008 modern 615 #8,252
2009 modern 676 #7,848
2010 modern 690 #7,864
2011 modern 666 #8,003
2012 modern 654 #8,040
2013 modern 688 #7,838
2014 modern 677 #7,989
2015 modern 677 #7,932
2016 modern 681 #7,872

Geography

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Where Hafiz' 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 Waltham Forest, Southampton, Crawley, Manchester and Brent. 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 Waltham Forest 024 Waltham Forest
2 Southampton 022 Southampton
3 Crawley 001 Crawley
4 Manchester 008 Manchester
5 Brent 011 Brent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hafiz

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

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

Hafiz 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

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

Meaning and origin of Hafiz

The surname "Hafiz" is of Arabic origin, derived from the word "Hafiz" meaning "one who has memorized the Quran." It is believed to have originated in the Middle East, particularly in countries with a significant Muslim population, such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Syria.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be traced back to the 7th century, during the time of the Islamic conquests and the spread of Islam across the Middle East and North Africa. The name was likely given to individuals who had achieved the esteemed status of being a "Hafiz" or a person who had memorized the entire Quran.

In the 11th century, the name gained prominence with the Persian poet and scholar Khwaja Shams-ud-Din Muhammad Hafiz-e Shirazi, also known as Hafiz of Shiraz, who was born in 1315 in the city of Shiraz, Persia (present-day Iran). He is considered one of the greatest lyric poets in Persian literature and his works, including the "Divan-e Hafiz," have been widely celebrated and studied.

Another notable figure bearing the surname "Hafiz" was Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist who lived from 1372 to 1449 in Cairo, Egypt. He is known for his contributions to the study of Hadith, the recorded sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad.

In the 19th century, the name appeared in the records of the Ottoman Empire, with individuals like Ahmed Hafiz Pasha, an Ottoman statesman and diplomat who served as the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire from 1819 to 1820.

The name has also been associated with places, such as Hafizabad, a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan, which was named after a local Sufi saint and scholar named Hafiz Muhammad Mohsin, who lived in the 18th century.

Other notable individuals who have borne the surname "Hafiz" include Hafiz Muhammad Syed, a Pakistani diplomat and scholar who served as the Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) from 1974 to 1979, and Hafiz Shirazi, an Iranian classical singer and composer who lived in the late 19th and early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hafiz families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hafiz 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. Middlesex leads with 1 Hafiz' recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.37x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1 10.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kensington London in Middlesex leads with 1 Hafiz' recorded in 1881 and an index of 185.19x.

Place Total Index
Kensington London 1 185.19x

Top male names

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

Name Count
(The 1

FAQ

Hafiz surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hafiz surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1 people were recorded with the Hafiz surname. That placed it at #34,027 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hafiz surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 681 in 2016. That gives Hafiz a modern rank of #7,872.

What does the Hafiz surname mean?

A surname indicating that the bearer has memorized the Quran.

What does the Hafiz map show?

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