NameCensus.

UK surname

Handa

An occupational surname indicating a skilled worker or artisan.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newcastle upon Tyne, Brent and Hounslow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Handa is 369 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

369

2016, ranked #12,617

Peak year

2016

369 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 369 in 2016, ranked #12,617.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Handa surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Handa surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Handa 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
1861 historical 8 #32,887
1997 modern 201 #17,564
1998 modern 210 #17,600
1999 modern 216 #17,364
2000 modern 235 #16,423
2001 modern 227 #16,573
2002 modern 250 #15,819
2003 modern 260 #15,216
2004 modern 278 #14,609
2005 modern 293 #14,030
2006 modern 299 #13,949
2007 modern 307 #13,822
2008 modern 316 #13,661
2009 modern 311 #14,069
2010 modern 335 #13,645
2011 modern 346 #13,192
2012 modern 343 #13,158
2013 modern 357 #12,984
2014 modern 363 #12,908
2015 modern 368 #12,661
2016 modern 369 #12,617

Geography

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Where Handas 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 Newcastle upon Tyne, Brent, Hounslow, Birmingham and Kirklees. 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 Newcastle upon Tyne 006 Newcastle upon Tyne
2 Brent 023 Brent
3 Hounslow 017 Hounslow
4 Birmingham 139 Birmingham
5 Kirklees 037 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Handa

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

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Handa surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Handa household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Handa is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

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

Handa 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

Handa falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Handa 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
Asian - Indian

This describes the area pattern most associated with Handa, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Handa

The surname HANDA has its origins in India, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "handa," which means "hand" or "handle." This suggests that the name may have been associated with a particular trade or occupation related to manual labor or craftsmanship.

In India, surnames often originated from various sources, including professions, castes, tribes, villages, or physical characteristics. The HANDA surname likely originated from a specific region or village within the Indian subcontinent, although the exact location remains uncertain.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the HANDA surname can be found in the "Ain-i-Akbari," a 16th-century administrative document compiled during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This document contained records of land ownership and taxation, which may have included individuals with the HANDA surname.

During the Maratha Empire, which ruled large parts of India from the 17th to the 19th centuries, several prominent individuals bore the HANDA surname. One notable figure was Malhar Rao Handa, a military commander who served under the Maratha ruler Shivaji between 1670 and 1680.

In the 18th century, the HANDA surname appeared in various regional manuscripts and records, indicating its presence across different parts of India. One such record is the "Peshwa Daftar," which documented the administration of the Peshwa rulers in the Maratha Empire.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have carried the HANDA surname. These include Harbans Singh Handa (1907-1981), an Indian field hockey player who represented India at the 1928 and 1932 Summer Olympics. Another prominent figure was Harbhajan Singh Handa (1920-2002), an Indian politician and member of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's parliament.

Other notable individuals with the HANDA surname include Rajinder Singh Handa (1938-2022), an Indian civil servant and diplomat who served as the Indian High Commissioner to Canada, and Bharat Handa (born 1958), an Indian businessman and entrepreneur who founded the Handa Corporation, a multinational conglomerate.

While the HANDA surname has its roots in India, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, the majority of individuals bearing this surname can trace their ancestral origins to various regions within the Indian subcontinent.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Handa surname: questions and answers

How common is the Handa surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 369 in 2016. That gives Handa a modern rank of #12,617.

What does the Handa surname mean?

An occupational surname indicating a skilled worker or artisan.

What does the Handa map show?

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