UK surname

Irfan

A surname indicating knowledge or understanding in Islamic contexts.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Redbridge, Newham and Slough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Irfan is 1,052 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

Modern count

1,052

2016, ranked #5,543

Peak year

2016

1,052 bearers

Map years

1998 to 2016

Key insights

• The latest modern count shown here is 1,052 in 2016, ranked #5,543.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Map

Irfan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Irfan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Irfan 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	213	#16,948
1998	modern	231	#16,555
1999	modern	264	#15,223
2000	modern	306	#13,742
2001	modern	313	#13,361
2002	modern	365	#12,246
2003	modern	403	#11,210
2004	modern	472	#9,926
2005	modern	510	#9,317
2006	modern	610	#8,182
2007	modern	686	#7,549
2008	modern	755	#7,072
2009	modern	846	#6,592
2010	modern	896	#6,409
2011	modern	934	#6,150
2012	modern	950	#5,981
2013	modern	975	#5,943
2014	modern	997	#5,875
2015	modern	1,018	#5,726
2016	modern	1,052	#5,543

Geography

Where Irfans 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 Redbridge, Newham, Slough and Rochdale. 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	Redbridge 032	Redbridge
2	Newham 018	Newham
3	Newham 025	Newham
4	Slough 009	Slough
5	Rochdale 015	Rochdale

Forenames

First names often paired with Irfan

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Shazia Sadia Lubna Afshan Ayesha Nazia Maria Samina Saima Naheed

Recent male names

Muhammad Mohammed Mohammad Muhammed Malik Mohamed Ali Ahmed Mian Syed

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Irfan

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

Irfan 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.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Irfan 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.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Irfan 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.

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

Origin

Meaning and origin of Irfan

The surname IRFAN has its origins in the Arabic language and is derived from the Arabic word 'irfan' which means knowledge, cognition, or gnosis. It is believed that this name originated in the Middle East, particularly in countries like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran, where Arabic was the predominant language during the medieval period.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname IRFAN can be traced back to the 8th century AD, during the Islamic Golden Age. This was a period of significant cultural, scientific, and intellectual advancements in the Muslim world, and it is likely that the name IRFAN was associated with scholars, philosophers, and intellectuals of that era.

One of the earliest known individuals bearing the surname IRFAN was Abu Nasr al-IRFAN, a renowned philosopher and mathematician who lived in Baghdad during the 9th century AD. His contributions to the fields of logic and metaphysics were highly regarded, and he is credited with preserving and expanding upon the works of ancient Greek thinkers.

Another notable figure with the surname IRFAN was Ibn al-IRFAN, a 12th-century Persian scholar and poet from the city of Nishapur, in present-day Iran. His poetic works, which often explored themes of mysticism and spirituality, have been widely celebrated and studied in the Persian literary tradition.

In the 14th century, the name IRFAN appears in the writings of the famous Moroccan traveler and scholar, Ibn Battuta. During his travels through the Middle East and Central Asia, Ibn Battuta encountered individuals bearing the surname IRFAN, indicating its widespread use across the Islamic world at that time.

The surname IRFAN also has a connection to the Ottoman Empire, where it was commonly used among the intellectual and scholarly classes. One notable figure was Mustafa IRFAN Pasha, an Ottoman statesman and diplomat who served as the Grand Vizier (Prime Minister) during the late 18th century.

Another prominent individual with the surname IRFAN was Maulana Abul Kalam IRFAN, a renowned Islamic scholar and philosopher from India, who lived in the 19th century. His works on Islamic theology and mysticism had a significant impact on the intellectual and spiritual landscape of the subcontinent.

Throughout its history, the surname IRFAN has been associated with scholarship, knowledge, and intellectual pursuit, reflecting its Arabic roots and the cultural heritage of the regions where it originated and flourished.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Irfan surname: questions and answers

How common is the Irfan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,052 in 2016. That gives Irfan a modern rank of #5,543.

What does the Irfan surname mean?