NameCensus.

UK surname

Isa

An Arabic surname derived from "Isa", meaning "Jesus".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blackburn with Darwen, Bolton and Enfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Isa is 198 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

198

2016, ranked #19,713

Peak year

2016

198 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 198 in 2016, ranked #19,713.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Isa surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Isa surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Isa 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 88 #28,611
1998 modern 90 #28,920
1999 modern 99 #27,906
2000 modern 93 #28,701
2001 modern 93 #28,382
2002 modern 108 #26,698
2003 modern 110 #26,220
2004 modern 107 #26,899
2005 modern 138 #22,999
2006 modern 132 #23,834
2007 modern 137 #23,590
2008 modern 144 #23,037
2009 modern 161 #21,879
2010 modern 175 #21,186
2011 modern 175 #21,035
2012 modern 165 #21,782
2013 modern 178 #21,108
2014 modern 180 #21,115
2015 modern 182 #20,856
2016 modern 198 #19,713

Geography

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Where Isas 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 Blackburn with Darwen, Bolton and Enfield. 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 Blackburn with Darwen 004 Blackburn with Darwen
2 Bolton 025 Bolton
3 Blackburn with Darwen 006 Blackburn with Darwen
4 Bolton 023 Bolton
5 Enfield 031 Enfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Isa

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Isa

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Isa is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Isa 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

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

Meaning and origin of Isa

The surname "Isa" has its origins in the Middle East, specifically in the Arabic language. It is derived from the Arabic word "Isa," which means "Jesus" or "messenger of God." The name's earliest roots can be traced back to the 7th century CE, during the rise of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula.

In the early days of Islamic history, "Isa" was used as a personal name by some Arabs who embraced the Islamic faith. As the name gained popularity, it eventually evolved into a surname, particularly among Arab communities in the Levant region, which includes modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Isa" can be found in the 10th century CE, in a manuscript from the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled over a vast territory stretching from North Africa to Central Asia. The manuscript mentions a scholar named Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Isa, who lived in Baghdad during the reign of the Abbasid Caliph al-Muqtadir.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the surname "Isa" became more widespread across the Muslim world, appearing in various historical records and chronicles. In the 12th century, a famous Arab philosopher and physician named Abu al-Walid Muhammad ibn Rushd, better known as Averroes, hailed from the city of Cordoba in modern-day Spain. His full name was Abu al-Walid Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Rushd al-Isa, indicating that he belonged to the Isa family lineage.

As the Islamic empires expanded, the surname "Isa" spread to other regions, including parts of Europe and Asia. In the 16th century, a renowned Ottoman historian and geographer named Mustafa bin Abdallah al-Isa al-Qadiri al-Rumi, known as Mustafa Al-Isa, wrote several books on the history and geography of the Ottoman Empire.

Another notable figure bearing the surname "Isa" was Ismail ibn Hammad al-Isa, a 19th-century Arab poet and scholar from Palestine. He was born in 1835 in the city of Nablus and is considered one of the pioneers of the Arab literary renaissance known as the Nahda.

Over the centuries, the surname "Isa" has also undergone various spelling variations, such as "Eissa," "Aissa," and "Issa," reflecting the diverse linguistic influences and dialects within the Arab world. While the name has maintained its strong connection to its Arabic roots, it has also been adopted by individuals of various ethnic and religious backgrounds, particularly in regions with historical ties to the Arab world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Isa surname: questions and answers

How common is the Isa surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 198 in 2016. That gives Isa a modern rank of #19,713.

What does the Isa surname mean?

An Arabic surname derived from "Isa", meaning "Jesus".

What does the Isa map show?

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