NameCensus.

UK surname

Ismael

A surname derived from the biblical name Ishmael, originating from the Arabic name meaning "God hears".

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Ismael surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 337, ranked #13,552, up from #34,027 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ismael is 337 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33600.0%.

1881 census count

1

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

337

2016, ranked #13,552

Peak year

2016

337 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ismael had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 337 in 2016, ranked #13,552.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 21 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Ismael surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ismael surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ismael 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 21 #29,550
1861 historical 7 #33,053
1881 historical 1 #34,027
1891 historical 5 #33,939
1911 historical 4 #33,595
1997 modern 107 #25,924
1998 modern 123 #24,449
1999 modern 128 #24,017
2000 modern 130 #23,785
2001 modern 121 #24,493
2002 modern 160 #21,011
2003 modern 164 #20,483
2004 modern 178 #19,603
2005 modern 189 #18,807
2006 modern 210 #17,718
2007 modern 220 #17,377
2008 modern 225 #17,282
2009 modern 254 #16,230
2010 modern 266 #16,067
2011 modern 263 #16,058
2012 modern 306 #14,327
2013 modern 312 #14,332
2014 modern 324 #14,058
2015 modern 332 #13,705
2016 modern 337 #13,552

Geography

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Where Ismaels 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 Leicester, Blackburn with Darwen and Gloucester. 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 Leicester 018 Leicester
2 Leicester 017 Leicester
3 Leicester 022 Leicester
4 Blackburn with Darwen 003 Blackburn with Darwen
5 Gloucester 005 Gloucester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ismael

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

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

Ismael 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

Ismael falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ismael 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 Ismael, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ismael

The surname Ismael has its origins in the Middle East, specifically in the Arabic language. It is derived from the name "Ismail," which traces back to the biblical figure Ishmael, the son of Abraham and Hagar. The name Ishmael means "God hears" in Hebrew.

In the early centuries of Islam, the name Ismail became popular among Arab populations. As Arab influence and migration spread across North Africa and parts of Europe, variations of the name began appearing as surnames in different regions.

One of the earliest known records of the surname Ismael can be found in the 12th-century Spanish manuscript, the Libro de Repartimiento de Sevilla, which documented the distribution of land and property in the city of Seville after its conquest by the Christians. This suggests that the surname was present among the Moorish populations of Andalusia.

In the 13th century, the surname Ismael appeared in various records across the Mediterranean region, including Sicily, where it was sometimes spelled as "Ismaele" or "Ismaeli." During this period, the name was also found in parts of France, particularly in the southern regions that had strong ties to the Iberian Peninsula.

One notable figure with the surname Ismael was Rabí Ismail ben Haggai, a Jewish scholar and philosopher from Cordoba, Spain, who lived in the 11th century. Another was Ishaq ibn Ismael, a 9th-century Muslim scholar and philosopher from Baghdad, who made significant contributions to the fields of logic and metaphysics.

As the centuries passed, the surname Ismael and its variations continued to spread across Europe and beyond. In the 16th century, the name was recorded in Portugal, where it was sometimes rendered as "Ismael" or "Esmael." During this time, the surname also appeared in parts of Italy, such as Tuscany and Sicily.

One notable Italian figure with the surname was Giacomo Ismael, a 17th-century painter and engraver from Pisa. In France, the name was present in the 17th century, with individuals like Jacques Ismael, a lawyer and poet from Montpellier.

In the 19th century, the surname Ismael was found in various countries, including England, where individuals like William Ismael, a merchant from London, lived and worked. Another notable figure was Ismael Montes de Oca, a Mexican politician and writer who played a significant role in the Reform War of the 1850s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ismael families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ismael 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. Montgomeryshire leads with 1 Ismaels recorded in 1881 and an index of 454.55x.

County Total Index
Montgomeryshire 1 454.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Llanidloes in Montgomeryshire leads with 1 Ismaels recorded in 1881 and an index of 5000.00x.

Place Total Index
Llanidloes 1 5000.00x

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Ismael households.

Occupation Count
Servant (Dom) 1

FAQ

Ismael surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ismael surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Ismael surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 337 in 2016. That gives Ismael a modern rank of #13,552.

What does the Ismael surname mean?

A surname derived from the biblical name Ishmael, originating from the Arabic name meaning "God hears".

What does the Ismael map show?

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