NameCensus.

UK surname

Jallow

A Gambian surname believed to be of Mandinka origins.

In the 1881 census there were 9 people recorded with the Jallow surname, ranking it #32,416 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 639, ranked #8,280, up from #32,416 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Birmingham, Hackney and Manchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jallow is 639 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7000.0%.

1881 census count

9

Ranked #32,416

Modern count

639

2016, ranked #8,280

Peak year

2016

639 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jallow had 9 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,416 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 639 in 2016, ranked #8,280.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Jallow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jallow surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jallow 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 5 #32,456
1861 historical 5 #33,418
1881 historical 9 #32,416
1891 historical 7 #33,665
1901 historical 8 #33,289
1997 modern 98 #27,179
1998 modern 105 #26,822
1999 modern 127 #24,125
2000 modern 149 #21,874
2001 modern 154 #21,122
2002 modern 214 #17,545
2003 modern 233 #16,394
2004 modern 280 #14,530
2005 modern 336 #12,767
2006 modern 366 #12,042
2007 modern 398 #11,411
2008 modern 452 #10,369
2009 modern 514 #9,643
2010 modern 570 #9,106
2011 modern 553 #9,228
2012 modern 580 #8,813
2013 modern 595 #8,804
2014 modern 618 #8,601
2015 modern 633 #8,366
2016 modern 639 #8,280

Geography

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Where Jallows 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 Birmingham, Hackney and Manchester. 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 Birmingham 035 Birmingham
2 Hackney 025 Hackney
3 Manchester 027 Manchester
4 Birmingham 047 Birmingham
5 Birmingham 049 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jallow

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jallow

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

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Jallow surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Jallow household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Jallow is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Jallow 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

Jallow 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Jallow 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
Black - African

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

Meaning and origin of Jallow

The surname Jallow originated in the West African country of The Gambia. It is believed to have derived from the Mandinka word "jaloh" meaning "griot" or "oral historian/storyteller." The Mandinka people are an ethnic group found primarily in The Gambia, Senegal, and Guinea-Bissau.

The earliest known record of the Jallow surname dates back to the 16th century when it appeared in written accounts of the Mandinka Empire, which ruled over parts of modern-day West Africa from the 13th to the 19th century. During this time, the Jallow family held prominent positions as advisors and storytellers to the royal court.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Jallow surname was Bukan Jallow, a renowned griot who lived in the late 15th century. He was renowned for his ability to recite the genealogies and histories of the Mandinka rulers and noble families.

In the 19th century, Mori Jallow, a Gambian historian and writer, documented the oral histories and traditions of the Mandinka people. His works provide valuable insights into the culture and customs of his time.

Another notable figure was Alieu Jallow, a Gambian politician and diplomat who served as the country's first ambassador to the United Nations in the 1960s after gaining independence from Britain.

During the colonial era, the Jallow surname spread to other parts of West Africa, particularly Sierra Leone and Liberia, where many Gambians sought refuge or employment opportunities.

In more recent times, Fatou Bensouda, a Gambian lawyer and former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) from 2012 to 2021, has brought global recognition to the Jallow surname through her work in international law and human rights.

Another prominent figure is Lamin Jallow, a Gambian entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded the Jallow Cybercafé, one of the first internet cafés in The Gambia, and has been actively involved in promoting education and youth empowerment initiatives in the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jallow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jallow 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. Glamorgan leads with 7 Jallows recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.87x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 7 45.87x
Devon 2 10.96x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Llantrisant in Glamorgan leads with 7 Jallows recorded in 1881 and an index of 1842.11x.

Place Total Index
Llantrisant 7 1842.11x
Bideford 2 1000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 1
Ann 1
Clara 1
Elizabeth 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alfred 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
William 1

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 Jallow households.

FAQ

Jallow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jallow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 9 people were recorded with the Jallow surname. That placed it at #32,416 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jallow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 639 in 2016. That gives Jallow a modern rank of #8,280.

What does the Jallow surname mean?

A Gambian surname believed to be of Mandinka origins.

What does the Jallow map show?

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