NameCensus.

UK surname

Jamal

A surname of Arabic origin meaning "beauty," "grace," or "elegance."

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Jamal surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,239, ranked #4,817, 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 and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jamal is 1,239 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 123800.0%.

1881 census count

1

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

1,239

2016, ranked #4,817

Peak year

2016

1,239 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jamal had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,239 in 2016, ranked #4,817.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Jamal surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jamal surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jamal 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 2 #34,135
1881 historical 1 #34,027
1901 historical 1 #34,548
1997 modern 451 #10,049
1998 modern 485 #9,825
1999 modern 522 #9,348
2000 modern 562 #8,795
2001 modern 547 #8,833
2002 modern 628 #8,180
2003 modern 677 #7,596
2004 modern 744 #7,071
2005 modern 799 #6,620
2006 modern 882 #6,127
2007 modern 917 #6,008
2008 modern 969 #5,786
2009 modern 1,054 #5,530
2010 modern 1,132 #5,303
2011 modern 1,138 #5,227
2012 modern 1,119 #5,215
2013 modern 1,193 #5,012
2014 modern 1,203 #5,007
2015 modern 1,220 #4,897
2016 modern 1,239 #4,817

Geography

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Where Jamals 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 and Bradford. 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 010 Leicester
4 Bradford 039 Bradford
5 Bradford 033 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jamal

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

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

Jamal 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

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

Meaning and origin of Jamal

The surname Jamal originated in the Arab world, with its roots dating back to the 7th century AD. It is derived from the Arabic word "jamal," which means "beauty" or "camel." The name is believed to have first emerged in the Arabian Peninsula, particularly in areas like Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Jamal can be found in the 9th century work "Kitab al-Aghani" (The Book of Songs), a renowned anthology of Arabic poetry and literature. This text mentions several individuals with the name Jamal, suggesting its widespread use during that era.

In the medieval period, the surname Jamal appeared in various historical records and manuscripts across the Middle East and North Africa. For instance, the 12th century Moroccan scholar Abu Bakr ibn al-Jamal is mentioned in several Islamic texts for his contributions to the fields of literature and jurisprudence.

During the Ottoman Empire, the surname Jamal gained prominence, with notable figures like Mustafa Reşid Pasha (1800-1858), an influential Ottoman statesman and reformer who played a pivotal role in the Tanzimat reforms of the 19th century.

Another prominent individual with the surname Jamal was Jamal al-Din al-Afghani (1838-1897), an influential Islamic thinker, philosopher, and political activist who advocated for pan-Islamic unity and modernization within the Muslim world.

In more recent history, the surname Jamal has been associated with several influential personalities, including the Egyptian Nobel laureate and diplomat Naguib Mahfouz Jamal (1911-2006), who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1988 for his contributions to Arabic literature.

Additionally, the Palestinian-American literary theorist and cultural critic Edward W. Said (1935-2003), best known for his seminal work "Orientalism," was born with the surname Jamal, which he later changed to Said.

One cannot overlook the legacy of Jamal al-Din al-Afghani (1838-1897), an influential Islamic thinker, philosopher, and political activist who advocated for pan-Islamic unity and modernization within the Muslim world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jamal families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jamal 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. Essex leads with 1 Jamals recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.25x.

County Total Index
Essex 1 26.25x
Royal Navy 1 434.78x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. East Ham in Essex leads with 1 Jamals recorded in 1881 and an index of 1428.57x.

Place Total Index
East Ham 1 1428.57x

Top male names

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

Name Count
Noora 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 Jamal households.

Occupation Count
Lascar 1

FAQ

Jamal surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jamal surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Jamal surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,239 in 2016. That gives Jamal a modern rank of #4,817.

What does the Jamal surname mean?

A surname of Arabic origin meaning "beauty," "grace," or "elegance."

What does the Jamal map show?

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