NameCensus.

UK surname

Kaba

A Hungarian surname derived from the word for a type of medieval gate or door.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kaba is 208 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

208

2016, ranked #19,062

Peak year

2016

208 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 208 in 2016, ranked #19,062.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Kaba surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kaba surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kaba 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 76 #29,997
1998 modern 84 #29,537
1999 modern 78 #30,327
2000 modern 78 #30,361
2001 modern 79 #30,065
2002 modern 97 #28,383
2003 modern 113 #25,797
2004 modern 122 #24,812
2005 modern 140 #22,774
2006 modern 133 #23,711
2007 modern 134 #23,931
2008 modern 146 #22,822
2009 modern 157 #22,271
2010 modern 172 #21,404
2011 modern 170 #21,407
2012 modern 185 #20,223
2013 modern 183 #20,722
2014 modern 192 #20,230
2015 modern 206 #19,208
2016 modern 208 #19,062

Geography

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Where Kabas 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 Preston, Hackney, North Hertfordshire, Barking and Dagenham and Croydon. 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 Preston 015 Preston
2 Hackney 014 Hackney
3 North Hertfordshire 002 North Hertfordshire
4 Barking and Dagenham 021 Barking and Dagenham
5 Croydon 015 Croydon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kaba

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

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

Kaba 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

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

Meaning and origin of Kaba

The surname KABA is believed to have its origins in West Africa, specifically in the region that is now modern-day Ghana. It is thought to have emerged in the late 15th or early 16th century, during the period when the powerful Akan Empire was at its peak. The name is derived from the Akan word "kaba," which means "wanderer" or "stranger," suggesting that the original bearers of this name may have been travelers or immigrants to the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the KABA surname can be found in a collection of oral histories and genealogies compiled by Akan elders in the 17th century. These records mention a prominent family in the Ashanti Kingdom whose members bore the name KABA. It is believed that this family played a significant role in the region's cultural and political affairs during that time.

As the Akan Empire expanded its influence across West Africa, the KABA name likely spread to other territories and regions. In the 18th century, there are records of individuals with the KABA surname living in the coastal regions of modern-day Ivory Coast and Liberia, which were then under the control of various Akan kingdoms.

One notable figure in the history of the KABA name was Kwame KABA, a respected Akan chief who lived in the late 18th century. He was renowned for his wisdom and leadership skills, and his name is still invoked in traditional Akan proverbs and folklore. Another prominent individual was Akua KABA, a skilled weaver and trader who lived in the 19th century and was known for her entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen.

As European colonization and the transatlantic slave trade reshaped the demographics of West Africa, the KABA surname also found its way to the Americas and the Caribbean. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, there are records of individuals with the KABA surname living in the French Caribbean colonies, as well as in the United States and Brazil.

One notable figure from this period was Kwesi KABA, a former slave who became a successful merchant and landowner in Jamaica in the early 19th century. His life story and achievements were documented in a memoir published in 1832. Another individual of note was Ama KABA, a renowned storyteller and oral historian who lived in the late 19th century and was instrumental in preserving the cultural traditions and histories of the Akan people in the face of colonialism.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Kaba surname: questions and answers

How common is the Kaba surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 208 in 2016. That gives Kaba a modern rank of #19,062.

What does the Kaba surname mean?

A Hungarian surname derived from the word for a type of medieval gate or door.

What does the Kaba map show?

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