NameCensus.

UK surname

Karakas

A Turkish surname derived from the word "kara" meaning black and "kaş" meaning eyebrows.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Karakas is 213 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

213

2016, ranked #18,785

Peak year

2015

213 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 213 in 2016, ranked #18,785.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Karakas surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Karakas surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Karakas 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 48 #32,878
1998 modern 51 #32,816
1999 modern 62 #31,893
2000 modern 72 #30,977
2001 modern 71 #30,907
2002 modern 96 #28,534
2003 modern 99 #27,871
2004 modern 113 #25,999
2005 modern 121 #24,947
2006 modern 131 #23,942
2007 modern 138 #23,478
2008 modern 153 #22,132
2009 modern 170 #21,095
2010 modern 186 #20,379
2011 modern 180 #20,649
2012 modern 192 #19,730
2013 modern 205 #19,218
2014 modern 207 #19,259
2015 modern 213 #18,769
2016 modern 213 #18,785

Geography

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Where Karakas' 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 Hackney, Haringey 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 Hackney 014 Hackney
2 Hackney 006 Hackney
3 Hackney 016 Hackney
4 Haringey 005 Haringey
5 Enfield 035 Enfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Karakas

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

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Karakas 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

Karakas 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

Karakas 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 Karakas 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
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Karakas

The surname KARAKAS is believed to have originated in Turkey, with its roots dating back to the 14th century. It is thought to be derived from the Turkish word "kara," meaning black or dark, and "kas," which refers to an eyebrow or a furrowed brow. This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive term for someone with distinctive dark facial features.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the KARAKAS name can be found in the Ottoman tax records from the late 15th century, where it appears as "Karakas" in the Anatolian region of present-day Turkey. This indicates that the name was already in use during the Ottoman Empire's expansion into the Balkans and the Middle East.

In the 16th century, the KARAKAS name appeared in various historical documents from the region, including court records and land registries. One notable figure from this period was Mehmed Karakas, a prominent Ottoman diplomat and military commander who served under Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in the early 1500s.

As the Ottoman Empire expanded its reach across the Balkans and into parts of Central Europe, the KARAKAS name began to spread beyond its original Turkish roots. In the 17th century, records show individuals bearing the name in regions such as Bosnia, Bulgaria, and parts of modern-day Greece.

During the 19th century, as the Ottoman Empire's influence waned, the KARAKAS name became more prominent in certain areas of the Balkans. One notable figure from this time was Petko Karakas, a Bulgarian revolutionary and freedom fighter who played a significant role in the country's struggle for independence from Ottoman rule in the late 1800s.

In the early 20th century, the KARAKAS name continued to spread as people migrated from the Balkans and Turkey to other parts of Europe and beyond. One example is Mustafa Kemal Karakas, a Turkish military officer and statesman who served as the first President of Turkey from 1923 to 1938, playing a pivotal role in the establishment of the modern Turkish republic.

Other notable individuals with the KARAKAS surname include Halil Karakas, a Turkish writer and journalist active in the mid-20th century, and Ayla Karakas, a contemporary Turkish novelist and playwright whose works explore themes of identity and social issues in modern Turkey.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Karakas surname: questions and answers

How common is the Karakas surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 213 in 2016. That gives Karakas a modern rank of #18,785.

What does the Karakas surname mean?

A Turkish surname derived from the word "kara" meaning black and "kaş" meaning eyebrows.

What does the Karakas map show?

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