NameCensus.

UK surname

Khara

A surname originating from Hindi referring to someone with donkey-like stubbornness or obstinacy.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Khara is 122 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

101

2016, ranked #30,929

Peak year

2011

122 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016, ranked #30,929.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Khara surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Khara surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Khara 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 71 #30,521
1998 modern 78 #30,192
1999 modern 83 #29,823
2000 modern 76 #30,578
2001 modern 79 #30,065
2002 modern 83 #30,070
2003 modern 92 #28,974
2004 modern 92 #29,197
2005 modern 97 #28,485
2006 modern 104 #27,646
2007 modern 115 #26,348
2008 modern 116 #26,510
2009 modern 116 #27,062
2010 modern 118 #27,404
2011 modern 122 #26,647
2012 modern 104 #29,543
2013 modern 102 #30,415
2014 modern 102 #30,714
2015 modern 103 #30,444
2016 modern 101 #30,929

Geography

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Where Kharas 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 Coventry, Ealing and Birmingham. 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 Coventry 027 Coventry
2 Ealing 037 Ealing
3 Birmingham 053 Birmingham
4 Birmingham 133 Birmingham
5 Coventry 031 Coventry

Forenames

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First names often paired with Khara

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

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Khara surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Khara household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Khara 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

Khara 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

Khara falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Khara 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
Asian - Indian

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

Meaning and origin of Khara

The surname KHARA originated in the region of Punjab, in northern India and eastern Pakistan, during the early medieval period around the 11th century. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "khara," meaning "rough" or "harsh," possibly referring to a person's physical appearance or temperament.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KHARA can be found in the Mughal-era historical text "Akbarnama," written in the late 16th century, which mentions a nobleman named Khara Khan. This suggests that the name was already in use among the nobility and elite classes during that time.

In the 17th century, a prominent Sikh warrior named Bhai Khara Singh (1624-1675) was known for his bravery and loyalty to Guru Har Rai, the seventh Sikh Guru. He played a crucial role in defending the Sikh community against the Mughal forces and is celebrated as a martyr in Sikh history.

During the 18th century, a notable figure with the surname KHARA was Rai Khara Singh (1715-1783), a powerful landlord and chieftain in the region of Lahore. He was known for his military prowess and his efforts in consolidating power and territory in the aftermath of the declining Mughal Empire.

In the 19th century, the name KHARA appeared in the British colonial records of Punjab, with mention of a village called Khara Mangat, located in the present-day Ludhiana district of Punjab, India. This village may have been named after a local landowner or prominent figure with the surname KHARA.

Another significant person with the surname KHARA was Khara Singh Duggal (1835-1913), a influential Sikh leader and reformist who advocated for social and educational reforms within the Sikh community. He played a pivotal role in establishing the Singh Sabha movement, which aimed to revive and preserve Sikh traditions and values.

While the surname KHARA has its origins in the Punjab region, it has since spread to other parts of India and the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its historical roots and significance remain deeply rooted in the cultural and linguistic heritage of northern India and eastern Pakistan.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Khara surname: questions and answers

How common is the Khara surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016. That gives Khara a modern rank of #30,929.

What does the Khara surname mean?

A surname originating from Hindi referring to someone with donkey-like stubbornness or obstinacy.

What does the Khara map show?

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