NameCensus.

UK surname

Khawaja

A surname of Central Asian origin meaning "master, lord, or teacher."

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Khawaja is 1,104 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

1,086

2016, ranked #5,382

Peak year

2014

1,104 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,086 in 2016, ranked #5,382.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Khawaja surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Khawaja surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Khawaja 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 496 #9,352
1998 modern 537 #9,091
1999 modern 588 #8,561
2000 modern 637 #8,054
2001 modern 644 #7,852
2002 modern 708 #7,444
2003 modern 769 #6,869
2004 modern 820 #6,531
2005 modern 862 #6,243
2006 modern 895 #6,072
2007 modern 927 #5,951
2008 modern 972 #5,773
2009 modern 1,022 #5,667
2010 modern 1,098 #5,444
2011 modern 1,086 #5,436
2012 modern 1,041 #5,545
2013 modern 1,088 #5,424
2014 modern 1,104 #5,382
2015 modern 1,077 #5,443
2016 modern 1,086 #5,382

Geography

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Where Khawajas 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 Woking, Ealing, East Staffordshire, Preston and Redbridge. 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 Woking 004 Woking
2 Ealing 026 Ealing
3 East Staffordshire 009 East Staffordshire
4 Preston 016 Preston
5 Redbridge 030 Redbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Khawaja

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

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

Khawaja 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

Khawaja falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Khawaja 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 Khawaja, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Khawaja

The surname "KHAWAJA" originated in the Persian and Arabic regions, with the earliest records dating back to the 10th century AD. It is derived from the Persian word "Khwaja," which means "master" or "lord." The name was initially used as a title for respected individuals, particularly scholars and religious leaders.

In the early Islamic era, the term "Khwaja" was commonly used to refer to prominent scholars and Sufi mystics. Some notable individuals who bore this title include Khwaja Shams-ud-Din Muhammad Hafiz-e Shirazi, a renowned Persian poet who lived from 1325 to 1389, and Khwaja Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, a Persian polymath and philosopher who lived from 1201 to 1274.

The surname "KHAWAJA" gained further prominence during the Mughal Empire, which ruled over parts of the Indian subcontinent from the 16th to the 19th century. Many influential figures in the Mughal court and bureaucracy held the title of "Khwaja," and it eventually became a hereditary surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "KHAWAJA" can be found in the "Akbar Nama," a 16th-century historical account of the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. The book mentions several individuals with the surname, including Khawaja Shamsuddin Muhammad Ghazi, a prominent military commander who served under Akbar.

Another notable figure with the surname "KHAWAJA" was Khawaja Ghulam Farid, a Sufi saint and poet who lived in present-day Pakistan during the 18th century. His shrine in Mithan Kot, Punjab, remains an important pilgrimage site for his followers.

In the realm of literature, Khawaja Mir Dard, a renowned Urdu poet and scholar, was born in Delhi in 1721. His works, including the collection "Diwaan-e-Mir Dard," have had a lasting impact on Urdu poetry.

During the British Raj in India, the surname "KHAWAJA" was also associated with influential families and landowners. One such example is Khawaja Salimullah, a wealthy zamindar (landowner) from Bengal, who lived from 1872 to 1915 and played a significant role in the Muslim political and educational movements of his time.

Over the centuries, the surname "KHAWAJA" has spread across various regions, including Central Asia, the Middle East, and parts of South Asia, reflecting the diverse cultural influences and migrations that have shaped these areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Khawaja surname: questions and answers

How common is the Khawaja surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,086 in 2016. That gives Khawaja a modern rank of #5,382.

What does the Khawaja surname mean?

A surname of Central Asian origin meaning "master, lord, or teacher."

What does the Khawaja map show?

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