NameCensus.

UK surname

Kofi

A surname of Akan origin meaning "born on Friday".

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kofi is 100 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

100

2016, ranked #31,123

Peak year

2016

100 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016, ranked #31,123.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Kofi surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kofi surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kofi 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 50 #32,658
1998 modern 61 #31,841
1999 modern 61 #31,971
2000 modern 51 #32,999
2001 modern 49 #33,048
2002 modern 56 #32,753
2003 modern 54 #32,990
2004 modern 69 #31,784
2005 modern 90 #29,527
2006 modern 94 #29,264
2007 modern 98 #29,019
2008 modern 98 #29,355
2009 modern 98 #29,906
2010 modern 98 #30,540
2011 modern 96 #30,721
2012 modern 94 #31,258
2013 modern 95 #31,523
2014 modern 99 #31,186
2015 modern 99 #31,168
2016 modern 100 #31,123

Geography

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Where Kofis 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 Haringey and Hackney. 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 Haringey 002 Haringey
2 Hackney 022 Hackney
3 Hackney 027 Hackney
4 Haringey 005 Haringey
5 Haringey 037 Haringey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kofi

These lists show first names that appear often with the Kofi surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kofi

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

Kofi 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

Kofi 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 Kofi 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
Black - African

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

Meaning and origin of Kofi

The surname Kofi is of Ghanaian origin, specifically from the Akan people of Ghana. The name is believed to have originated in the late 15th century or early 16th century, during the time of the Ashanti Empire in modern-day Ghana.

Kofi is derived from the Akan word "kƆfrƱ," which means "born on Friday." In Akan culture, it was common practice to give a child a name based on the day of the week they were born, with Kofi being the name for boys born on Friday.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Kofi can be found in historical records and documents from the Ashanti Empire and surrounding regions. However, due to the oral tradition prevalent in West African cultures at the time, written records of the name's usage may be limited.

One of the earliest known historical figures to bear the name Kofi was Kofi Kakari, a famous Ashanti warrior and military leader who lived in the late 17th century. He is renowned for his bravery and leadership during conflicts with neighboring kingdoms.

Another notable figure was Kofi Amoah, a prominent Ghanaian merchant and trader who lived in the 18th century. He played a crucial role in the trade between the Ashanti Empire and European traders along the coast of Ghana.

In the 19th century, Kofi Badu was a respected chief and diplomat from the Ashanti region. He was instrumental in negotiating treaties and maintaining peaceful relations between the Ashanti Empire and the British colonial authorities.

During the 20th century, Kofi Annan, a Ghanaian diplomat and the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations (1997-2006), brought international recognition to the name. He was born in 1938 and passed away in 2018.

Another notable figure was Kofi Abrefa Busia, a Ghanaian scholar, philosopher, and prime minister of Ghana from 1969 to 1972. He was born in 1913 and died in 1978.

While the surname Kofi has its roots in Ghana and the Akan people, it has since spread to other parts of West Africa and beyond, carried by individuals of Ghanaian descent or those with connections to the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Kofi surname: questions and answers

How common is the Kofi surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016. That gives Kofi a modern rank of #31,123.

What does the Kofi surname mean?

A surname of Akan origin meaning "born on Friday".

What does the Kofi map show?

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