NameCensus.

UK surname

Malik

An Arabic surname meaning "king" or "chieftain," denoting a person of authority or noble lineage.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Redbridge, Luton and Slough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Malik is 14,558 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

14,257

2016, ranked #442

Peak year

2010

14,558 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 14,257 in 2016, ranked #442.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Malik surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Malik surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Malik 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
1861 historical 9 #32,724
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1901 historical 6 #33,591
1911 historical 7 #33,083
1997 modern 7,090 #914
1998 modern 7,788 #862
1999 modern 8,271 #812
2000 modern 8,752 #755
2001 modern 8,696 #743
2002 modern 9,827 #664
2003 modern 10,295 #607
2004 modern 10,783 #583
2005 modern 11,387 #540
2006 modern 12,044 #516
2007 modern 12,728 #486
2008 modern 13,163 #473
2009 modern 13,721 #463
2010 modern 14,558 #445
2011 modern 14,393 #442
2012 modern 13,921 #446
2013 modern 14,333 #445
2014 modern 14,390 #445
2015 modern 14,241 #443
2016 modern 14,257 #442

Geography

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Where Maliks 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 Redbridge, Luton and Slough. 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 Redbridge 030 Redbridge
2 Luton 010 Luton
3 Slough 004 Slough
4 Slough 009 Slough
5 Redbridge 032 Redbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Malik

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

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

Malik 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

Malik falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Malik

The surname Malik originated in the Arabic language and is derived from the word 'malik', which means 'king' or 'sovereign'. It has its roots in the Middle East, particularly in the Arab world and regions influenced by Islamic culture and civilization.

The name can be traced back to the early days of Islam, and it was often used as a title or honorific for rulers, leaders, and nobility. In the medieval period, the name Malik was associated with various dynasties and kingdoms across the Middle East and North Africa.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Malik can be found in the works of renowned Arab historians and scholars from the 8th and 9th centuries, such as Al-Tabari and Al-Masudi. These authors often mentioned individuals with the surname Malik who held positions of power or influence.

In the 12th century, the Malik dynasty ruled over parts of what is now modern-day Iran and Afghanistan. The most prominent figure from this dynasty was Malik Shah I, who reigned from 1072 to 1092 and expanded the Seljuk Empire to its greatest extent.

Another notable individual with the surname Malik was Ibn Malik, a renowned Arab grammarian and scholar from the 13th century. His work, "Al-Alfiyyah," became a seminal text in the study of Arabic grammar and linguistics.

In the Indian subcontinent, the surname Malik has a long history and is associated with various ruling dynasties and noble families. One of the most famous individuals with this surname was Malik Ambar, a military leader and Prime Minister of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate in the 17th century.

During the Mughal Empire in India, the surname Malik was often used by individuals of high social status or nobility. For example, Malik Ayaz, a prominent courtier and general under the Mughal emperor Akbar, lived in the 16th century.

In more recent times, the surname Malik has been borne by several influential figures, such as Malik Ghulam Muhammad, a poet and philosopher from British India in the 19th century, and Malik Meraj Khalid, a Pakistani lawyer and politician who served as Prime Minister in the 1950s.

The surname Malik has also been associated with various place names and locations, particularly in the Middle East and South Asia. For instance, Malik Sar, a village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, and Malik Pura, a town in the Indian state of Punjab, derive their names from individuals or families with the Malik surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Malik surname: questions and answers

How common is the Malik surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 14,257 in 2016. That gives Malik a modern rank of #442.

What does the Malik surname mean?

An Arabic surname meaning "king" or "chieftain," denoting a person of authority or noble lineage.

What does the Malik map show?

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