UK surname

Matharu

A surname of Punjabi origin suggesting the bearer was a temple priest or village head.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Matharu is 2,529 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

Modern count

2,391

2016, ranked #2,746

Peak year

2011

2,529 bearers

Map years

1998 to 2016

Key insights

• The latest modern count shown here is 2,391 in 2016, ranked #2,746.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Map

Matharu surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Matharu surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Matharu 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	1,672	#3,560
1998	modern	1,766	#3,510
1999	modern	1,834	#3,419
2000	modern	1,913	#3,284
2001	modern	1,931	#3,196
2002	modern	2,038	#3,128
2003	modern	2,072	#3,026
2004	modern	2,115	#2,963
2005	modern	2,187	#2,853
2006	modern	2,255	#2,766
2007	modern	2,321	#2,734
2008	modern	2,361	#2,711
2009	modern	2,378	#2,754
2010	modern	2,495	#2,702
2011	modern	2,529	#2,647
2012	modern	2,392	#2,722
2013	modern	2,443	#2,719
2014	modern	2,421	#2,749
2015	modern	2,408	#2,742
2016	modern	2,391	#2,746

Geography

Where Matharus 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 Ealing, Birmingham 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	Ealing 026	Ealing
2	Birmingham 133	Birmingham
3	Ealing 037	Ealing
4	Ealing 017	Ealing
5	Redbridge 036	Redbridge

Forenames

First names often paired with Matharu

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Manjit Harpreet Surinder Jaswinder Narinder Daljit Gurpreet Kamaljit Mandeep Kiran

Recent male names

Ravinder Rajinder Ranjit Mohinder Kuldip Sandeep Parminder Davinder Harminder Hardeep

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Matharu

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

Matharu 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.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Matharu 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.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Matharu 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.

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: Asian - Indian

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

Origin

Meaning and origin of Matharu

The surname Matharu has its origins in the Punjab region of India. It is believed to have emerged during the 16th century and is associated with the Jatt community, a predominant agricultural and landowning community in the northern Indian states of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.

The name Matharu is derived from the Sanskrit word "mathar," which means "curd" or "yogurt." It is thought to have been given to families involved in the production or trade of dairy products. Some historians also suggest that the name could be related to the Sanskrit word "mathan," meaning "churning" or "stirring," possibly indicating an association with the preparation of butter or other dairy items.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Matharu can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This document mentions a village called "Matharu" in the district of Sirhind, which is now part of the modern-day Indian state of Punjab.

In the 18th century, the Matharu surname gained prominence during the reign of the Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Several members of the Matharu clan served as high-ranking military officers and administrators in his court. One notable figure was Sardar Hari Singh Matharu, who was appointed as the governor of Multan (now in Pakistan) in the early 19th century.

Another prominent individual bearing the Matharu surname was Sardar Bahadur Sir Ganda Singh Matharu (1861-1938), a distinguished politician and educationist from Punjab. He played a crucial role in the establishment of the Khalsa College in Amritsar and served as a member of the Punjab Legislative Council.

In the 20th century, Sardar Swaran Singh Matharu (1907-1979) was a prominent freedom fighter and an important figure in the Indian independence movement. He was elected to the Constituent Assembly of India and later served as a member of parliament.

Harnek Singh Matharu (1923-2005) was a renowned Punjabi writer and poet. He authored several books and poetry collections that explored themes of social justice, human rights, and the struggles of the Punjabi diaspora.

Matharu families can also be found in various parts of the world, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, due to migration patterns during the British colonial era and in more recent times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Matharu surname: questions and answers

How common is the Matharu surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,391 in 2016. That gives Matharu a modern rank of #2,746.

What does the Matharu surname mean?