UK surname

Murthy

A surname of Indian origin meaning 'Lord Krishna' or 'divine form'.

In the 1881 census there were 9 people recorded with the Murthy surname, ranking it #32,416 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 149, ranked #23,844, up from #32,416 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Murthy is 153 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1555.6%.

1881 census count

Ranked #32,416

Modern count

149

2016, ranked #23,844

Peak year

2012

153 bearers

Map years

2006 to 2016

Key insights

• Murthy had 9 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,416 surname in that year.
• The latest modern count shown here is 149 in 2016, ranked #23,844.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 67 in 1861.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Map

Murthy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Murthy surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Murthy 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
1851	historical	52	#23,915
1861	historical	67	#25,342
1881	historical	9	#32,416
1891	historical	30	#31,889
1901	historical	12	#32,772
1911	historical	2	#34,020
1997	modern	65	#31,141
1998	modern	77	#30,289
1999	modern	75	#30,661
2000	modern	74	#30,785
2001	modern	73	#30,699
2002	modern	78	#30,601
2003	modern	85	#29,877
2004	modern	92	#29,197
2005	modern	95	#28,817
2006	modern	107	#27,179
2007	modern	110	#27,087
2008	modern	122	#25,638
2009	modern	138	#24,276
2010	modern	144	#24,147
2011	modern	147	#23,627
2012	modern	153	#22,963
2013	modern	146	#24,107
2014	modern	150	#23,864
2015	modern	152	#23,507
2016	modern	149	#23,844

Geography

Where Murthys 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 Milton Keynes, Coventry, Swale, Maxwell Park and Boswall and Pilton. 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	Milton Keynes 019	Milton Keynes
2	Coventry 019	Coventry
3	Swale 004	Swale
4	Maxwell Park	Glasgow City
5	Boswall and Pilton	City of Edinburgh

Forenames

First names often paired with Murthy

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Smitha Elizabeth Anupama Anita Rachna Rema Katarzyna Priya Geetha Aruna

Recent male names

Chetan Krishna Jonathan Ajit Surya Sunil Ashok Rajesh Sandeep Vikram

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Murthy

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Murthy, 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 Murthy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Murthy 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

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Murthy is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

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

Murthy 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

Murthy falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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 Murthy is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 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 Murthy, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Origin

Meaning and origin of Murthy

The surname Murthy is of Indian origin, specifically from the southern state of Karnataka. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "murthi," which means "form" or "embodiment." The name is believed to have originated during the medieval period in India, around the 10th to 12th centuries.

The Murthy surname is associated with the Brahmin community in Karnataka, and it is believed to have been a title or honorific given to individuals who were considered embodiments of certain deities or spiritual principles. The name was likely adopted as a surname during the later centuries, as the practice of using family names became more widespread in India.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Murthy surname can be found in ancient inscriptions and manuscripts from the Hoysala Empire, which ruled over parts of present-day Karnataka from the 10th to the 14th centuries. The name is also mentioned in historical texts from the Vijayanagara Empire, which flourished in South India from the 14th to the 17th centuries.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname Murthy was Tontadarya Murthy, a renowned scholar and poet from the Kannada literary tradition. He was born in the town of Maddur in Karnataka and is considered one of the most influential writers of the Vijayanagara period.

Another prominent individual with the Murthy surname was Raghavendra Swami, a revered Hindu saint and philosopher who lived in the 17th century. He was born in the village of Bhuvanagiri in Karnataka in 1595 and is remembered for his spiritual teachings and writings, which continue to be studied and followed by many Hindus today.

In the 18th century, Narasimha Murthy was a renowned mathematician and astronomer from the Mysore region of Karnataka. He made significant contributions to the field of astrology and authored several treatises on the subject, which are still studied by scholars and practitioners.

During the 19th century, Govinda Murthy was a notable scholar and educator who helped establish several educational institutions in Karnataka. He was born in 1825 and played a pivotal role in promoting education and literacy in the region.

In more recent times, one of the most famous individuals with the Murthy surname is N.R. Narayana Murthy, the co-founder of Infosys, one of India's largest and most successful software companies. Born in 1946 in Karnataka, he is widely regarded as a pioneer in the Indian IT industry and has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to business and philanthropy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Murthy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Murthy surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 3 Murthys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.42x.

County	Total	Frequency	Index
Middlesex	3	0.00%	3.42x
Staffordshire	3	0.00%	10.14x
Lancashire	2	0.00%	1.92x
West Lothian	1	0.00%	75.76x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wednesfield in Staffordshire leads with 3 Murthys recorded in 1881 and an index of 681.82x.

Place	Total	Frequency	Index
Wednesfield	3	0.02%	681.82x
Liverpool	2	0.00%	31.65x
St Marylebone London	2	0.00%	42.74x
Bathgate	1	0.01%	344.83x
Hammersmith London	1	0.00%	46.30x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Murthy surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name	Count
Sarah	2
Ann	1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Murthy surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name	Count
George	1
Henry	1
John	1
Thomas	1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Murthy households.

Occupation	Count
Boot Maker	1
Bricklayers Laboror	1
Dock Labourer	1
General Servant	1
Housekeeper	1
Scholar	1

FAQ

Murthy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Murthy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 9 people were recorded with the Murthy surname. That placed it at #32,416 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Murthy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 149 in 2016. That gives Murthy a modern rank of #23,844.

What does the Murthy surname mean?