UK surname

Najjar

An occupational surname traditionally referring to a carpenter or woodworker.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Najjar is 131 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

Modern count

131

2016, ranked #26,004

Peak year

2016

131 bearers

Map years

2016 to 2016

Key insights

• The latest modern count shown here is 131 in 2016, ranked #26,004.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Map

Najjar surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Najjar surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Najjar 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	41	#33,552
1998	modern	54	#32,518
1999	modern	56	#32,461
2000	modern	54	#32,710
2001	modern	56	#32,379
2002	modern	63	#32,113
2003	modern	66	#31,879
2004	modern	70	#31,681
2005	modern	77	#31,156
2006	modern	78	#31,385
2007	modern	83	#31,183
2008	modern	89	#30,713
2009	modern	103	#29,127
2010	modern	114	#28,017
2011	modern	105	#29,287
2012	modern	117	#27,394
2013	modern	121	#27,255
2014	modern	128	#26,490
2015	modern	128	#26,356
2016	modern	131	#26,004

Geography

Where Najjars 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 Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Hounslow, The Vale of Glamorgan and Westminster. 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	Hammersmith and Fulham 002	Hammersmith and Fulham
2	Haringey 034	Haringey
3	Hounslow 018	Hounslow
4	The Vale of Glamorgan 003	Vale of Glamorgan
5	Westminster 003	Westminster

Forenames

First names often paired with Najjar

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Lydie Filiz Nermin Hala Yvonne Hannah Yusra Tamara Sabrina Naima

Recent male names

Mahmoud Ahmed Mohamed Nabil Victor Ali Neil Yousif Kamil Anwar

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Najjar

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Najjar surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Najjar 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 includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Najjar is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Najjar 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

Najjar 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.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Najjar 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: Other Ethnic Group

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

Origin

Meaning and origin of Najjar

The surname "NAJJAR" is of Arabic origin, derived from the word "najjar" which means "carpenter" or "woodworker" in Arabic. This occupational surname originated in the Middle East and North Africa during the medieval period, particularly in areas with significant Arab influence and settlement.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname "NAJJAR" can be traced back to the 8th century AD, when Arabic became the dominant language in the region. Historical records from this time period, such as legal documents, court records, and manuscripts, often mention individuals bearing this surname, indicating their occupation as carpenters or woodworkers.

One notable historical reference is the 10th-century manuscript "Kitab al-Aghani" (The Book of Songs), which mentions a famous musician and poet named Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani al-Najjar (897-967 AD). This suggests that the surname "NAJJAR" was well-established among Arab communities by this time.

During the medieval period, the surname "NAJJAR" was particularly prevalent in regions like Egypt, Syria, Iraq, and the Levant, where Arab culture and Islamic civilization flourished. As trade and migration patterns evolved, the surname spread to other parts of the Middle East, North Africa, and eventually to other parts of the world.

One notable figure from history with the surname "NAJJAR" is Ibn al-Najjar (1210-1285 AD), an Arab mathematician and astronomer from Baghdad, who made significant contributions to the field of optics and wrote several treatises on the subject.

Another prominent individual was Abul Hasan Ali ibn Abi al-Rijal al-Najjar (1259-1330 AD), a Syrian historian and writer who documented the history of Damascus and its surrounding regions during the Mamluk period.

In the 15th century, Nur al-Din al-Najjar (1435-1508 AD), a Syrian scholar and theologian, gained recognition for his works on Islamic jurisprudence and philosophy, contributing to the intellectual discourse of his time.

During the Ottoman era, the surname "NAJJAR" continued to be associated with skilled craftsmen and woodworkers. One notable figure was Ahmed al-Najjar (1570-1635 AD), a renowned Ottoman architect who designed and constructed several mosques and public buildings in Istanbul and other parts of the Ottoman Empire.

Throughout history, the surname "NAJJAR" has been found in various place names and older spellings, such as "Najjarah" or "Najari," reflecting regional variations and linguistic influences. These place names often referred to areas where carpenters or woodworkers were concentrated, further solidifying the occupational connection of the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Najjar surname: questions and answers

How common is the Najjar surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 131 in 2016. That gives Najjar a modern rank of #26,004.

What does the Najjar surname mean?