NameCensus.

UK surname

Nijjar

A Punjabi surname suggesting an origin from the village of Nijjar.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nijjar is 900 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

852

2016, ranked #6,566

Peak year

2010

900 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 852 in 2016, ranked #6,566.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Nijjar surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nijjar surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Nijjar 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 584 #8,299
1998 modern 612 #8,275
1999 modern 636 #8,095
2000 modern 675 #7,706
2001 modern 654 #7,763
2002 modern 729 #7,265
2003 modern 723 #7,203
2004 modern 729 #7,166
2005 modern 758 #6,899
2006 modern 787 #6,715
2007 modern 828 #6,505
2008 modern 846 #6,451
2009 modern 863 #6,494
2010 modern 900 #6,382
2011 modern 882 #6,426
2012 modern 852 #6,519
2013 modern 874 #6,493
2014 modern 866 #6,569
2015 modern 860 #6,538
2016 modern 852 #6,566

Geography

Back to top

Where Nijjars 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 Warwick, Redbridge, Wolverhampton, Coventry and North Lincolnshire. 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 Warwick 013 Warwick
2 Redbridge 034 Redbridge
3 Wolverhampton 022 Wolverhampton
4 Coventry 005 Coventry
5 North Lincolnshire 009 North Lincolnshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Nijjar

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Nijjar

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

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Nijjar 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

Nijjar 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

Nijjar 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Nijjar 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
Asian - Indian

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

Meaning and origin of Nijjar

The surname NIJJAR originated from the Punjab region of South Asia, specifically from the areas that are now part of modern-day India and Pakistan. The name can be traced back to the late 15th century, and it is believed to have derived from the old Punjabi word "nij," meaning "own" or "self," and "gar," meaning "house" or "home." Therefore, the name NIJJAR likely referred to someone who lived in their own house or was the head of their household.

One of the earliest known references to the name NIJJAR can be found in the Mughal Empire's revenue records from the late 16th century, where it was recorded as "Nijjar" or "Nijjer." During this period, the Nijjars were primarily involved in agriculture and land ownership in the Punjab region.

In the 18th century, the Nijjars played a significant role in the formation of the Sikh Empire under the leadership of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Several notable figures from this era bore the surname NIJJAR, including Sardar Fateh Singh Nijjar (1760-1835), a prominent military commander and administrator, and Sardar Khem Singh Nijjar (1793-1842), a powerful nobleman and governor of the Multan province.

Another prominent individual with the surname NIJJAR was Sardar Bahadur Sardar Gurnam Singh Nijjar (1873-1953), who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Punjab and played an active role in the Indian independence movement.

In more recent times, the name NIJJAR has been associated with several accomplished individuals, such as Dr. Manjit Singh Nijjar (1942-2022), a renowned mathematician and academic who made significant contributions to the field of differential equations, and Karminder Singh Nijjar (born 1974), a former professional cricketer who represented Canada in international cricket tournaments.

While the surname NIJJAR is primarily found in the Indian subcontinent, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. Notably, there are significant populations of Nijjars in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, among other countries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Nijjar surname: questions and answers

How common is the Nijjar surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 852 in 2016. That gives Nijjar a modern rank of #6,566.

What does the Nijjar surname mean?

A Punjabi surname suggesting an origin from the village of Nijjar.

What does the Nijjar map show?

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