NameCensus.

UK surname

Nizam

A surname derived from the Arabic title for a sovereign ruler or governor.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Westminster, Merton and Barking and Dagenham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nizam is 123 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

121

2016, ranked #27,399

Peak year

2014

123 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 121 in 2016, ranked #27,399.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Nizam surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nizam surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nizam 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
1901 historical 1 #34,548
1997 modern 57 #31,917
1998 modern 54 #32,518
1999 modern 66 #31,509
2000 modern 62 #31,939
2001 modern 72 #30,813
2002 modern 80 #30,387
2003 modern 69 #31,587
2004 modern 74 #31,306
2005 modern 77 #31,156
2006 modern 76 #31,633
2007 modern 85 #30,954
2008 modern 95 #29,822
2009 modern 109 #28,145
2010 modern 122 #26,876
2011 modern 110 #28,478
2012 modern 111 #28,332
2013 modern 116 #27,992
2014 modern 123 #27,206
2015 modern 119 #27,684
2016 modern 121 #27,399

Geography

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Where Nizams 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 Westminster, Merton, Barking and Dagenham and Lambeth. 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 Westminster 011 Westminster
2 Merton 005 Merton
3 Merton 009 Merton
4 Barking and Dagenham 016 Barking and Dagenham
5 Lambeth 029 Lambeth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nizam

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nizam

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

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Nizam surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Nizam 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

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, Nizam 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

Nizam 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

Nizam 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 Nizam 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 Nizam, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Nizam

The surname Nizam originated in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the region of Hyderabad, which was once ruled by the Nizam dynasty. The name is derived from the Arabic word "Nizaam," which means "order" or "system." The Nizams were the rulers of the princely state of Hyderabad from the late 17th century until the mid-20th century.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Nizam dates back to the reign of Mir Qamar-ud-Din Khan, who was granted the title of Nizam-ul-Mulk (Governor of the Realm) by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1724. He became the founder of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, and his descendants ruled Hyderabad until its annexation by India in 1948.

One of the most notable figures bearing the surname Nizam was Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad, who reigned from 1911 to 1948. He was considered one of the wealthiest individuals in the world during his time, with a personal fortune estimated to be worth billions of dollars.

Another prominent individual with the surname Nizam was Sir Nizamat Jung Bahadur, who served as the Prime Minister of Hyderabad from 1805 to 1808. He played a crucial role in the administrative reforms of the Hyderabad state.

In the field of literature, Akbar Nizam was a renowned Urdu poet and playwright from Hyderabad, born in 1924. His works explored themes of social injustice and human suffering, earning him widespread acclaim.

Nizam-ud-Din Auliya, born in 1238, was a revered Sufi saint and philosopher from Delhi. He was the founder of the Nizami order of Sufism and is credited with establishing the Nizamuddin Dargah, a famous Sufi shrine in Delhi.

While the surname Nizam is predominantly associated with the Indian subcontinent, it has also been adopted by individuals in other parts of the world, particularly those with ancestral ties to the region or connections to the Nizam dynasty.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Nizam surname: questions and answers

How common is the Nizam surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 121 in 2016. That gives Nizam a modern rank of #27,399.

What does the Nizam surname mean?

A surname derived from the Arabic title for a sovereign ruler or governor.

What does the Nizam map show?

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