NameCensus.

UK surname

Obasi

A surname of Nigerian origin meaning "from the town of Obasi".

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Obasi is 108 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

108

2016, ranked #29,578

Peak year

2010

108 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 108 in 2016, ranked #29,578.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Obasi surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Obasi surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Obasi 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 16 #36,292
1998 modern 17 #36,240
1999 modern 28 #35,127
2000 modern 32 #34,705
2001 modern 33 #34,436
2002 modern 47 #33,548
2003 modern 54 #32,990
2004 modern 76 #31,125
2005 modern 80 #30,842
2006 modern 80 #31,149
2007 modern 85 #30,954
2008 modern 91 #30,431
2009 modern 102 #29,286
2010 modern 108 #28,996
2011 modern 96 #30,721
2012 modern 101 #30,078
2013 modern 95 #31,523
2014 modern 101 #30,855
2015 modern 100 #31,005
2016 modern 108 #29,578

Geography

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Where Obasis 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 Greenwich, Southwark, Haringey, Newham and Ealing. 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 Greenwich 002 Greenwich
2 Southwark 015 Southwark
3 Haringey 013 Haringey
4 Newham 021 Newham
5 Ealing 040 Ealing

Forenames

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First names often paired with Obasi

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Obasi

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Obasi is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Obasi 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

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

Meaning and origin of Obasi

The surname OBASI has its origins in the Igbo ethnic group of southeastern Nigeria. It is believed to have emerged sometime in the 16th or 17th century when the use of hereditary surnames became more widespread in the region. The name is thought to be derived from the Igbo word "obasi," which means "the one from the sky" or "the one from the heavens."

In pre-colonial times, Igbo names often reflected various aspects of an individual's birth circumstances, personality traits, or cultural values. The name OBASI may have been given to a child whose birth was seen as a divine blessing or who was born under auspicious celestial conditions.

The earliest known records of the name OBASI can be found in historical accounts and oral traditions passed down through generations of Igbo communities. Some of the earliest documented instances of the name appear in colonial-era records and documents from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Notable individuals with the surname OBASI include Ndubuisi Obasi, a Nigerian artist and sculptor known for his intricate woodcarvings and bronze sculptures, who lived from 1935 to 2018. Another prominent figure is Chukwuemeka Obasi, a Nigerian academic and author who served as a professor of African literature at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (born in 1942).

In the realm of sports, Olisadebe Obasi was a Nigerian footballer who played as a striker for various clubs in Nigeria and Europe, including Enyimba International and AEK Athens, during the late 20th and early 21st centuries (born in 1978).

Historically, the name OBASI has also been associated with notable figures in the Igbo cultural and spiritual traditions. One such individual was Obasi Nwankwo, a renowned traditional healer and spiritual leader from the 19th century who was highly respected for his knowledge of traditional Igbo practices and healing methods.

Another noteworthy figure was Ifeoma Obasi, a celebrated Igbo storyteller and oral historian who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was known for her captivating tales and her ability to preserve and pass down the rich cultural heritage of the Igbo people through oral storytelling traditions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Obasi surname: questions and answers

How common is the Obasi surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 108 in 2016. That gives Obasi a modern rank of #29,578.

What does the Obasi surname mean?

A surname of Nigerian origin meaning "from the town of Obasi".

What does the Obasi map show?

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