NameCensus.

UK surname

Ooi

A Japanese surname derived from a placename meaning "large well" or "large source."

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include City Centre East, Liverpool and Harrow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ooi is 268 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

236

2016, ranked #17,470

Peak year

2010

268 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 236 in 2016, ranked #17,470.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Student Living and Professional Footholds.

Ooi surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ooi surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ooi 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 137 #22,301
1998 modern 148 #21,841
1999 modern 149 #21,924
2000 modern 150 #21,781
2001 modern 154 #21,122
2002 modern 169 #20,307
2003 modern 152 #21,486
2004 modern 161 #20,840
2005 modern 176 #19,667
2006 modern 200 #18,294
2007 modern 208 #18,013
2008 modern 223 #17,395
2009 modern 242 #16,789
2010 modern 268 #15,978
2011 modern 250 #16,637
2012 modern 243 #16,839
2013 modern 252 #16,689
2014 modern 243 #17,232
2015 modern 242 #17,191
2016 modern 236 #17,470

Geography

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Where Oois 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 City Centre East, Liverpool, Harrow, Westminster and Poole. 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 City Centre East Glasgow City
2 Liverpool 037 Liverpool
3 Harrow 025 Harrow
4 Westminster 016 Westminster
5 Poole 009 Poole

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ooi

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ooi

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

Student Living and Professional Footholds

Nationally, the Ooi surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Student Living and Professional Footholds, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Ooi household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

The Group includes many students, some of whom reside in communal residences. Single-person households are the most prevalent and the modal age band is 25 to 44. There are few families with dependent children. A significant number of White residents were born in EU countries (although UK-born residents are more common than in the rest of the Group), and households reflect a diversity of ethnic groups. Residential turnover is exceptionally high and, communal properties aside, flats are the norm. Some properties, including those in the private rental sector, are over-crowded. Many residents are professionals and technicians educated to degree level, and the Group is particularly common near the campuses of established university towns and cities.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Ooi is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ooi 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

Ooi 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 Ooi 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.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Ooi

The surname Ooi is of Chinese origin, derived from the Hokkien dialect spoken in the Fujian province of southeastern China. It is believed to have emerged around the 15th century during the Ming Dynasty.

The name Ooi is thought to be a romanization of the Hokkien word 'Oei', which means 'black' or 'dark'. It is believed that the name may have been given to families or individuals who had a darker complexion or perhaps lived in an area known for its dark soil or dense foliage.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Ooi surname can be found in the Qing Dynasty genealogical records, which date back to the 17th century. These records document the Ooi family's origins and lineage in the Fujian province.

In the 19th century, the Ooi surname began to appear more frequently in historical records as many Chinese immigrants from Fujian settled in various parts of Southeast Asia, particularly in Malaysia and Singapore. One notable individual was Ooi Tiang Tan (1833-1900), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist who played a significant role in the development of Penang, Malaysia.

Another prominent figure with the Ooi surname was Ooi Chee Kee (1889-1963), a Malaysian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Straits Settlements Legislative Council in the early 20th century.

In more recent times, Ooi Kee Beng (born 1955) is a renowned Malaysian academic and author who has written extensively on Southeast Asian history and culture.

The Ooi surname has also been associated with various place names in Malaysia and Singapore, such as Ooi Lye Terrace in Penang and Ooi Chee Kee Road in Johor Bahru.

Other notable individuals with the Ooi surname include Ooi Chuan Hian (1860-1925), a prominent Singaporean businessman and community leader, and Ooi Keat Gin (1850-1919), a wealthy Chinese merchant and landowner in Penang.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Ooi surname: questions and answers

How common is the Ooi surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 236 in 2016. That gives Ooi a modern rank of #17,470.

What does the Ooi surname mean?

A Japanese surname derived from a placename meaning "large well" or "large source."

What does the Ooi map show?

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