NameCensus.

UK surname

Padda

A surname of Indian origin referring to someone who grew paddy or rice crops.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hounslow, Ealing and Lenzie North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Padda is 488 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

459

2016, ranked #10,668

Peak year

2014

488 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 459 in 2016, ranked #10,668.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 14 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Padda surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Padda surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Padda 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
1861 historical 14 #32,072
1997 modern 300 #13,530
1998 modern 304 #13,773
1999 modern 315 #13,524
2000 modern 326 #13,188
2001 modern 318 #13,205
2002 modern 337 #12,965
2003 modern 347 #12,479
2004 modern 372 #11,886
2005 modern 395 #11,292
2006 modern 424 #10,748
2007 modern 448 #10,365
2008 modern 439 #10,640
2009 modern 449 #10,690
2010 modern 479 #10,370
2011 modern 461 #10,582
2012 modern 450 #10,654
2013 modern 481 #10,315
2014 modern 488 #10,271
2015 modern 469 #10,500
2016 modern 459 #10,668

Geography

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Where Paddas 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 Hounslow, Ealing, Lenzie North and Slough. 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 Hounslow 012 Hounslow
2 Ealing 037 Ealing
3 Lenzie North East Dunbartonshire
4 Slough 007 Slough
5 Hounslow 013 Hounslow

Forenames

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First names often paired with Padda

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Padda

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

Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students

Nationally, the Padda surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Padda household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples with dependent children are common in this Group, with many parents born in Africa or the EU. The representation of residents amongst different ethnic minority groups is high, particularly for individuals of Pakistani ethnic group. For many residents, English is not their main language, and affiliation to Christian religions is less common. Privately rented terrace properties predominate and levels of overcrowding are high. Part time work is common, with many employed in elementary occupations and sales and customer services. There are also many students living within these areas, and overall unemployment levels are high.

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, Padda 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

Padda 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

Padda falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Padda 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 Padda, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Padda

The surname PADDA is of Indian origin, specifically from the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. It is believed to have originated during the medieval period, around the 10th to 12th centuries CE.

The name PADDA is derived from the Sanskrit word "pada," which means "foot" or "footstep." It is thought to have been initially used as a nickname or a descriptive name for someone who had a distinctive way of walking or a physical characteristic related to their feet.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name PADDA can be found in the Panjabi Khushwant Singh's novel "Train to Pakistan," published in 1956, where a character named Lala Padda is mentioned. The novel is set during the time of the Partition of India in 1947.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named Bhai Padda is mentioned in Sikh historical records as a devoted follower of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of the Sikh faith. Bhai Padda is said to have played a significant role in the early Sikh community.

During the Mughal Empire period in the 16th and 17th centuries, the name PADDA appears in several administrative records and land ownership documents from the Punjab region, indicating that families with this surname held influential positions and owned property.

Another notable individual with the surname PADDA was Jaswant Singh Padda (1923-2014), an Indian politician and freedom fighter who participated in the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule. He served as a member of the Indian Parliament and held various ministerial positions.

In the literary world, Sukhpal Singh Padda (1941-2017) was a renowned Punjabi poet and writer who received the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in 1995 for his contribution to Punjabi literature.

The name PADDA has also been associated with several Sikh military leaders and warriors from the 18th and 19th centuries, such as Sardar Budh Singh Padda and Sardar Ranjit Singh Padda, who played important roles in the Sikh Empire and the battles against the Afghan and Mughal rulers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Padda surname: questions and answers

How common is the Padda surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 459 in 2016. That gives Padda a modern rank of #10,668.

What does the Padda surname mean?

A surname of Indian origin referring to someone who grew paddy or rice crops.

What does the Padda map show?

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