NameCensus.

UK surname

Panchal

A regional surname indicating origins from the Panchal region of Gujarat, India.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brent, Preston and Wellingborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Panchal is 1,455 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

1,413

2016, ranked #4,322

Peak year

2010

1,455 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,413 in 2016, ranked #4,322.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Panchal surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Panchal surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Panchal 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 3 #33,861
1997 modern 849 #6,247
1998 modern 914 #6,080
1999 modern 954 #5,928
2000 modern 949 #5,930
2001 modern 935 #5,890
2002 modern 993 #5,725
2003 modern 1,031 #5,460
2004 modern 1,084 #5,258
2005 modern 1,127 #5,029
2006 modern 1,207 #4,746
2007 modern 1,245 #4,671
2008 modern 1,289 #4,547
2009 modern 1,350 #4,455
2010 modern 1,455 #4,286
2011 modern 1,435 #4,287
2012 modern 1,362 #4,399
2013 modern 1,434 #4,296
2014 modern 1,424 #4,337
2015 modern 1,414 #4,329
2016 modern 1,413 #4,322

Geography

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Where Panchals 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 Brent, Preston and Wellingborough. 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 Brent 029 Brent
2 Brent 019 Brent
3 Preston 016 Preston
4 Brent 013 Brent
5 Wellingborough 004 Wellingborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Panchal

These lists show first names that appear often with the Panchal 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 Panchal

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

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

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

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Panchal is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

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

Panchal 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

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

Meaning and origin of Panchal

The surname Panchal is of Indian origin, deriving from the Sanskrit word "Pancha" meaning five, and "Ala" meaning province or territory. This suggests that the name originates from the region known as the Panchalas, which comprised five territories in ancient India. The Panchalas were an influential confederation of tribes mentioned in several ancient Indian texts, including the epic Mahabharata, where they played a pivotal role.

The Panchal region is believed to have encompassed parts of modern-day Uttar Pradesh and Haryana states in North India. The name is thought to have originated around the 6th century BCE, during the later Vedic period in Indian history. Early references to the name can be found in the Vedas, the oldest Hindu scriptures, and the Puranas, ancient Indian literature detailing the histories of dynasties and kingdoms.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Panchal was Draupadi, the wife of the five Pandava princes in the Mahabharata epic, which is dated to around the 8th or 9th century BCE. Another notable figure was King Drupada, the ruler of the Panchalas, who was Draupadi's father and a key character in the epic.

In the 16th century, the Panchal Rajputs were a prominent ruling clan in the region of present-day Uttar Pradesh. They claimed descent from the ancient Panchalas and ruled over several princely states, such as Bhadawar and Dataganj. One renowned member of this clan was Raja Bir Bhadra Panchal, who lived in the late 16th century and was a valiant warrior and ruler.

During the Mughal era in India, from the 16th to the 19th century, several individuals with the surname Panchal held influential positions in the imperial court and administration. One notable example is Panchal Beg, a high-ranking official under the Mughal Emperor Akbar in the late 16th century.

In more recent times, Ramesh Chandra Panchal (1925-2003) was a renowned Indian physician and medical educator who served as the director of the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi. He was instrumental in shaping medical education and healthcare policies in India.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Panchal surname: questions and answers

How common is the Panchal surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,413 in 2016. That gives Panchal a modern rank of #4,322.

What does the Panchal surname mean?

A regional surname indicating origins from the Panchal region of Gujarat, India.

What does the Panchal map show?

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