NameCensus.

UK surname

Purewal

An Indian surname meaning someone from the village of Purah.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Warwick, Wolverhampton and Sandwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Purewal is 1,399 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

1,350

2016, ranked #4,467

Peak year

2011

1,399 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,350 in 2016, ranked #4,467.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 25 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Purewal surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Purewal surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Purewal 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 25 #30,804
1891 historical 23 #32,389
1997 modern 866 #6,148
1998 modern 943 #5,942
1999 modern 974 #5,822
2000 modern 1,016 #5,609
2001 modern 1,020 #5,497
2002 modern 1,113 #5,227
2003 modern 1,112 #5,127
2004 modern 1,157 #4,971
2005 modern 1,178 #4,836
2006 modern 1,207 #4,746
2007 modern 1,265 #4,591
2008 modern 1,294 #4,530
2009 modern 1,324 #4,533
2010 modern 1,392 #4,421
2011 modern 1,399 #4,362
2012 modern 1,343 #4,445
2013 modern 1,379 #4,429
2014 modern 1,375 #4,455
2015 modern 1,367 #4,434
2016 modern 1,350 #4,467

Geography

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Where Purewals 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 Warwick, Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Slough and Hounslow. 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 Warwick 010 Warwick
2 Wolverhampton 012 Wolverhampton
3 Sandwell 020 Sandwell
4 Slough 002 Slough
5 Hounslow 010 Hounslow

Forenames

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First names often paired with Purewal

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

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Purewal surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Purewal household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Purewal 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

Purewal 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

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

Meaning and origin of Purewal

The surname Purewal is of Punjabi origin, hailing from the Indian subcontinent. It is believed to have originated in the region of Punjab, which is now divided between India and Pakistan. The name can be traced back to the 16th or 17th century.

The name Purewal is derived from the Sanskrit word 'pur,' meaning town or city, and the Punjabi word 'val,' which refers to a resident or inhabitant. Thus, Purewal literally translates to "one who lives in a town or city." This suggests that the name was likely given to people who resided in urban areas or settlements during that time period.

In the early days, surnames were often based on one's occupation, location, or physical traits. The name Purewal may have been initially adopted by individuals who lived in towns or cities, distinguishing them from those who lived in rural areas or villages.

While there are no definitive records of the name appearing in ancient manuscripts or chronicles, some of the earliest recorded instances of the name Purewal can be found in historical documents from the 18th and 19th centuries in the Punjab region.

Notable individuals with the surname Purewal include Bishan Singh Purewal, a renowned Punjabi poet and writer who lived in the early 20th century (1898-1976). Another prominent figure was Gurbaksh Singh Purewal, a Sikh scholar and historian who made significant contributions to the study of Sikhism (1912-1999).

Jagjit Singh Purewal (1931-2021) was a prominent Indian politician and member of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's Parliament. Hardev Singh Purewal (1920-2000) was a distinguished Punjabi writer and playwright, known for his contributions to Punjabi literature.

Jagir Singh Purewal (1903-1982) was a notable Indian freedom fighter and political activist who participated in the struggle for India's independence from British rule.

The Purewal name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including writers, scholars, politicians, and freedom fighters, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bear this surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Purewal surname: questions and answers

How common is the Purewal surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,350 in 2016. That gives Purewal a modern rank of #4,467.

What does the Purewal surname mean?

An Indian surname meaning someone from the village of Purah.

What does the Purewal map show?

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