NameCensus.

UK surname

Raheem

An Arabic surname derived from the word "Rahim" meaning merciful or compassionate.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Raheem is 327 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

327

2016, ranked #13,868

Peak year

2016

327 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 327 in 2016, ranked #13,868.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Raheem surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Raheem surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Raheem 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 72 #30,415
1998 modern 74 #30,562
1999 modern 74 #30,759
2000 modern 88 #29,284
2001 modern 95 #28,101
2002 modern 114 #25,886
2003 modern 141 #22,549
2004 modern 159 #21,007
2005 modern 165 #20,468
2006 modern 196 #18,512
2007 modern 219 #17,425
2008 modern 223 #17,395
2009 modern 247 #16,549
2010 modern 258 #16,432
2011 modern 267 #15,892
2012 modern 286 #15,012
2013 modern 304 #14,614
2014 modern 315 #14,334
2015 modern 320 #14,090
2016 modern 327 #13,868

Geography

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Where Raheems 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 Hackney, Greenwich, Southwark, Westminster and Leicester. 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 Hackney 012 Hackney
2 Greenwich 022 Greenwich
3 Southwark 021 Southwark
4 Westminster 009 Westminster
5 Leicester 004 Leicester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Raheem

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

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Raheem is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Raheem 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

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

Meaning and origin of Raheem

The surname RAHEEM has its origins in the Arabic language and is derived from the word "raheem," which means "merciful" or "compassionate." This name is believed to have emerged during the early years of Islam, around the 7th century AD, in the Arabian Peninsula.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname RAHEEM can be traced back to various regions of the Middle East, including present-day Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Egypt. As Islam spread across North Africa and parts of Europe, the name traveled along with the Arab diaspora, eventually finding its way into regions like Spain and parts of Southern Europe.

In the 10th century, a prominent scholar and philosopher named Al-Raheem Ibn Khaldun, born in Tunis in 1332 and died in Cairo in 1406, earned recognition for his groundbreaking work on historiography and social sciences. His seminal work, "The Muqaddimah," is considered a pioneering work in the fields of sociology, economics, and history.

During the 12th century, the name RAHEEM appeared in several historical records and manuscripts from the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled over a vast territory spanning parts of modern-day Iraq, Iran, and the Levant. One notable figure from this era was Raheem Al-Baghdadi, a renowned poet and writer who lived in Baghdad between 1150 and 1222.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named Raheem Al-Andalusi, born in Granada, Spain, in 1350, made significant contributions to the field of mathematics and astronomy. His work on Islamic astronomy and celestial mechanics was highly influential during the Golden Age of Islamic civilization.

During the Ottoman Empire, which ruled over a vast territory from the 14th to the early 20th century, the name RAHEEM was widely used among Muslims living in various regions, including present-day Turkey, the Balkans, and parts of the Middle East. One notable figure from this era was Raheem Pasha, a high-ranking Ottoman military commander and statesman who lived between 1530 and 1597.

As the name RAHEEM spread across different regions and cultures, it was adapted and spelled in various ways, reflecting local linguistic traditions and dialects. For example, in some parts of South Asia, the name was sometimes spelled as "Rahim" or "Raheem," while in parts of North Africa and the Levant, variations like "Rahem" or "Raheim" were also used.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Raheem surname: questions and answers

How common is the Raheem surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 327 in 2016. That gives Raheem a modern rank of #13,868.

What does the Raheem surname mean?

An Arabic surname derived from the word "Rahim" meaning merciful or compassionate.

What does the Raheem map show?

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