NameCensus.

UK surname

Rahman

A surname of Islamic origin meaning "merciful," an attribute of Allah.

In the 1881 census there were 4 people recorded with the Rahman surname, ranking it #33,288 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 20,572, ranked #291, up from #33,288 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Oldham and Tower Hamlets.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rahman is 20,572 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 514200.0%.

1881 census count

4

Ranked #33,288

Modern count

20,572

2016, ranked #291

Peak year

2016

20,572 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rahman had 4 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,288 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 20,572 in 2016, ranked #291.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 16 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Rahman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rahman surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rahman 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 16 #31,832
1881 historical 4 #33,288
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1901 historical 9 #33,154
1911 historical 6 #33,255
1997 modern 8,237 #775
1998 modern 9,200 #716
1999 modern 10,017 #651
2000 modern 10,624 #603
2001 modern 10,544 #594
2002 modern 12,130 #525
2003 modern 12,812 #480
2004 modern 13,854 #443
2005 modern 14,671 #416
2006 modern 15,685 #385
2007 modern 16,898 #350
2008 modern 17,771 #330
2009 modern 19,074 #311
2010 modern 20,243 #301
2011 modern 19,804 #301
2012 modern 19,186 #303
2013 modern 20,004 #301
2014 modern 20,435 #296
2015 modern 20,309 #295
2016 modern 20,572 #291

Geography

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Where Rahmans 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 Oldham and Tower Hamlets. 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 Oldham 016 Oldham
2 Tower Hamlets 019 Tower Hamlets
3 Tower Hamlets 015 Tower Hamlets
4 Tower Hamlets 021 Tower Hamlets
5 Tower Hamlets 014 Tower Hamlets

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rahman

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

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

Challenged Inner London Communities

Within London, Rahman is most associated with areas classed as Challenged Inner London Communities, 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

Resident in some of Inner London’s most over-crowded communities, many families have children and marriage/civil partnership rates are above the Supergroup average. Other adults such as students live in communal establishments. Few residents have Level 4 educational qualifications, levels of unemployment are above the Supergroup average, and employment is concentrated in service occupations such as distribution, hotels and restaurants. Relative to the Supergroup average, fewer residents identify as being of mixed/multiple ethnicities, Black or Other Asian.

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

Rahman 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

Rahman falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Rahman

The surname Rahman is of Arabic origin, deriving from the Arabic word "Rahman" meaning "the most merciful" or "the beneficent". It is considered a descriptive name referring to the attribute of mercy and compassion.

The name has its roots in the Islamic faith and is often found among Muslim communities throughout the world. Its earliest recorded usage can be traced back to the 7th century, during the time of the Islamic expansion across the Middle East and North Africa.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rahman can be found in the "Kitab al-Aghani" (The Book of Songs), a renowned anthology of Arabic poetry compiled in the 9th century by Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani. The book mentions several poets and scholars bearing the name Rahman.

In the 11th century, the name appears in the writings of the famous Persian scholar and poet, Ferdowsi, who is known for his epic work, the Shahnameh (The Book of Kings). He mentions a character named Rahman in one of his stories.

During the Mughal period in India (16th-19th centuries), the name Rahman was prevalent among Muslim populations in the region. One notable figure was Abdul Rahman Khan, a military commander who served under the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in the late 17th century.

Another prominent figure with the surname Rahman was Sir Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938), a renowned philosopher, poet, and politician from British India, who is widely regarded as the spiritual father of Pakistan.

In more recent history, Abdul Rahman Ghassemlou (1930-1989) was a prominent Kurdish politician and leader of the Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran, who was assassinated in Vienna in 1989.

Other notable individuals with the surname Rahman include: 1. Mujibur Rahman (1920-1975), the founding President of Bangladesh. 2. Atiqur Rahman (born 1934), a Bangladeshi writer and academic. 3. Badruzzaman Rahman (born 1937), a Bangladeshi writer and journalist. 4. Anisur Rahman (born 1942), a Bangladeshi poet and academic. 5. Mokhlesur Rahman (born 1959), a Bangladeshi poet and writer.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rahman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rahman surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 3 Rahmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.72x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 3 7.72x
Essex 1 13.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Paddington London in Middlesex leads with 3 Rahmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 209.79x.

Place Total Index
Paddington London 3 209.79x
East Ham 1 714.29x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Rahman surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Ghia 1
Magay 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Rahman surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Abdoul 1
Haji 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Rahman households.

Occupation Count
Cook 1
Scholar 1

FAQ

Rahman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rahman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4 people were recorded with the Rahman surname. That placed it at #33,288 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rahman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 20,572 in 2016. That gives Rahman a modern rank of #291.

What does the Rahman surname mean?

A surname of Islamic origin meaning "merciful," an attribute of Allah.

What does the Rahman map show?

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