NameCensus.

UK surname

Rao

A surname of Indian origin, often indicating a connection to the Kshatriya varna or the ruling and military elite.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rao is 1,511 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

1,493

2016, ranked #4,143

Peak year

2010

1,511 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,493 in 2016, ranked #4,143.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 37 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Rao surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rao surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rao 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
1851 historical 37 #26,673
1901 historical 7 #33,435
1997 modern 779 #6,679
1998 modern 849 #6,443
1999 modern 908 #6,156
2000 modern 919 #6,085
2001 modern 910 #6,037
2002 modern 995 #5,714
2003 modern 1,068 #5,300
2004 modern 1,122 #5,097
2005 modern 1,200 #4,758
2006 modern 1,226 #4,686
2007 modern 1,284 #4,537
2008 modern 1,319 #4,455
2009 modern 1,408 #4,313
2010 modern 1,511 #4,169
2011 modern 1,484 #4,186
2012 modern 1,442 #4,208
2013 modern 1,507 #4,139
2014 modern 1,499 #4,180
2015 modern 1,489 #4,168
2016 modern 1,493 #4,143

Geography

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Where Raos 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, Brent and Ealing. 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 011 Hounslow
2 Brent 026 Brent
3 Ealing 037 Ealing
4 Brent 008 Brent
5 Brent 013 Brent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rao

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

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rao, 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 Rao surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Rao 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, Rao 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

Rao 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

Rao falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Rao

The surname "RAO" is believed to have originated in India, specifically in the regions of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The name has its roots in the Sanskrit language and is derived from the word "Ravu," which means "king" or "ruler."

In ancient India, the title "Rao" was bestowed upon members of the ruling class, particularly those who held positions of power and authority within the Hindu caste system. The name has a long and illustrious history, with records indicating its use as early as the 8th century AD.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "RAO" can be found in the Kakatiya Dynasty, which ruled parts of present-day Andhra Pradesh and Telangana between the 12th and 14th centuries. Several rulers of this dynasty, such as Prataparudra Rao (1289-1323), bore the "Rao" surname.

During the Vijayanagara Empire, which dominated the southern regions of India from the 14th to the 17th century, the "RAO" surname gained even greater prominence. The empire was known for its patronage of art, literature, and architecture, and many prominent figures from this era carried the "Rao" name.

One notable individual was Krishnadevaraya Rao (1509-1529), a celebrated ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire who was renowned for his military prowess, administrative skills, and patronage of the arts. Another famous figure was Tenali Ramakrishna Rao (1510-1579), a renowned scholar, poet, and philosopher who served as a minister in the court of Krishnadevaraya Rao.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the "RAO" surname was also associated with various princely states and dynasties in southern India. For example, the Nizam of Hyderabad, a princely state that existed until the mid-20th century, was ruled by the Asaf Jah dynasty, whose members often carried the "Rao" surname.

Other notable individuals with the "Rao" surname include Sir C.V. Raman Rao (1888-1970), an Indian physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 for his groundbreaking work on the scattering of light, and P.V. Narasimha Rao (1921-2004), a former Prime Minister of India who played a crucial role in the country's economic liberalization in the 1990s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rao families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rao 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. Midlothian leads with 1 Raos recorded in 1881 and an index of 77.52x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 1 77.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 1 Raos recorded in 1881 and an index of 192.31x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 192.31x

FAQ

Rao surname: questions and answers

How common is the Rao surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,493 in 2016. That gives Rao a modern rank of #4,143.

What does the Rao surname mean?

A surname of Indian origin, often indicating a connection to the Kshatriya varna or the ruling and military elite.

What does the Rao map show?

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