NameCensus.

UK surname

Rattan

A surname of Indian origin meaning 'cane or rattan furniture'.

In the 1881 census there were 17 people recorded with the Rattan surname, ranking it #31,170 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 463, ranked #10,586, up from #31,170 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rattan is 467 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 2623.5%.

1881 census count

17

Ranked #31,170

Modern count

463

2016, ranked #10,586

Peak year

2014

467 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rattan had 17 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,170 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 463 in 2016, ranked #10,586.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 22 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Rattan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rattan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rattan 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 12 #31,134
1861 historical 14 #32,072
1881 historical 17 #31,170
1891 historical 17 #32,787
1901 historical 22 #31,562
1911 historical 20 #31,288
1997 modern 323 #12,888
1998 modern 348 #12,585
1999 modern 345 #12,755
2000 modern 352 #12,510
2001 modern 355 #12,253
2002 modern 355 #12,471
2003 modern 362 #12,114
2004 modern 381 #11,700
2005 modern 387 #11,463
2006 modern 407 #11,087
2007 modern 411 #11,144
2008 modern 420 #11,033
2009 modern 446 #10,755
2010 modern 466 #10,595
2011 modern 464 #10,524
2012 modern 443 #10,796
2013 modern 453 #10,774
2014 modern 467 #10,596
2015 modern 462 #10,619
2016 modern 463 #10,586

Geography

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Where Rattans 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 Redbridge, Ealing and Broadland. 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 Redbridge 031 Redbridge
2 Ealing 017 Ealing
3 Redbridge 035 Redbridge
4 Ealing 010 Ealing
5 Broadland 006 Broadland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rattan

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

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Rattan 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

Rattan is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Rattan

The surname Rattan is of Indian origin, specifically from the Punjab region of northern India and Pakistan. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "rattana," which means "jewel" or "gem." The name is believed to have originated around the 12th century during the rise of the Rajput clans and kingdoms in that region.

Rattan was initially a title or honorific given to esteemed members of the Rajput nobility and warriors who were considered as precious as jewels. Over time, it evolved into a hereditary surname among certain families and communities. The earliest recorded instances of the name appear in medieval Indian manuscripts and chronicles that documented the exploits and lineages of Rajput rulers and warriors.

One of the earliest known references to the name Rattan can be found in the "Prithviraj Raso," a 12th-century epic poem that recounts the life and deeds of the famous Rajput king Prithviraj Chauhan. In the poem, several Rajput warriors and nobles bear the name Rattan or variations of it, such as Ratanpal and Ratansen.

Another notable historical figure with the surname Rattan was Raja Rattan Singh, a 17th-century ruler of the Bhunga principality in present-day Rajasthan, India. He was renowned for his military prowess and his successful defense of his kingdom against the Mughal Empire.

In the 18th century, Bhai Rattan Singh Bhangu, a Sikh warrior and scholar, wrote the "Sri Guru Panth Prakash," a seminal work that chronicles the lives of the Sikh Gurus and the early history of the Sikh faith. His surname, Bhangu, is a variation of the name Rattan.

During the 19th century, Thakur Rattan Singh Nagra was a prominent leader of the Namdhari Sikh movement, which advocated for social and religious reforms within the Sikh community. He played a significant role in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 against British colonial rule.

In modern times, one of the most notable individuals with the surname Rattan is Dr. Randhir Singh Rattan, a renowned Indian-American scientist and entrepreneur. He is known for his pioneering work in the field of nanotechnology and has been awarded numerous honors, including the prestigious National Medal of Technology and Innovation by the President of the United States.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rattan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rattan 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. Lincolnshire leads with 13 Rattans recorded in 1881 and an index of 49.09x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 13 49.09x
Surrey 2 2.48x
Essex 1 3.06x
Middlesex 1 0.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Redbourne in Lincolnshire leads with 13 Rattans recorded in 1881 and an index of 65000.00x.

Place Total Index
Redbourne 13 65000.00x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 60.06x
St Katherine 1 5000.00x
West Ham 1 13.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 1
Caroline 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Isabella 1
Louisa 1
Mary 1
Rachel 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 2
Joseph 2
William 2
Alfred 1
Samuel 1
Tom 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 Rattan households.

FAQ

Rattan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rattan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 17 people were recorded with the Rattan surname. That placed it at #31,170 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rattan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 463 in 2016. That gives Rattan a modern rank of #10,586.

What does the Rattan surname mean?

A surname of Indian origin meaning 'cane or rattan furniture'.

What does the Rattan map show?

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