UK surname

Saka

A Japanese surname derived from the word "saka" meaning slope or hill.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Saka is 134 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

Modern count

134

2016, ranked #25,636

Peak year

2016

134 bearers

Map years

2016 to 2016

Key insights

• The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016, ranked #25,636.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2 in 1911.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Map

Saka surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Saka surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Saka 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
1911	historical	2	#34,020
1997	modern	40	#33,666
1998	modern	43	#33,557
1999	modern	53	#32,746
2000	modern	55	#32,609
2001	modern	54	#32,583
2002	modern	64	#32,007
2003	modern	76	#30,883
2004	modern	82	#30,468
2005	modern	89	#29,683
2006	modern	96	#28,946
2007	modern	101	#28,505
2008	modern	110	#27,391
2009	modern	114	#27,363
2010	modern	126	#26,312
2011	modern	113	#27,967
2012	modern	111	#28,332
2013	modern	117	#27,838
2014	modern	117	#28,109
2015	modern	118	#27,833
2016	modern	134	#25,636

Geography

Where Sakas 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 Southwark, Ealing and Greenwich. 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	Southwark 025	Southwark
2	Southwark 021	Southwark
3	Ealing 010	Ealing
4	Greenwich 003	Greenwich
5	Ealing 006	Ealing

Forenames

First names often paired with Saka

These lists show first names that appear often with the Saka surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Olukemi Cynthia Esther Aminat Temitope Abosede Sila Sibel Selin Yaa

Recent male names

Ebenezer Abdul Nii Frank Rasheed Edward Olufemi Jonathan Tunji Joseph

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Saka

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Saka surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Saka household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Saka is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Saka 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.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Saka 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.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Saka 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.

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: Black - African

This describes the area pattern most associated with Saka, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Origin

Meaning and origin of Saka

The surname SAKA is believed to have originated in Japan and is thought to derive from the Japanese word "saka" meaning "slope" or "hill." It is considered to be a topographic name, referring to someone who lived on or near a hill or sloped area.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the late 16th century, appearing in various historical records and documents from the Edo period in Japan. One notable example is the name Sakamoto, which is a combination of "saka" and "moto" meaning "the origin" or "the source," suggesting a place of origin near a hill or slope.

In the late 17th century, the name SAKA appeared in the records of the Tokugawa Shogunate, where it was associated with samurai families and members of the warrior class. One prominent individual bearing this name was Sakamoto Ryoma, a prominent samurai and revolutionary figure who played a crucial role in the Meiji Restoration in the 1860s.

Throughout the Edo period and into the Meiji era, the SAKA surname was also found among merchant families and artisans, particularly in the pottery and ceramics industries of regions like Kyoto and Satsuma. Several notable potters and ceramicists from this time bore the SAKA name, including Saka Koraizaemon, a renowned potter from the late 18th century.

In the 19th century, the SAKA surname made its way to other parts of the world through Japanese immigration and diaspora communities. One notable individual was Saka Hisajiro, a Japanese-American businessman and community leader in Hawaii, who was born in 1875 and played a significant role in the development of the Japanese-American community in the early 20th century.

Another notable figure was Saka Shiro, a Japanese-American artist and educator who was born in 1898 and became known for his work in promoting Japanese art and culture in the United States.

While the SAKA surname is most commonly associated with Japan, it has also been found in various other parts of Asia, including Korea and China, likely due to cultural and linguistic influences over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Saka surname: questions and answers

How common is the Saka surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016. That gives Saka a modern rank of #25,636.

What does the Saka surname mean?