UK surname

Shahab

A historical surname deriving from Arabic meaning "shooting star" or "meteor".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Birmingham, Northumberland and Bromley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shahab is 137 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

Modern count

137

2016, ranked #25,254

Peak year

2016

137 bearers

Map years

2016 to 2016

Key insights

• The latest modern count shown here is 137 in 2016, ranked #25,254.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Map

Shahab surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shahab surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Shahab 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	28	#34,904
1998	modern	28	#35,053
1999	modern	29	#35,031
2000	modern	34	#34,517
2001	modern	42	#33,658
2002	modern	42	#33,951
2003	modern	50	#33,362
2004	modern	58	#32,880
2005	modern	71	#31,816
2006	modern	87	#30,292
2007	modern	82	#31,295
2008	modern	91	#30,431
2009	modern	97	#30,076
2010	modern	103	#29,780
2011	modern	110	#28,478
2012	modern	127	#25,992
2013	modern	120	#27,406
2014	modern	124	#27,049
2015	modern	134	#25,607
2016	modern	137	#25,254

Geography

Where Shahabs 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 Birmingham, Northumberland, Bromley, Vale of White Horse and Guildford. 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	Birmingham 035	Birmingham
2	Northumberland 021	Northumberland
3	Bromley 008	Bromley
4	Vale of White Horse 008	Vale of White Horse
5	Guildford 016	Guildford

Forenames

First names often paired with Shahab

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Sara Zohra Zahra Anum Esra Nasreen Rabia Shabana Tracy Zahida

Recent male names

Majid Khalid Syed Muhammad Mohammed Tariq Khurram Mujtaba Saad Ali

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Shahab

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

Shahab 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

Shahab falls in decile 1 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 Shahab is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 40-50 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: Other Ethnic Group

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

Origin

Meaning and origin of Shahab

The surname SHAHAB is of Arabic origin, derived from the word "shahab" meaning "meteor" or "shooting star." It originated in the Middle East, particularly in countries with significant Arab influence, such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Syria, during the medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name SHAHAB can be found in ancient Arabic texts and manuscripts from the 8th and 9th centuries. These texts often referred to celestial bodies and astronomical events, using the term "shahab" to describe meteors or shooting stars.

In the 10th century, the name SHAHAB appeared in historical records and chronicles from the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled a vast territory spanning from modern-day Iran to North Africa. During this time, the name was likely associated with individuals who studied or had expertise in astronomy or related fields.

One notable person with the surname SHAHAB was Abu al-Qasim al-Shahab, a renowned mathematician and astronomer from Baghdad, who lived in the 10th century. He made significant contributions to the field of trigonometry and wrote several treatises on astronomical observations.

Another influential figure was Ibn al-Shahab al-Isfahani, a Persian poet and scholar from Isfahan, Iran, who lived in the 11th century. He was known for his mastery of Arabic literature and his poetry, which often included celestial metaphors and imagery.

In the 12th century, the name SHAHAB appeared in records from the Ayyubid dynasty, which ruled over parts of modern-day Syria, Egypt, and Yemen. During this period, the name may have been associated with individuals involved in military or administrative roles.

One such individual was Shahab al-Din al-Harawi, a prominent Sufi scholar and poet from Herat, Afghanistan, who lived in the 12th century. He is known for his spiritual writings and his influence on the development of Sufism in the region.

In the 13th century, the name SHAHAB was also found in records from the Mamluk Sultanate, which ruled over Egypt, Syria, and parts of the Levant. During this time, the name may have been associated with individuals involved in trade, commerce, or scholarly pursuits.

A notable figure from this era was Shahab al-Din al-Suhrawardi, a Persian philosopher and mystic from Suhraward, Iran, who lived in the 12th and 13th centuries. He was a prominent figure in the Illuminationist school of Islamic philosophy and had a significant influence on subsequent intellectual traditions.

Overall, the surname SHAHAB has a rich history and has been associated with individuals from various fields, including astronomy, literature, scholarship, and philosophy, across the Middle East and Central Asia throughout the medieval period.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Shahab surname: questions and answers

How common is the Shahab surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 137 in 2016. That gives Shahab a modern rank of #25,254.

What does the Shahab surname mean?