NameCensus.

UK surname

Shaikh

An honorific surname referring to an elder, leader, or one descended from the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shaikh is 4,268 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

4,250

2016, ranked #1,597

Peak year

2014

4,268 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,250 in 2016, ranked #1,597.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Shaikh surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shaikh surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shaikh 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 1,901 #3,174
1998 modern 2,092 #3,046
1999 modern 2,246 #2,886
2000 modern 2,336 #2,771
2001 modern 2,295 #2,761
2002 modern 2,602 #2,532
2003 modern 2,684 #2,419
2004 modern 2,853 #2,308
2005 modern 3,063 #2,115
2006 modern 3,256 #2,013
2007 modern 3,499 #1,883
2008 modern 3,642 #1,820
2009 modern 3,890 #1,750
2010 modern 4,144 #1,677
2011 modern 4,094 #1,668
2012 modern 4,090 #1,641
2013 modern 4,200 #1,625
2014 modern 4,268 #1,613
2015 modern 4,209 #1,620
2016 modern 4,250 #1,597

Geography

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Where Shaikhs 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 Leicester and Birmingham. 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 Leicester 017 Leicester
2 Leicester 018 Leicester
3 Birmingham 033 Birmingham
4 Leicester 022 Leicester
5 Leicester 021 Leicester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shaikh

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shaikh

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

Shaikh 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

Shaikh 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Shaikh

The surname "SHAIKH" is of Arabic origin and is believed to have originated from the Middle East region during the early Islamic period. It is derived from the Arabic word "shaikh," which translates to "elder" or "chief" and was originally a title given to leaders, scholars, and respected individuals within the Islamic community.

In its earliest form, the surname was likely used to denote the descendants or followers of a particular shaikh or tribal leader. As Islamic civilization spread across various regions, the surname gained popularity and became associated with different ethnic and cultural groups.

One of the earliest recorded references to the surname "SHAIKH" can be found in various medieval Islamic manuscripts and chronicles, particularly those documenting the lives of prominent Islamic scholars and leaders.

Notable individuals with the surname "SHAIKH" throughout history include:

1. Sayyid Ahmed Shaikh (1786-1831), a prominent Muslim scholar and revolutionary leader from British India who led an uprising against the East India Company. 2. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (1888-1958), an Indian scholar, poet, and politician who served as the first Education Minister of independent India. 3. Abu-Ali Hasan ibn al-Haytham, or Alhazen (965-1040), an Arab mathematician, astronomer, and physicist regarded as the father of modern optics. 4. Abu Bakr al-Shashi (935-1010), an influential Islamic scholar and jurist from Nasaf, modern-day Uzbekistan. 5. Fatima al-Fihri (born around 800 CE), a Muslim woman who founded the first degree-awarding educational institution in the world, the University of Al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco.

The surname "SHAIKH" has also been associated with various place names and older spellings. For example, the town of Shaikh Khalifa in Bahrain is named after a prominent religious figure, and the area of Shaikh Othman in Aden, Yemen, takes its name from a local shaikh.

While the surname "SHAIKH" has its roots in the Arab world, it has since spread to various regions and is now found among diverse ethnic and cultural groups, particularly in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and parts of Africa, where it has been adopted and assimilated into local cultures and traditions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Shaikh surname: questions and answers

How common is the Shaikh surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,250 in 2016. That gives Shaikh a modern rank of #1,597.

What does the Shaikh surname mean?

An honorific surname referring to an elder, leader, or one descended from the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

What does the Shaikh map show?

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