NameCensus.

UK surname

Sultan

A surname of Arabic origin meaning "ruler" or "sovereign," referring to a person of high rank or authority.

In the 1881 census there were 19 people recorded with the Sultan surname, ranking it #30,872 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,002, ranked #3,224, up from #30,872 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sultan is 2,002 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10436.8%.

1881 census count

19

Ranked #30,872

Modern count

2,002

2016, ranked #3,224

Peak year

2016

2,002 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sultan had 19 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,872 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,002 in 2016, ranked #3,224.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 50 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Sultan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sultan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sultan 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 5 #32,456
1861 historical 14 #32,072
1881 historical 19 #30,872
1891 historical 28 #32,046
1901 historical 34 #30,281
1911 historical 50 #27,806
1997 modern 823 #6,393
1998 modern 925 #6,023
1999 modern 963 #5,888
2000 modern 987 #5,754
2001 modern 981 #5,664
2002 modern 1,146 #5,104
2003 modern 1,178 #4,879
2004 modern 1,279 #4,550
2005 modern 1,395 #4,199
2006 modern 1,488 #3,983
2007 modern 1,579 #3,811
2008 modern 1,653 #3,692
2009 modern 1,804 #3,503
2010 modern 1,919 #3,386
2011 modern 1,880 #3,410
2012 modern 1,888 #3,343
2013 modern 1,970 #3,289
2014 modern 1,970 #3,303
2015 modern 1,986 #3,258
2016 modern 2,002 #3,224

Geography

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Where Sultans 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, Redbridge, Bradford, Calderdale and Telford and Wrekin. 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 077 Birmingham
2 Redbridge 030 Redbridge
3 Bradford 033 Bradford
4 Calderdale 012 Calderdale
5 Telford and Wrekin 011 Telford and Wrekin

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sultan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sultan

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

Sultan 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

Sultan 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sultan

The surname Sultan is derived from the Arabic word "sultan" which means "authority" or "ruler". It originated in the Middle East and Central Asia, where it was used as a title for powerful monarchs and leaders.

The earliest recorded use of the name dates back to the 10th century, when it was used by the Ghaznavid Empire in modern-day Afghanistan and Pakistan. The name gained prominence during the Ottoman Empire, which ruled over vast territories across the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe from the 13th to the 20th century.

One of the most famous Sultans in history was Suleiman the Magnificent (1494-1566), the longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. He was known for his military campaigns, legal reforms, and patronage of the arts and architecture.

Another notable figure with the surname Sultan was Saladin (1137-1193), the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria. He is revered for his military victories against the Crusaders and his chivalrous conduct during the Siege of Jerusalem.

In the Indian subcontinent, the surname Sultan was often associated with the Mughal Empire, which ruled over much of the region from the 16th to the 19th century. One of the most famous Mughal rulers was Akbar the Great (1542-1605), who is renowned for his religious tolerance and administrative reforms.

The name also has a presence in Southeast Asia, where it was adopted by Muslim rulers and aristocrats. One example is Sultan Iskandar Muda (1590-1636), the Sultan of Aceh in modern-day Indonesia, who was known for his military campaigns and patronage of literature and the arts.

In Europe, the surname Sultan is relatively rare, but it can be found in regions with a historical Muslim presence, such as Spain and the Balkans. One notable figure was Moulay Ismail (1672-1727), the Sultan of Morocco, who is remembered for his military campaigns and the construction of the city of Meknes.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sultan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sultan 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. Yorkshire leads with 13 Sultans recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.73x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 13 6.73x
Northumberland 4 13.80x
Cheshire 1 2.33x
Essex 1 2.60x
Royal Navy 1 43.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sculcoates in Yorkshire leads with 13 Sultans recorded in 1881 and an index of 424.84x.

Place Total Index
Sculcoates 13 424.84x
Westgate 4 222.22x
East Ham 1 140.85x
Halton 1 1000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 1
Betsy 1
Esther 1
Gertrude 1
Jane 1
Margaret 1
Mary 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 2
David 1
Emanuel 1
George 1
Iohoy 1
Isreal 1
James 1
Morris 1
Soloman 1
Walter 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 Sultan households.

FAQ

Sultan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sultan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 19 people were recorded with the Sultan surname. That placed it at #30,872 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sultan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,002 in 2016. That gives Sultan a modern rank of #3,224.

What does the Sultan surname mean?

A surname of Arabic origin meaning "ruler" or "sovereign," referring to a person of high rank or authority.

What does the Sultan map show?

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