NameCensus.

UK surname

Taher

An Arabic surname meaning "pure" or "virtuous."

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Taher is 472 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

472

2016, ranked #10,433

Peak year

2016

472 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 472 in 2016, ranked #10,433.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Taher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Taher surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Taher 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 1 #33,412
1861 historical 7 #33,053
1891 historical 6 #33,800
1901 historical 1 #34,548
1911 historical 1 #34,332
1997 modern 156 #20,593
1998 modern 164 #20,505
1999 modern 180 #19,454
2000 modern 185 #19,118
2001 modern 184 #18,907
2002 modern 216 #17,447
2003 modern 236 #16,236
2004 modern 258 #15,386
2005 modern 283 #14,343
2006 modern 297 #14,004
2007 modern 328 #13,196
2008 modern 345 #12,839
2009 modern 396 #11,815
2010 modern 396 #12,089
2011 modern 401 #11,843
2012 modern 407 #11,584
2013 modern 430 #11,259
2014 modern 445 #11,002
2015 modern 457 #10,695
2016 modern 472 #10,433

Geography

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Where Tahers 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, Sheffield, Kensington and Chelsea, Leicester and Cardiff. 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 053 Birmingham
2 Sheffield 022 Sheffield
3 Kensington and Chelsea 021 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Leicester 022 Leicester
5 Cardiff 033 Cardiff

Forenames

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First names often paired with Taher

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

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

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Taher surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Taher 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Challenged Inner London Communities

Within London, Taher is most associated with areas classed as Challenged Inner London Communities, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Resident in some of Inner London’s most over-crowded communities, many families have children and marriage/civil partnership rates are above the Supergroup average. Other adults such as students live in communal establishments. Few residents have Level 4 educational qualifications, levels of unemployment are above the Supergroup average, and employment is concentrated in service occupations such as distribution, hotels and restaurants. Relative to the Supergroup average, fewer residents identify as being of mixed/multiple ethnicities, Black or Other Asian.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Taher 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

Taher 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 Taher is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
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 Taher, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Taher

The surname "TAHER" originates from the Arabic word "Tahir" which means "pure" or "virtuous". The name has its roots in the Middle East, specifically in the regions of modern-day Iran, Iraq, and the Arabian Peninsula. It emerged during the Islamic Golden Age, which spanned from the 8th to the 13th century.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 9th century, when a prominent Islamic scholar and mathematician, Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, also known as Al-Tahir, made significant contributions to the fields of algebra and algorithms. His work, including the book "Al-Jabr wa-al-Muqabilah," influenced the development of mathematics and laid the foundation for the modern algebraic notation.

During the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled from 750 to 1258 CE, the name Taher was associated with several notable individuals. One such person was Tahir ibn Husayn, a Persian military leader who founded the Tahirid dynasty in Khorasan (modern-day Afghanistan and parts of Iran) in the early 9th century.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Taher. However, it is possible that the name may have been present among the Muslim populations in parts of Europe during that time period.

In the 12th century, a Sufi mystic and poet named Farid al-Din Attar wrote about a figure named Taher in his epic work, "The Conference of the Birds." This literary reference suggests that the name carried spiritual connotations and was revered in Sufi circles.

Notable individuals with the surname Taher throughout history include:

1. Abul Qasim Taher ibn Husayn (780-844 CE), the founder of the Tahirid dynasty in Khorasan. 2. Mirza Muhammad Taher (1835-1900), an Iranian calligrapher and poet during the Qajar dynasty. 3. Muhammad Taher Kurd Ali (1876-1953), a Syrian historian and writer known for his works on Arab history and culture. 4. Taher Sabry (1938-2018), an Egyptian writer and journalist who was a prominent figure in the Arabic literary scene. 5. Taher Elgawhary (born 1954), an Egyptian-American engineer and entrepreneur known for his work in the field of wireless communications.

While the surname Taher has its origins in the Middle East, it has spread globally over the centuries due to migration and cultural exchange. Today, individuals with the surname Taher can be found in various parts of the world, reflecting the rich history and diversity associated with this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Taher surname: questions and answers

How common is the Taher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 472 in 2016. That gives Taher a modern rank of #10,433.

What does the Taher surname mean?

An Arabic surname meaning "pure" or "virtuous."

What does the Taher map show?

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