NameCensus.

UK surname

Tara

A Sanskrit name referring to a star or something precious and desired.

In the 1881 census there were 6 people recorded with the Tara surname, ranking it #32,926 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 123, ranked #27,115, up from #32,926 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wolverhampton, Charnwood and Warwick.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tara is 123 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1950.0%.

1881 census count

6

Ranked #32,926

Modern count

123

2016, ranked #27,115

Peak year

2016

123 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tara had 6 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,926 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016, ranked #27,115.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Tara surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tara surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tara 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 3 #33,861
1881 historical 6 #32,926
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1901 historical 1 #34,548
1911 historical 1 #34,332
1997 modern 64 #31,233
1998 modern 69 #31,076
1999 modern 63 #31,798
2000 modern 65 #31,641
2001 modern 64 #31,602
2002 modern 70 #31,432
2003 modern 78 #30,654
2004 modern 83 #30,352
2005 modern 84 #30,359
2006 modern 94 #29,264
2007 modern 91 #30,061
2008 modern 93 #30,123
2009 modern 93 #30,682
2010 modern 106 #29,305
2011 modern 115 #27,634
2012 modern 116 #27,550
2013 modern 115 #28,176
2014 modern 120 #27,646
2015 modern 120 #27,561
2016 modern 123 #27,115

Geography

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Where Taras 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 Wolverhampton, Charnwood, Warwick and Leicester. 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 Wolverhampton 034 Wolverhampton
2 Charnwood 019 Charnwood
3 Warwick 013 Warwick
4 Leicester 020 Leicester
5 Wolverhampton 010 Wolverhampton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tara

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

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Tara surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Tara household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Tara 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

Tara 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

Tara falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tara is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Indian

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

Meaning and origin of Tara

The surname Tara has its origins in India, where it is believed to have originated as a place name. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "tara," which means "star" or "tree." The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to ancient Indian texts and manuscripts.

In Hindu mythology, Tara is the name of a goddess who is revered as the embodiment of compassion and liberation. The name is also associated with the Tara Hills, a mountain range located in the state of Maharashtra, India. This region was historically known as Taramandala, which translates to "the land of Tara."

The surname Tara has been used by various communities and castes in India, including Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas. One notable historical figure bearing this surname was Tara Chand, a prominent Indian scholar and philosopher who lived during the 18th century. He was renowned for his contributions to the study of Hindu philosophy and his works on the Vedas.

Outside of India, the surname Tara has also been found in other parts of the world, particularly among those with Indian ancestry or connections. In the United States, for example, one of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Tara can be traced back to Dhanpat Rai Tara, an Indian-American entrepreneur and philanthropist who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Another notable figure with the surname Tara was Chandra Tara Devidayal, an Indian independence activist and social reformer who played a significant role in the struggle for India's freedom from British rule. He was born in 1835 and was a prominent member of the Indian National Congress.

Other historical figures bearing the surname Tara include Raghunath Tara, an Indian revolutionary who participated in the Indian rebellion of 1857, and Tara Sundari Devi, a renowned Bengali poet and writer who lived in the 19th century and contributed significantly to the literary renaissance of Bengal.

While the surname Tara has its roots in India, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins can be traced back to the ancient Indian civilization, where it held significant cultural and mythological significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tara families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tara 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. Lancashire leads with 4 Taras recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.77x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 4 5.77x
Middlesex 1 1.71x
Wiltshire 1 19.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 3 Taras recorded in 1881 and an index of 71.26x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 3 71.26x
Manchester 1 32.05x
Marlborough St Peter St 1 3333.33x
St Martin In Fields 1 285.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Catherine 1
Elenor 1
Mary 1
Rosa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 1
William 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 Tara households.

FAQ

Tara surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tara surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6 people were recorded with the Tara surname. That placed it at #32,926 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tara surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016. That gives Tara a modern rank of #27,115.

What does the Tara surname mean?

A Sanskrit name referring to a star or something precious and desired.

What does the Tara map show?

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