NameCensus.

UK surname

Tetteh

An African surname likely originating from the Akan people of Ghana.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hammersmith and Fulham, Newham and Croydon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tetteh is 454 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

454

2016, ranked #10,732

Peak year

2016

454 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 454 in 2016, ranked #10,732.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Tetteh surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tetteh surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Tetteh 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
1861 historical 3 #33,861
1997 modern 151 #21,034
1998 modern 165 #20,423
1999 modern 175 #19,798
2000 modern 192 #18,683
2001 modern 187 #18,708
2002 modern 236 #16,455
2003 modern 276 #14,604
2004 modern 309 #13,618
2005 modern 348 #12,410
2006 modern 389 #11,476
2007 modern 393 #11,526
2008 modern 394 #11,622
2009 modern 423 #11,204
2010 modern 453 #10,858
2011 modern 432 #11,132
2012 modern 416 #11,372
2013 modern 441 #11,016
2014 modern 450 #10,902
2015 modern 442 #10,977
2016 modern 454 #10,732

Geography

Back to top

Where Tettehs 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 Hammersmith and Fulham, Newham, Croydon and Lewisham. 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 Hammersmith and Fulham 007 Hammersmith and Fulham
2 Newham 019 Newham
3 Croydon 013 Croydon
4 Hammersmith and Fulham 012 Hammersmith and Fulham
5 Lewisham 001 Lewisham

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Tetteh

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Tetteh

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Tetteh 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

Tetteh 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

Tetteh falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tetteh 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
Black - African

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

Meaning and origin of Tetteh

The surname TETTEH originates from the Ga people of Ghana, West Africa. It is derived from the Ga language and is believed to have its roots in the 16th century or earlier during the time of the Ga ethnic group's migration and settlement in the coastal regions of present-day Ghana.

TETTEH is thought to be a variation of the Ga word "tete," which means "truth" or "truthfulness." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who were known for their honesty and integrity within their communities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name TETTEH can be found in the records of the Danish trading post on the Gold Coast (now Ghana) in the 17th century. This historical document mentions a chief named Tetteh Kwarmanah, who ruled over the Ga people in the area around present-day Accra.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, several notable individuals bearing the surname TETTEH were influential figures in the coastal regions of Ghana. One such person was Nii Tetteh Okunji, a prominent chief and merchant who played a significant role in the trade relations between the Ga people and European traders in the late 18th century.

Another notable figure was Nii Tetteh Tsuru II, a Ga chief who ruled in the early 19th century and was known for his efforts in maintaining peace and stability in the region during a period of conflict between the Ga and neighboring groups.

In the 20th century, one of the most famous individuals with the surname TETTEH was James Emmanuel Kodwo Tetteh, a Ghanaian politician and diplomat who served as the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity (now the African Union) from 1963 to 1964.

Other notable individuals with the surname TETTEH include Emmanuel Kodwo Tetteh, a Ghanaian lawyer and politician who served as a member of parliament in the 1960s, and Nii Tetteh Azu II, a prominent Ga chief who ruled in the late 20th century and was known for his efforts in preserving the cultural heritage of the Ga people.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Tetteh surname: questions and answers

How common is the Tetteh surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 454 in 2016. That gives Tetteh a modern rank of #10,732.

What does the Tetteh surname mean?

An African surname likely originating from the Akan people of Ghana.

What does the Tetteh map show?

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