NameCensus.

UK surname

Traore

A Senegalese surname of Soninke origin, possibly derived from the word "Taraore," meaning "one who is well-dressed."

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Camden, Lambeth and Lewisham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Traore is 196 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

196

2016, ranked #19,848

Peak year

2016

196 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 196 in 2016, ranked #19,848.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Traore surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Traore surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Traore 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 1 #34,435
1891 historical 2 #34,436
1997 modern 10 #37,060
1998 modern 15 #36,457
1999 modern 17 #36,261
2000 modern 25 #35,382
2001 modern 19 #35,866
2002 modern 38 #34,307
2003 modern 48 #33,533
2004 modern 74 #31,306
2005 modern 93 #29,133
2006 modern 114 #26,120
2007 modern 108 #27,391
2008 modern 117 #26,351
2009 modern 142 #23,791
2010 modern 171 #21,481
2011 modern 158 #22,473
2012 modern 174 #21,065
2013 modern 180 #20,954
2014 modern 191 #20,302
2015 modern 194 #19,994
2016 modern 196 #19,848

Geography

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Where Traores 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 Camden, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark. 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 Camden 015 Camden
2 Lambeth 010 Lambeth
3 Lewisham 010 Lewisham
4 Southwark 019 Southwark
5 Lewisham 002 Lewisham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Traore

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Traore

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Traore surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Traore 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 includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Traore is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

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

Traore 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

Traore 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 Traore is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 40-50 mbit/s.

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

7
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 Traore, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Traore

The surname Traore originated in West Africa, particularly in the region now known as Mali. It is a Bambara name, with the Bambara people being one of the largest ethnic groups in Mali. The name Traore is believed to have derived from the Bambara word "traoré," which means "elephant hunter" or "one who hunts elephants."

In the 13th century, the Mali Empire, which ruled a significant portion of West Africa, was at its peak. During this time, the surname Traore was likely used among the Bambara people who were part of this empire. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to this period, although specific records from that era are scarce.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Traore was Sundiata Keita, also known as Mari Djata or Sundiata Keita Traore. He was a legendary emperor of the Mali Empire who lived from around 1190 to 1255. Sundiata Keita is celebrated as the founder of the Mali Empire and is considered a national hero in Mali.

Another notable figure with the surname Traore was Askia Muhammad I, who ruled the Songhai Empire in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. He was born around 1443 and died in 1538. Askia Muhammad I was a powerful ruler who expanded the Songhai Empire and is known for his military conquests and efforts to promote Islam in the region.

In the 19th century, during the colonization of West Africa by European powers, the surname Traore continued to be used among the Bambara people and other ethnic groups in the region. One notable individual from this period was Samory Touré, also known as Samori Ture or Samory Traore, who was a West African ruler and military leader. He led resistance efforts against French colonial expansion in the late 19th century.

Another significant figure with the surname Traore was Modibo Keita, a Malian politician and statesman who served as the first President of Mali from 1960 to 1968. He was born in 1915 and died in 1977. Modibo Keita played a crucial role in Mali's independence movement and the country's transition to self-governance.

As time passed, the surname Traore spread beyond Mali to other parts of West Africa, particularly in neighboring countries like Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, and Burkina Faso, where the Bambara people and other ethnic groups with similar cultural ties also reside.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Traore surname: questions and answers

How common is the Traore surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 196 in 2016. That gives Traore a modern rank of #19,848.

What does the Traore surname mean?

A Senegalese surname of Soninke origin, possibly derived from the word "Taraore," meaning "one who is well-dressed."

What does the Traore map show?

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