NameCensus.

UK surname

Ullah

Of Arabic origin, meaning "servant of Allah" or "servant of God."

In the 1881 census there were 2 people recorded with the Ullah surname, ranking it #33,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,657, ranked #1,460, up from #33,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Oldham, Burnley and Tower Hamlets.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ullah is 4,975 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 232750.0%.

1881 census count

2

Ranked #33,721

Modern count

4,657

2016, ranked #1,460

Peak year

2010

4,975 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ullah had 2 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,657 in 2016, ranked #1,460.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Ullah surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ullah surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ullah 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 2 #33,133
1861 historical 6 #33,230
1881 historical 2 #33,721
1901 historical 4 #33,876
1997 modern 3,468 #1,870
1998 modern 3,647 #1,846
1999 modern 3,702 #1,837
2000 modern 3,664 #1,844
2001 modern 3,587 #1,840
2002 modern 3,844 #1,764
2003 modern 3,895 #1,698
2004 modern 4,030 #1,635
2005 modern 4,155 #1,569
2006 modern 4,258 #1,532
2007 modern 4,446 #1,483
2008 modern 4,538 #1,466
2009 modern 4,779 #1,426
2010 modern 4,975 #1,399
2011 modern 4,863 #1,411
2012 modern 4,680 #1,435
2013 modern 4,698 #1,461
2014 modern 4,708 #1,466
2015 modern 4,675 #1,461
2016 modern 4,657 #1,460

Geography

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Where Ullahs 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 Oldham, Burnley, Tower Hamlets, Bradford and Luton. 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 Oldham 016 Oldham
2 Burnley 003 Burnley
3 Tower Hamlets 021 Tower Hamlets
4 Bradford 039 Bradford
5 Luton 017 Luton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ullah

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

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Challenged Inner London Communities

Within London, Ullah 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

Ullah 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

Ullah 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 Ullah 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 Ullah, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ullah

The surname "ULLAH" originated in the Indian subcontinent, with its roots traced back to the Arabic language. It is believed to have emerged around the 7th century CE, during the early Islamic period in the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This document mentions several individuals with the surname "ULLAH," suggesting its widespread usage at that time.

The name "ULLAH" is derived from the Arabic word "Allah," which means "God" or "the Supreme Being" in Islam. It was commonly used as an honorific suffix attached to personal names, indicating a person's devotion or close association with the Islamic faith.

During the medieval period, the name "ULLAH" appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, particularly those related to Islamic scholars, poets, and rulers. One notable example is Amir Khusrau Dehlavi (1253-1325), a renowned poet and scholar who was also known as Amir Khusrau Ullah.

In the 14th century, a famous Sufi saint and scholar, Nizamuddin Auliya (1238-1325), was also referred to as Nizamuddin Ullah. His teachings and spiritual guidance had a profound impact on the spread of Sufism in the region.

Another prominent figure associated with the name "ULLAH" was Mir Taqi Mir (1723-1810), a celebrated Urdu poet and literary giant of the Mughal era. His full name was Mir Muhammad Taqi Ullah Khan, and he is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the Urdu ghazal.

Over time, the surname "ULLAH" became widespread across various regions of the Indian subcontinent, particularly in areas with a significant Muslim population. It was often associated with families or communities that played influential roles in the spread of Islamic culture, education, and literature.

Today, the surname "ULLAH" remains prevalent in countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and parts of Afghanistan, where it continues to hold cultural and religious significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ullah families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ullah 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. Kent leads with 1 Ullahs recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.20x.

County Total Index
Kent 1 15.20x
Yorkshire 1 5.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bempton in Yorkshire leads with 1 Ullahs recorded in 1881 and an index of 0.00x.

Place Total Index
Bempton 1 0.00x
Cliffe 1 10000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
...ahomed 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 Ullah households.

Occupation Count
General Servant 1
School 1

FAQ

Ullah surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ullah surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2 people were recorded with the Ullah surname. That placed it at #33,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ullah surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,657 in 2016. That gives Ullah a modern rank of #1,460.

What does the Ullah surname mean?

Of Arabic origin, meaning "servant of Allah" or "servant of God."

What does the Ullah map show?

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