NameCensus.

UK surname

Umar

An Arabic surname derived from the root word 'amr' meaning 'life' or 'prosperity'.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leicester, Preston and Blackburn with Darwen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Umar is 956 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

956

2016, ranked #6,006

Peak year

2016

956 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 956 in 2016, ranked #6,006.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Umar surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Umar surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Umar 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
1891 historical 7 #33,665
1997 modern 269 #14,543
1998 modern 284 #14,402
1999 modern 318 #13,444
2000 modern 344 #12,722
2001 modern 350 #12,375
2002 modern 385 #11,771
2003 modern 414 #10,980
2004 modern 441 #10,474
2005 modern 521 #9,176
2006 modern 569 #8,612
2007 modern 633 #8,038
2008 modern 660 #7,817
2009 modern 718 #7,499
2010 modern 818 #6,887
2011 modern 841 #6,670
2012 modern 853 #6,513
2013 modern 873 #6,501
2014 modern 909 #6,327
2015 modern 932 #6,164
2016 modern 956 #6,006

Geography

Back to top

Where Umars 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 Leicester, Preston, Blackburn with Darwen and Stobswell. 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 Leicester 017 Leicester
2 Leicester 021 Leicester
3 Preston 016 Preston
4 Blackburn with Darwen 004 Blackburn with Darwen
5 Stobswell Dundee City

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Umar

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Umar

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Umar 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

Umar 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

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

Meaning and origin of Umar

The surname UMAR is of Arabic origin, derived from the Arabic word "amr" which means "life" or "command". The name can be traced back to the 7th century AD, during the early days of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname UMAR is found in the historical accounts of the second Caliph of Islam, Umar ibn al-Khattab (c. 586-644 AD). He was a prominent figure in the Islamic world and played a crucial role in the expansion of the Islamic empire during the 7th century.

The surname UMAR has its roots in various regions of the Middle East, particularly in countries like Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Syria, where it was commonly used among Arab tribes and communities. It later spread to other parts of the world through migration and trade routes.

In the 11th century, the UMAR surname appeared in the historical records of the Seljuk Empire, a medieval Persianate empire that ruled over parts of Central Asia and the Middle East. One notable figure from this period was Umar Khayyam (1048-1131 AD), a renowned Persian mathematician, astronomer, and poet.

During the 13th century, the surname UMAR gained prominence in the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt and the Levant. One of the most famous Mamluks of this era was Umar al-Shuhinah, a prominent military commander who served under Sultan Baibars I in the late 13th century.

Throughout history, the UMAR surname has been associated with various scholars, poets, and religious figures. In the 16th century, Umar ibn Muhammad al-Suhrawardi (1145-1234 AD) was a renowned Sufi mystic and philosopher from present-day Iran.

During the Ottoman Empire, the surname UMAR was also found among Turkish and Balkan populations. One notable figure was Umar Pasha Latas (c. 1804-1871 AD), an Ottoman military commander and statesman who served as the governor of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the mid-19th century.

Other historical figures with the surname UMAR include Umar Khayyam (1048-1131 AD), a renowned Persian mathematician, astronomer, and poet; Umar Suleiman Al-Ashqar (1939-2012 AD), a prominent Islamic scholar and educator from Palestine; and Umar ibn Abi Rabi'ah (643-720 AD), an early Arab poet and scholar from the Umayyad Caliphate.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Umar surname: questions and answers

How common is the Umar surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 956 in 2016. That gives Umar a modern rank of #6,006.

What does the Umar surname mean?

An Arabic surname derived from the root word 'amr' meaning 'life' or 'prosperity'.

What does the Umar map show?

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