UK surname

Wahid

An Arabic surname meaning "one" or "unique".

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wahid is 1,045 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

Modern count

1,044

2016, ranked #5,589

Peak year

2013

1,045 bearers

Map years

1998 to 2016

Key insights

• The latest modern count shown here is 1,044 in 2016, ranked #5,589.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5 in 1911.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Map

Wahid surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wahid surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Wahid 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
1901	historical	1	#34,548
1911	historical	5	#33,427
1997	modern	560	#8,551
1998	modern	615	#8,248
1999	modern	628	#8,179
2000	modern	626	#8,179
2001	modern	624	#8,038
2002	modern	671	#7,765
2003	modern	703	#7,367
2004	modern	748	#7,033
2005	modern	775	#6,773
2006	modern	812	#6,534
2007	modern	879	#6,204
2008	modern	925	#6,008
2009	modern	961	#5,957
2010	modern	1,029	#5,742
2011	modern	1,034	#5,662
2012	modern	1,018	#5,655
2013	modern	1,045	#5,637
2014	modern	1,041	#5,673
2015	modern	1,036	#5,647
2016	modern	1,044	#5,589

Geography

Where Wahids 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 Redbridge, Leicester, Tower Hamlets and Pendle. 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	Redbridge 030	Redbridge
2	Leicester 027	Leicester
3	Tower Hamlets 019	Tower Hamlets
4	Pendle 009	Pendle
5	Redbridge 029	Redbridge

Forenames

First names often paired with Wahid

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Saima Fatima Shazia Nadia Saira Yasmin Nosheen Sarah Razwana Sana

Recent male names

Abdul Mohammed Mohammad Imran Muhammad Ali Ahmed Mohamed Muhammed Shahid

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Wahid

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Wahid is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wahid 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.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wahid 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.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Wahid 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.

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

Origin

Meaning and origin of Wahid

The surname "WAHID" is of Arabic origin and is derived from the Arabic word "wahid", which means "one" or "unique". The name can be traced back to the 7th century AD, during the time of the Islamic conquests and the spread of the Arabic language and culture across the Middle East and North Africa.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname "WAHID" can be found in historical manuscripts and records from the medieval Islamic world, particularly in regions such as the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of the Iberian Peninsula that were under Islamic rule. These records often mention individuals with the surname "WAHID" holding various positions, such as scholars, poets, or administrators.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname "WAHID" was Abu Nasr al-Wahid, a 10th-century Arab mathematician and astronomer from Baghdad. He made significant contributions to the fields of arithmetic and algebra, and his works were widely studied and referenced by scholars in the Islamic world.

Another prominent individual with the surname "WAHID" was Ibn al-Wahid, a 12th-century Andalusian poet and literary critic from Cordova, Spain. He was renowned for his influential works on Arabic poetry and literary criticism, which helped shape the literary traditions of the Iberian Peninsula during the era of Islamic rule.

In the 13th century, a scholar named Ibn al-Wahid al-Baghdadi, from Baghdad, Iraq, wrote extensively on the subjects of Islamic jurisprudence and theology. His works were widely studied and cited by subsequent generations of Islamic scholars and jurists.

During the 14th century, a Moroccan scholar and traveler named Ibn Battuta al-Wahid embarked on a remarkable journey across parts of Africa, Asia, and Europe, documenting his travels in a famous travelogue known as the "Rihla" (The Journey). His accounts provide valuable insights into the cultural and socio-political landscapes of the regions he visited.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname "WAHID" was Ali al-Wahid, a Moroccan scholar and diplomat who served as an ambassador for the Moroccan Sultan to various European courts, including those of Spain and England. His diplomatic efforts helped foster cultural exchange and understanding between the Islamic world and Europe during the Renaissance period.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Wahid surname: questions and answers

How common is the Wahid surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,044 in 2016. That gives Wahid a modern rank of #5,589.

What does the Wahid surname mean?