NameCensus.

UK surname

Waseem

A Muslim surname meaning "handsome" or "illustrious" in Arabic.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Birmingham, Manchester and Woking.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Waseem is 699 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

699

2016, ranked #7,712

Peak year

2016

699 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 699 in 2016, ranked #7,712.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Waseem surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Waseem surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Waseem 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
1997 modern 86 #28,876
1998 modern 99 #27,785
1999 modern 137 #23,083
2000 modern 168 #20,252
2001 modern 177 #19,357
2002 modern 235 #16,495
2003 modern 256 #15,377
2004 modern 321 #13,284
2005 modern 360 #12,112
2006 modern 413 #10,959
2007 modern 452 #10,298
2008 modern 492 #9,771
2009 modern 540 #9,294
2010 modern 599 #8,796
2011 modern 608 #8,597
2012 modern 630 #8,275
2013 modern 663 #8,082
2014 modern 682 #7,941
2015 modern 676 #7,943
2016 modern 699 #7,712

Geography

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Where Waseems 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 Birmingham, Manchester, Woking, Redbridge and Oldham. 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 Birmingham 139 Birmingham
2 Manchester 027 Manchester
3 Woking 004 Woking
4 Redbridge 030 Redbridge
5 Oldham 035 Oldham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Waseem

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

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

Waseem 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

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

Meaning and origin of Waseem

The surname "WASEEM" is believed to have originated in the Arabic-speaking regions of the Middle East and North Africa. It is derived from the Arabic word "wasim," which means "handsome" or "beautiful." The name is thought to have first emerged sometime during the medieval period, around the 7th to 9th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the writings of the renowned Arab historian and philosopher, Al-Masudi, who lived from 896 to 956 AD. In his work, "The Meadows of Gold and Mines of Gems," he mentions a person named Waseem al-Baghdadi, a scholar and poet from Baghdad.

During the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled from 750 to 1258 AD, the name Waseem gained popularity among the intellectual and literary circles of the time. Several notable figures bore this name, including Waseem al-Basri, a celebrated poet from Basra who lived in the 9th century.

In the 11th century, a manuscript titled "The Book of Waseem," written by a scholar named Waseem al-Andalusi, was widely circulated in the Iberian Peninsula. This work covered various topics such as philosophy, literature, and the sciences, reflecting the diverse interests of the author.

The name Waseem also appeared in various historical records from the Ottoman Empire, which ruled over parts of the Middle East and North Africa from the 14th to the 20th centuries. One notable figure was Waseem Pasha, a high-ranking Ottoman military commander who fought in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878.

Another prominent individual with the surname Waseem was Waseem al-Hadrami, a Sufi scholar and mystic who lived in Yemen during the 16th century. His teachings and writings on Islamic spirituality had a significant influence on the development of Sufism in the region.

Over the centuries, the name Waseem has spread to different parts of the world, carried by individuals and families who trace their ancestry back to the Middle East and North Africa. Today, people bearing the surname Waseem can be found in various countries, including Pakistan, India, the United States, and several European nations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Waseem surname: questions and answers

How common is the Waseem surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 699 in 2016. That gives Waseem a modern rank of #7,712.

What does the Waseem surname mean?

A Muslim surname meaning "handsome" or "illustrious" in Arabic.

What does the Waseem map show?

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