NameCensus.

UK surname

Yunis

An Arabic surname meaning "son of Jonah."

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Kirklees and Pendle.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Yunis is 217 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

191

2016, ranked #20,194

Peak year

2010

217 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 191 in 2016, ranked #20,194.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Yunis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Yunis surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Yunis 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
1901 historical 1 #34,548
1997 modern 124 #23,669
1998 modern 126 #24,094
1999 modern 137 #23,083
2000 modern 137 #23,048
2001 modern 139 #22,541
2002 modern 146 #22,302
2003 modern 146 #22,069
2004 modern 144 #22,379
2005 modern 172 #19,908
2006 modern 178 #19,666
2007 modern 193 #18,923
2008 modern 192 #19,143
2009 modern 212 #18,328
2010 modern 217 #18,443
2011 modern 210 #18,677
2012 modern 200 #19,207
2013 modern 202 #19,389
2014 modern 195 #20,036
2015 modern 194 #19,994
2016 modern 191 #20,194

Geography

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Where Yunis' 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 Bradford, Kirklees, Pendle and Pollokshields West. 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 Bradford 009 Bradford
2 Bradford 044 Bradford
3 Kirklees 039 Kirklees
4 Pendle 011 Pendle
5 Pollokshields West Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Yunis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Yunis

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

Yunis 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

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

Meaning and origin of Yunis

The surname Yunis has its roots in the Middle East, specifically within the Arabic-speaking regions. The name is derived from the Arabic word "Yūnus," which is the Arabic form of the biblical name Jonah. The name can be traced back to early Islamic history, where it first gained prominence. The story of Jonah, or Yunis, is an essential narrative within the Abrahamic religions, which might have contributed to the adoption of the name as a surname.

Earliest references to the surname Yunis can be found in historical Arabic manuscripts and records dating back to the early Islamic period, around the 7th century. Given its religious connotations, the name was possibly prevalent among the followers of Islam as a sign of respect and connection to Prophet Yunis, known for his tale of being swallowed by a large fish or whale. Variations of the name such as Younes or Younis appear in historical texts and inscriptions across regions in the Middle East and North Africa.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Yunis is Abu Yusuf Yunis al-Sadafi, a 9th-century Egyptian scholar and student of Imam Shafi’i, a famous Islamic jurist. Born around 770 AD, Yunis al-Sadafi made significant contributions to Islamic jurisprudence and education. Another historical figure is Yunis al-Asturlabi, a mathematician and astronomer from Baghdad in the 10th century. His works in the field of astronomy contributed to the advancements of early Islamic science.

The surname also appears in historical records of Andalusia during the time of Muslim rule in Spain. One prominent figure is Yunis ibn Hamid al-Qurtubi, an Andalusian scholar known for his writings in the 11th century. With the decline of Muslim rule in Spain, the surname migrated back into North African territories, continuing to appear in records and scholarly works.

In the Ottoman period, Yunis Nadi Abalıoğlu is a well-known historical figure. Born in 1879, Yunis Nadi was a Turkish journalist and one of the leading figures in the Turkish War of Independence. He was instrumental in founding the Cumhuriyet, one of Turkey's leading newspapers, and remained an influential public figure until his death in 1945.

In modern history, Yunis Khalis, an Afghan mujahideen leader born around 1919, used the surname. Khalis was a significant figure during the Soviet-Afghan War and later in Afghan politics.

Throughout these historical periods, the surname Yunis has been associated with individuals contributing significantly to religious studies, sciences, literature, and political movements. Its presence across different regions mirrors the historical migration and cultural expanses of the Islamic world, continuously reflecting the deep historical and religious roots from which it originated.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Yunis surname: questions and answers

How common is the Yunis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 191 in 2016. That gives Yunis a modern rank of #20,194.

What does the Yunis surname mean?

An Arabic surname meaning "son of Jonah."

What does the Yunis map show?

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