NameCensus.

UK surname

Zachariah

A Hebrew surname meaning "the Lord has remembered".

In the 1881 census there were 26 people recorded with the Zachariah surname, ranking it #29,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 125, ranked #26,827, up from #29,911 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sefton, Swansea and Merton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Zachariah is 126 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 380.8%.

1881 census count

26

Ranked #29,911

Modern count

125

2016, ranked #26,827

Peak year

2011

126 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Zachariah had 26 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,911 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016, ranked #26,827.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 35 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Zachariah surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Zachariah surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Zachariah 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 34 #27,194
1861 historical 35 #29,571
1881 historical 26 #29,911
1891 historical 35 #31,540
1901 historical 31 #30,616
1911 historical 34 #29,600
1997 modern 53 #32,329
1998 modern 65 #31,477
1999 modern 62 #31,893
2000 modern 67 #31,473
2001 modern 69 #31,098
2002 modern 78 #30,601
2003 modern 79 #30,549
2004 modern 81 #30,569
2005 modern 90 #29,527
2006 modern 103 #27,785
2007 modern 111 #26,954
2008 modern 115 #26,635
2009 modern 122 #26,220
2010 modern 124 #26,582
2011 modern 126 #26,060
2012 modern 122 #26,696
2013 modern 120 #27,406
2014 modern 123 #27,206
2015 modern 123 #27,088
2016 modern 125 #26,827

Geography

Back to top

Where Zachariahs 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 Sefton, Swansea, Merton and St Albans. 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 Sefton 009 Sefton
2 Swansea 012 Swansea
3 Merton 004 Merton
4 Swansea 011 Swansea
5 St Albans 020 St Albans

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Zachariah

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Zachariah

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Zachariah surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Zachariah household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Zachariah is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Zachariah 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

Zachariah falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Zachariah 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
Asian - Indian

This describes the area pattern most associated with Zachariah, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Zachariah

The surname Zachariah has its origins in the Hebraic tradition, dating back to ancient Israel. It is derived from the Hebrew name Zechariah, which means "God has remembered." This name itself has its roots in the Hebrew words "zakar" (to remember) and "yah" (God), indicating a theophoric reference to the deity of the culture. Historically, the name was used predominantly by the Hebrew people and is mentioned frequently in religious texts.

Zachariah spread to various regions with the diasporic movements of Jewish communities. During the early centuries, variations of the surname began to appear in different parts of the Middle East and later in European records. The Jewish communities in medieval Europe often preserved the name in its original or slightly altered forms. For example, the name appears in medieval documents in Germany as Zacharias or Zacharie, reflecting local linguistic influences.

The surname is documented in various historical records. One of the earliest recorded usages of a similar surname is in the medieval Geniza documents of Cairo, dating back to the 10th century. Here, the surname was used among Jewish merchants and scholars. Another recorded instance is in the rolls of Jewish communities in medieval Spain during the Reconquista, where the name was preserved through generations despite the tumultuous history of the period.

Famous historical figures bearing the surname include Yitzhak Zachariah, a prominent Jewish scholar in 12th-century Spain, who contributed to Jewish thought and interreligious dialogue. Another notable person is Rabbi Moses ben Zachariah, a well-respected religious leader and commentator during the 14th century in France. In early modern history, Abraham Zachariah, born in 1578 and died in 1650, was a prominent financier in Venice who played a crucial role in the economic activities of the Jewish Ghetto.

By the 18th century, the surname had reached the British Isles, with one of the early bearers being Solomon Zachariah, a merchant recorded in London in 1725. The name further spread to the Americas with the emigration of Jewish families, including the family of Benjamin Zachariah, an early settler in New York in the late 18th century. Ezekiel Zachariah, another prominent figure, was known for his contributions to the medical field in 19th-century Vienna, advancing studies in the treatment of infectious diseases.

Throughout its history, the surname Zachariah has maintained its religious and cultural significance, while adapting to the linguistic and regional variations of the diverse areas it touched. Its bearers have played notable roles in various fields, contributing significantly to the communities and cultures they were part of.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Zachariah families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Zachariah 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. Middlesex leads with 10 Zachariahs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.94x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 10 3.94x
Carmarthenshire 7 65.48x
Brecknockshire 3 59.17x
Hampshire 2 3.85x
Yorkshire 2 0.80x
Lancashire 1 0.33x
Sussex 1 2.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Spitalfields London in Middlesex leads with 8 Zachariahs recorded in 1881 and an index of 418.85x.

Place Total Index
Spitalfields London 8 418.85x
Pembrey 7 1428.57x
Llanelly 3 491.80x
Kensington London 2 14.18x
Portsea 2 19.63x
York St Mary 2 192.31x
Brighton 1 11.59x
Urmston 1 500.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Hannah 2
Jane 2
Adelaide 1
Elenor 1
Fanny 1
Margaret 1
Rachel 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
David 3
John 2
Alfred 1
Baron 1
Edward 1
Evan 1
Ferdinand 1
Henry 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Joseph 1
Leon 1
Louis 1
William 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 Zachariah households.

FAQ

Zachariah surname: questions and answers

How common was the Zachariah surname in 1881?

In 1881, 26 people were recorded with the Zachariah surname. That placed it at #29,911 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Zachariah surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016. That gives Zachariah a modern rank of #26,827.

What does the Zachariah surname mean?

A Hebrew surname meaning "the Lord has remembered".

What does the Zachariah map show?

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