NameCensus.

UK surname

Zaharia

A Romanian surname derived from the Biblical name Zechariah.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnet, Bedford and Haringey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Zaharia is 220 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

220

2016, ranked #18,376

Peak year

2016

220 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 220 in 2016, ranked #18,376.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Zaharia surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Zaharia surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Zaharia 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 5 #33,728
1997 modern 7 #37,533
1998 modern 8 #37,334
1999 modern 7 #37,513
2000 modern 9 #37,119
2001 modern 7 #37,293
2002 modern 7 #37,379
2003 modern 8 #37,248
2004 modern 7 #37,496
2005 modern 8 #37,422
2006 modern 16 #36,601
2007 modern 25 #36,006
2008 modern 35 #35,441
2009 modern 43 #35,088
2010 modern 54 #34,582
2011 modern 56 #34,450
2012 modern 110 #28,514
2013 modern 131 #25,932
2014 modern 169 #22,006
2015 modern 197 #19,774
2016 modern 220 #18,376

Geography

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Where Zaharias 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 Barnet, Bedford, Haringey and Barking and Dagenham. 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 Barnet 034 Barnet
2 Bedford 013 Bedford
3 Haringey 010 Haringey
4 Barking and Dagenham 013 Barking and Dagenham
5 Barnet 024 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Zaharia

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Zaharia

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

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Zaharia surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Zaharia 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

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, Zaharia 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

Zaharia 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

Zaharia falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Zaharia 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
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Zaharia

The surname Zaharia has its origins in Romania, a country in Southeastern Europe. It is derived from the Hebrew given name Zechariah, meaning "Yahweh has remembered" or "God has remembered." The name likely entered the Romanian lexicon through the influence of Christianity, which adopted many Hebrew names due to Biblical texts. The earliest usage of the surname can be traced back to medieval times, reflecting the importance of religious and cultural transmission.

Medieval records in Romania document various forms of the surname, including Zaharie and Zahariea, with the variations depending on regional dialects and orthographic practices of the time. Historical manuscripts from the 15th and 16th centuries frequently mention individuals with the surname Zaharia, particularly in regions such as Wallachia and Transylvania. These areas were known for their significant Christian populations, where Biblical names were prevalent.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Zaharia appears in a 16th-century document from Wallachia, listing a certain Ion Zaharia, a local landowner. Another significant historical figure is Ștefan Zaharia, born around 1620 and noted in church records for his contributions to the Orthodox Church in Moldavia. His descendants continued to play roles in ecclesiastical and local administrative affairs well into the 18th century.

The surname also appears in the chronicles of the Transylvanian Saxons. Petru Zaharia, a merchant and civic leader in the city of Sibiu during the late 17th century, was a notable example. His influence in trade relations between Romanians and Saxons is well-documented in town records from 1690 to 1715. Zaharia's merchant activities bridged cultural and economic gaps, underscoring the surname's presence in diverse spheres.

By the 18th century, Zaharia had become a reasonably established surname within Romanian nobility. One prominent family member, Gheorghe Zaharia, born in 1743, served as a boyar in the court of Prince Alexandru Mavrocordat of Moldavia. Gheorghe's political alliances and landholdings were meticulously chronicled in the court registers, cementing the family's noble status.

The Zaharia surname continued to be prominent in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Anastasie Zaharia, an Orthodox bishop born in 1850, was noted for his theological works and his role in the unification of Romanian religious practices across different regions. His publications and ecclesiastical reforms were influential up until his death in 1925.

Throughout history, the surname Zaharia reflected robust connections to Romanian cultural and religious identity. Individuals bearing this surname were often linked to the church, commerce, and local governance, highlighting the name's integration into various facets of Romanian society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Zaharia surname: questions and answers

How common is the Zaharia surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 220 in 2016. That gives Zaharia a modern rank of #18,376.

What does the Zaharia surname mean?

A Romanian surname derived from the Biblical name Zechariah.

What does the Zaharia map show?

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