London’s most common surnames listed by area and origin in a natty map

[editor]

This is interesting stuff. NW London is almost entirely Patel and the East End is dominated by Begums.

Data-chewing whizzkid James Cheshire has imbibed a ton of facts from the 2001 electoral register to create an interactive map showing off the most common surnames in London by area.

http://www.urban75.org/blog/londons-most-common-surnames-listed-by-area-and-origin-in-a-natty-map/

 

[Dan U]

No great surprise about east London, Tower Hamlets is 40% Bangladeshi Iirc

 

[Steel Icarus]

That's an interesting map, especially for someone like me who's not from London, rarely goes, and doesn't really have any idea about the demographics.

 

[Crispy]

Map here: http://names.mappinglondon.co.uk/

I had no idea NW london was so thoroughly Patel!

 

[editor]

I thought there's be more Irish names in there, especially around Kilburn...

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I have learnt form that websites surname finder that my name is probably more popular in OZ than here these days. I also found out that almost every swear word or rude body part is a surname somewhere in the world.

 

[editor]

And more of his spoddy stuff here: http://spatialanalysis.co.uk/

 

[Dan U]

The maps are pretty cool.

 

[The Octagon]

Very interesting, although I looked at the map example in the OP and was about to say "I'd have thought Smith would feature more", then took a look at the full map

 

[joevsimp]

erm, Joseph is a Jewish name but Abrahams is English?

 

[N_igma]

Thanks for sharing

 

[King Biscuit Time]

erm, Joseph is a Jewish name but Abrahams is English?

Apparently true although I would imagine there's plenty of Jewish and Non-Jewish Josephs and Abrahams'

 

[krtek a houby]

I thought there's be more Irish names in there, especially around Kilburn...

We've spread out a bit

 

[kained&able]

If i was a smith i'd change my name. Clearly far far to many of em about.

dave

 

[marty21]

I thought there's be more Irish names in there, especially around Kilburn...

I don't think a lot of Irish move there now - heyday was the 60s/70s/80s - and the older Irish there are dying out now.

 

[dennisr]

the maps dead good - the world map it links to is even better! - thanks for the links

 

[Orang Utan]

wilson is a scottish name?

 

[editor]

Scottish and English according to this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson_(surname)

 

[ericjarvis]

I thought there's be more Irish names in there, especially around Kilburn...

It's more about how much a few names dominate a particular community. No Irish name has the sort of frequency amongst the Irish as Begum does amongst Bangladeshis.

 

[Miss-Shelf]

surnames may be a bit misleading as, for instance, Begum is only a female name for Bangladeshi Muslims IIR

 

[Treacle Toes]

Interestingly, my mum's maiden name features really highly .

 

[Treacle Toes]

surnames may be a bit misleading as, for instance, Begum is only a female name for Bangladeshi Muslims IIR

Good point.

be·gum
n.
1. A Muslim woman of rank.
2. Used as a form of address for such a woman.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/begum

 

[Oswaldtwistle]

No great surprise about east London, Tower Hamlets is 40% Bangladeshi Iirc

Slightly less than that in 2001- 33%. White British were still the largest single group at 43%. Not sure how the demographics have shifted since then.

 

[Dr Dolittle]

On the question of Kilburn's Irish community, I see from the main map there's a lot of Murphys roughly where Kilburn is.

What that map also tells you - tho' I'd question its accuracy - is that contrary to what it may seem like, London's population is very much British dominated.

 

[Miss-Shelf]

Slightly less than that in 2001- 33%. White British were still the largest single group at 43%. Not sure how the demographics have shifted since then.

the adult population of Tower Hamlets is more mixed
the under 18 population of Tower Hamlets is majority Bangladeshi (don't have exact figures) just remember it from working in childrens services there

I think that's a relevant point all over London - figures don't always suggest how the population is changing in the young generation

 

[Oswaldtwistle]

What that map also tells you - tho' I'd question its accuracy - is that contrary to what it may seem like, London's population is very much British dominated.

Yes and no, DD. In 2001 London as a whole was 60% white British. That's obviously a clear majority, but nowhere near as much as England as a whole, which is 87% white British. I don't have time to check them all right now, but I think you would find most Inner London borurghs to be 'majority-minority' although in most cases White British is still the single largest group.

Heres the breakdown for Kilburn, if you are interested. http://www.neighbourhood.statistics...4&m=0&r=1&s=1296311879921&enc=1&dsFamilyId=47

 

[Oswaldtwistle]

Just to add, surnames are a piss-weak guide to ethnicity, for some fairly obvious reasons.

Firstly, as the project author himself says, some people Anglicise their surnames, and that gets passed on to their children. Even without that, a Robinson could be English or Irish, a Lewis could be white or black. Someone could have 3 out of 4 grandparents who are Pakistani, but still be called Smith, they could have 3 out of 4 who are white and still be a Patel.

This is interesting, but I don't think it has much practical use. The Census isn't perfect, but it's a much better guide to ethnicity.

 

[IMR]

It hints at possible founder effects, and how family structures might work.

Curious about how the surname Smith has become the most common occupational surname, beating Baker, Brewer, Butcher, Carpenter, Clark, Cutler, Farmer, Groom, Mason, Priest, Scrivener, Shepherd, Thatcher, Waterman, Weaver etc.

How did smiths get to be so successful with their offspring?

 

[trashpony]

There's a suspicious number of Welsh surnames in there

ed - there is still a pretty good bedrock of Irish in and around Kilburn but they are becoming a minority like Marty says. Most of them are 50 plus

 

[Oswaldtwistle]

It hints at possible founder effects, and how family structures might work.

There has certainly been some interesting stuff done in more rural areas contrasting Saxon and Norse surnames with those of more French/Norman origin, and interesting work tagging various surnames to occupational groups which has told us quite a bit about social and economic history and how various groups have moved around the country.

Not so sure a similar survey can tell us as much about contempary London tbh