Khan, Ahmed and Ali overtake traditional British surnames

Summary

• Traditional British surnames are becoming less common among newborns in England and Wales, while surnames such as Khan, Ahmed and Ali are gaining popularity, according to a survey reported by British media.
• In 1996, Smith, Jones and Williams were among the most common surnames recorded for babies born in England and Wales.
• The 10 most frequently recorded surnames among newborns in 2025 were Smith, Khan, Ahmed, Ali, Jones, Hussain, Singh, Williams, Patel and Kaur.

AI Generated Summary

Traditional British surnames are becoming less common among newborns in England and Wales, while surnames such as Khan, Ahmed and Ali are gaining popularity, according to a survey reported by British media. The changing trend reflects a significant shift in the surnames being recorded for children over the past three decades.

Data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that surnames historically common in Britain, including Taylor, Brown and Johnson, are losing ground in the rankings. Meanwhile, Khan, Ahmed, Ali, Hussain, Singh, Patel and Kaur have become increasingly prominent among newborns.

In 1996, Smith, Jones and Williams were among the most common surnames recorded for babies born in England and Wales. Taylor, Brown, Davis, Evans, Thomas, Johnson and Wilson also featured among the top 10 surnames during that period.