Meanwhile, surnames with roots in South Asian and Muslim communities have climbed dramatically up the rankings.
The shift is among the most vivid statistical illustrations yet of how immigration and changing birth rates are reshaping the cultural landscape of England and Wales.
Back in 1996, Smith, Jones and Williams occupied the top three positions for newborn surnames. Taylor, Brown, Davies, Evans, Thomas, Johnson and Wilson completed that year’s leading ten.
The picture in 2025 looks remarkably different. Today’s top 10 reads: Smith, Khan, Ahmed, Ali, Jones, Hussain, Singh, Williams, Patel and Kaur.
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