Surname Khan Projected to Become Most Common Newborn Name in England
The surname Khan is projected to surpass Smith as the most common newborn family name in England and Wales, reflecting significant demographic shifts driven by immigration.
The surname Khan is projected to become the most common newborn family name in England and Wales, potentially dethroning Smith, which has held the top spot for centuries, according to a recent analysis by The Telegraph based on official Office for National Statistics (ONS) data. While Smith has historically dominated British demographics, the gap between the two names has narrowed significantly over recent decades.
In 2025, approximately 4,120 babies were given the surname Smith in England and Wales, compared to 3,772 for Khan. This marks a stark contrast to 1996, when Smith led by more than 5,400 births. According to the report, the use of the surname Smith among newborns is declining at an average annual rate of about 4%, while Khan is rising by roughly 1.9% annually. If current trends continue, Khan is expected to take the number one spot.
The demographic shift is even more pronounced when looking at broader trends. In 1996, all of the top ten most common newborn surnames in England and Wales were of traditional British origin. By 2025, only three traditional British names remained in the top ten, which now includes Smith, Khan, Ahmed, Ali, Jones, Hussain, Singh, Williams, Patel, and Kaur.
Experts point to immigration and shifting birth rates as primary drivers of this transformation. Noni Jurgensen, a researcher at the Oxford Migration Observatory, explained that the rise reflects migration patterns from South Asia, combined with declining birth rates among UK-born women. Census and official data underscore this evolution, showing that the percentage of the population identifying as Asian rose from 4.4% in 2001 to 9.3% in 2021, alongside an 18% increase in births to foreign-born mothers since 2008.
