Lots, we know, but for the first time, a four-year research project has produced details about 45,600 most common family names in Britain and Ireland – and with more than 100,000 mentions, Patel is among them. Details of the project led by academics at the University of the West of England, Bristol, were revealed on Thursday, coinciding with the publication of the Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland. Lead researcher Richard Coates said: “There is widespread interest in family names and their history. We have paid particular attention, wherever possible, to linking family names to locations.”An example of a recent immigrant surname is Patel, which has not been explained before in any dictionary covering the surnames of Britain and Ireland. It is one of the most common Indian surnames in Britain, with more than 100,000 bearers in 2011.

Source: Hindustan Times November 17, 2016 11:15 UTC