NameCensus.

UK surname

Abreu

A Portuguese and Galician surname indicating a person who lived near a plot of land overgrown with heather.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lambeth, South Holland and Hounslow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Abreu is 686 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

686

2016, ranked #7,823

Peak year

2016

686 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 686 in 2016, ranked #7,823.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Abreu surname distribution map

The map shows where the Abreu surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Abreu surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Abreu over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1911 historical 1 #34,332
1997 modern 197 #17,792
1998 modern 226 #16,800
1999 modern 246 #15,974
2000 modern 240 #16,186
2001 modern 235 #16,147
2002 modern 260 #15,415
2003 modern 271 #14,787
2004 modern 297 #13,971
2005 modern 329 #12,966
2006 modern 379 #11,688
2007 modern 384 #11,726
2008 modern 439 #10,640
2009 modern 501 #9,843
2010 modern 546 #9,408
2011 modern 532 #9,512
2012 modern 566 #8,981
2013 modern 599 #8,765
2014 modern 651 #8,244
2015 modern 668 #8,009
2016 modern 686 #7,823

Geography

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Where Abreus are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lambeth, South Holland, Hounslow and Kingston upon Thames. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lambeth 010 Lambeth
2 South Holland 007 South Holland
3 Hounslow 024 Hounslow
4 Kingston upon Thames 006 Kingston upon Thames
5 Hounslow 021 Hounslow

Forenames

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First names often paired with Abreu

These lists show first names that appear often with the Abreu surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Abreu

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Abreu, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Abreu surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Abreu household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Abreu is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Abreu is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Abreu falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Abreu is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Abreu, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Abreu

The surname Abreu originated in Portugal and is of patronymic origin, derived from the personal name Abrão, which was a Portuguese form of the Hebrew name Abraham. The earliest known bearers of this surname lived in the northern regions of Portugal, particularly in the provinces of Minho and Douro Litoral.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Abreu can be found in the medieval Portuguese manuscript "Livro Velho de Linhagens" (Old Book of Lineages), which dates back to the 13th century. This document mentions several individuals with the surname Abreu, suggesting that the name was already well-established in Portugal by that time.

In the 15th century, during the Age of Exploration, several individuals with the surname Abreu played significant roles in the Portuguese maritime expeditions. One notable figure was João de Abreu, a navigator and explorer who participated in the expeditions to India and the East African coast in the early 16th century.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Pedro de Abreu, a Portuguese conquistador who was involved in the conquest of Brazil in the 16th century. He is credited with founding the city of Santos in 1546, which later became an important port city in the state of São Paulo.

In the 17th century, Manuel de Abreu Sousa was a renowned Portuguese jurist and author. He wrote several legal treatises and served as a judge in the Portuguese courts during the reign of King John IV.

During the 18th century, José Antonio de Abreu was a renowned Brazilian architect and engineer. He was responsible for designing and overseeing the construction of several important buildings and infrastructure projects in the city of Rio de Janeiro, including the iconic Carioca Aqueduct.

In the 19th century, Joaquim Aurélio Barreto Nabuco de Abreu, commonly known as Joaquim Nabuco, was a prominent Brazilian diplomat, historian, and abolitionist. He played a crucial role in the movement to abolish slavery in Brazil and served as the country's ambassador to the United States and the United Kingdom.

The surname Abreu has also been associated with various place names throughout Portugal and its former colonies. For example, the town of Abreu in the district of Vila Real, Portugal, and the municipality of Abreu e Lima in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, both derive their names from individuals with the surname Abreu.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Abreu surname: questions and answers

How common is the Abreu surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 686 in 2016. That gives Abreu a modern rank of #7,823.

What does the Abreu surname mean?

A Portuguese and Galician surname indicating a person who lived near a plot of land overgrown with heather.

What does the Abreu map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Abreu bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.