UK surname
A Spanish surname derived from the given name Adam, which means "man" or "of the red earth."
In the 1881 census there were 151 people recorded with the Adames surname, ranking it #15,419 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 56, ranked #34,562, down from #15,419 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Pagham, St Pancras and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Adames is 336 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 62.9%.
1881 census count
151
Ranked #15,419
Modern count
56
2016, ranked #34,562
Peak year
1861
336 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Adames surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Adames surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 210 | #10,030 |
| 1861 | historical | 336 | #7,589 |
| 1881 | historical | 151 | #15,419 |
| 1891 | historical | 214 | #14,214 |
| 1901 | historical | 133 | #19,372 |
| 1911 | historical | 123 | #20,128 |
| 1997 | modern | 51 | #32,545 |
| 1998 | modern | 51 | #32,816 |
| 1999 | modern | 49 | #33,130 |
| 2000 | modern | 50 | #33,087 |
| 2001 | modern | 49 | #33,048 |
| 2002 | modern | 52 | #33,110 |
| 2003 | modern | 52 | #33,160 |
| 2004 | modern | 46 | #33,883 |
| 2005 | modern | 46 | #34,081 |
| 2006 | modern | 47 | #34,335 |
| 2007 | modern | 48 | #34,488 |
| 2008 | modern | 50 | #34,521 |
| 2009 | modern | 47 | #34,856 |
| 2010 | modern | 51 | #34,773 |
| 2011 | modern | 49 | #34,868 |
| 2012 | modern | 54 | #34,608 |
| 2013 | modern | 53 | #34,715 |
| 2014 | modern | 53 | #34,753 |
| 2015 | modern | 55 | #34,620 |
| 2016 | modern | 56 | #34,562 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Pagham, St Pancras, London parishes, South Bersted and Bognor and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pagham | Sussex |
| 2 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | South Bersted and Bognor | Sussex |
| 5 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Adames surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Adames, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Adames surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Adames household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Adames is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Adames is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Adames, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Adames originated from the Spanish and Portuguese regions of the Iberian Peninsula. It is believed to have derived from the given name Adam, which has its roots in the Hebrew word "adamah" meaning "earth" or "ground." The earliest records of this surname can be traced back to the 12th century in various parts of Spain and Portugal.
During the Middle Ages, the name Adames was prevalent among the Jewish communities residing in the Iberian region. It is likely that the surname was adopted by Sephardic Jews who later converted to Christianity during the Inquisition period. The name then spread across Europe and the Americas as a result of migrations and colonization.
One of the earliest documented instances of the surname Adames can be found in the "Libro de Repartimiento de Mallorca," a 13th-century record of land distribution in the Balearic Islands. This document mentions several individuals with the surname Adames who were granted properties on the island of Mallorca.
In the 15th century, the name appeared in various municipal records and historical documents across Spain and Portugal. Notable individuals with the surname Adames from this period include Juan Adames, a Spanish navigator and explorer who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Adames family gained prominence in the Spanish colonies of the Americas. One notable figure was Diego Adames, a Spanish conquistador and explorer who participated in the conquest of Puerto Rico in the early 1500s.
In the 18th century, the Adames surname appeared in various records of the Spanish Empire, including military rolls and colonial censuses. Antonio Adames, a Spanish military officer and governor of Florida from 1736 to 1743, is one notable figure from this period.
Another prominent individual with the surname Adames was José Adames, a Cuban politician and revolutionary who played a key role in the struggle for Cuban independence from Spain in the late 19th century.
As the Adames surname spread across the globe, it has been associated with various historical figures and notable individuals. For example, Manuel Adames, a Mexican artist and painter known for his murals and frescoes, lived in the early 20th century.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Adames surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Sussex leads with 51 Adames' recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.40x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Sussex | 51 | 20.40x |
| Middlesex | 20 | 1.35x |
| Hampshire | 19 | 6.25x |
| Norfolk | 12 | 5.26x |
| Durham | 11 | 2.49x |
| Surrey | 10 | 1.38x |
| Somerset | 9 | 3.77x |
| Derbyshire | 7 | 3.02x |
| Cheshire | 5 | 1.53x |
| Leicestershire | 4 | 2.43x |
| Essex | 2 | 0.68x |
| Northamptonshire | 1 | 0.72x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 5.66x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Subdeanery in Sussex leads with 18 Adames' recorded in 1881 and an index of 947.37x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Subdeanery | 18 | 947.37x |
| Portsea | 14 | 23.51x |
| Kelling | 12 | 10909.09x |
| Ashill | 9 | 3750.00x |
| Gateshead | 8 | 24.23x |
| Dronfield | 7 | 235.69x |
| Islington London | 7 | 4.87x |
| Pagham | 7 | 1590.91x |
| South Bersted | 6 | 281.69x |
| St Pancras London | 6 | 5.03x |
| West Dean | 6 | 1621.62x |
| Hackney London | 5 | 6.02x |
| Macclesfield | 5 | 34.36x |
| Leicester St Mary | 4 | 30.12x |
| Lewes St Ann | 4 | 470.59x |
| Bishopwearmouth | 3 | 7.92x |
| Boarhunt | 3 | 2000.00x |
| Camberwell | 3 | 3.17x |
| Chichester St Andrew | 3 | 1153.85x |
| Lambeth | 3 | 2.32x |
| Croydon | 2 | 4.99x |
| East Lavant | 2 | 1000.00x |
| Havant | 2 | 129.87x |
| Subdeanary | 2 | 298.51x |
| Beddington | 1 | 35.84x |
| Chichester St | 1 | 625.00x |
| Chipping Ongar | 1 | 200.00x |
| Clerkenwell London | 1 | 2.86x |
| Donnington | 1 | 588.24x |
| Horley | 1 | 82.64x |
| Northampton Priory St | 1 | 11.95x |
| Orsett | 1 | 131.58x |
| St George Hanover Square | 1 | 3.83x |
| Stoughton | 1 | 312.50x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Adames surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 16 |
| Elizabeth | 5 |
| Alice | 3 |
| Harriett | 3 |
| Caroline | 2 |
| Ellen | 2 |
| Emily | 2 |
| Margaret | 2 |
| Margreat | 2 |
| Ada | 1 |
| Agnes | 1 |
| Ann | 1 |
| Annie | 1 |
| Bertha | 1 |
| Bessie | 1 |
| Blanche | 1 |
| Catherine | 1 |
| Charlott | 1 |
| Clara | 1 |
| Edith | 1 |
| Eliza | 1 |
| Elizth. | 1 |
| Fanny | 1 |
| Florence | 1 |
| Frances | 1 |
| Hannah | 1 |
| Henrietta | 1 |
| Hester | 1 |
| Isabella | 1 |
| Jane | 1 |
| Janette | 1 |
| Julia | 1 |
| Lenora | 1 |
| Lillie | 1 |
| Lucy | 1 |
| Mabel | 1 |
| Maggie | 1 |
| Maria | 1 |
| Martha | 1 |
| Rachel | 1 |
| Sarah | 1 |
| Susana | 1 |
| Tabetha | 1 |
| Thirza | 1 |
| Winfred | 1 |
| Winiford | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Adames surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| William | 9 |
| Alfred | 7 |
| Charles | 6 |
| John | 6 |
| James | 5 |
| Thomas | 5 |
| Frederick | 3 |
| Henry | 3 |
| Jas. | 3 |
| Edwin | 2 |
| Fredk. | 2 |
| George | 2 |
| Joseph | 2 |
| Samuel | 2 |
| Andrew | 1 |
| Arnold | 1 |
| Arthur | 1 |
| Atley | 1 |
| Chas. | 1 |
| Chas.S. | 1 |
| Cornelius | 1 |
| E.K. | 1 |
| Edward | 1 |
| Ernest | 1 |
| Ernst | 1 |
| Frances | 1 |
| Harry | 1 |
| Lawrance | 1 |
| Melville | 1 |
| Owen | 1 |
| Roberet | 1 |
| Robt. | 1 |
| Sidney | 1 |
| Walter | 1 |
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Adames households.
FAQ
In 1881, 151 people were recorded with the Adames surname. That placed it at #15,419 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 56 in 2016. That gives Adames a modern rank of #34,562.
A Spanish surname derived from the given name Adam, which means "man" or "of the red earth."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Adames bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.