NameCensus.

UK surname

Alarcon

A Spanish locational surname derived from a place name meaning "the fortress" or "the castle."

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fylde, Hounslow and Kensington and Chelsea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Alarcon is 108 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

108

2016, ranked #29,578

Peak year

2016

108 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 108 in 2016, ranked #29,578.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Alarcon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Alarcon surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Alarcon 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
1851 historical 1 #33,412
1861 historical 4 #33,628
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1901 historical 1 #34,548
1911 historical 1 #34,332
1997 modern 31 #34,582
1998 modern 35 #34,344
1999 modern 37 #34,248
2000 modern 41 #33,889
2001 modern 36 #34,171
2002 modern 45 #33,712
2003 modern 50 #33,362
2004 modern 49 #33,647
2005 modern 50 #33,784
2006 modern 56 #33,587
2007 modern 59 #33,634
2008 modern 66 #33,217
2009 modern 80 #32,277
2010 modern 90 #31,621
2011 modern 86 #32,006
2012 modern 88 #32,064
2013 modern 101 #30,591
2014 modern 106 #30,030
2015 modern 106 #29,895
2016 modern 108 #29,578

Geography

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Where Alarcons 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 Fylde, Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames and Christchurch. 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 Fylde 008 Fylde
2 Hounslow 015 Hounslow
3 Kensington and Chelsea 018 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Kingston upon Thames 019 Kingston upon Thames
5 Christchurch 006 Christchurch

Forenames

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First names often paired with Alarcon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Alarcon

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Alarcon, 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 Alarcon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Alarcon 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, Alarcon 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

Alarcon 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

Alarcon 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 Alarcon 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 Alarcon, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Alarcon

The surname Alarcon has its origins in Spain. It is derived from the Arabic words "al-arq" meaning "the sweat" or "perspiration," and later evolved into the Spanish word "alarcon," which referred to a small stream or brook. This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a small stream or brook.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Alarcon date back to the 13th century in the region of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. It appears in several historical records and manuscripts from that period, particularly in the areas around the city of Cuenca.

One notable historical reference to the name Alarcon is found in the "Cantar de Mio Cid" (The Poem of the Cid), a 12th-century epic poem that chronicles the life of the Castilian hero El Cid. The poem mentions the town of Alarcon, which may have been named after an individual with this surname.

In the 15th century, the Alarcon family played a significant role in the Reconquista, the centuries-long struggle between Christian and Muslim forces for control of the Iberian Peninsula. Juan Ruiz de Alarcon (1581-1639) was a celebrated Spanish playwright and author during the Golden Age of Spanish literature.

Another notable figure with this surname was Hernando de Alarcon (c. 1500-1541), a Spanish explorer who led an expedition to find the legendary Seven Cities of Gold in present-day New Mexico and Arizona.

Don Pedro Antonio de Alarcon (1833-1891) was a renowned Spanish novelist, playwright, and journalist. He is considered one of the most important writers of the 19th century in Spain.

Juan Ruiz de Alarcon y Mendoza (1581-1639) was a Mexican-born Spanish dramatist and playwright who is regarded as one of the greatest authors of the Spanish Golden Age theater.

Fabian de Alarcon y Covarrubias (1590-1667) was a Spanish painter and engraver who worked in the Baroque style and is known for his religious paintings and engravings.

These are just a few examples of the historical figures who have carried the surname Alarcon, which has its roots in the Spanish language and culture, and can be traced back to the medieval period.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Alarcon surname: questions and answers

How common is the Alarcon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 108 in 2016. That gives Alarcon a modern rank of #29,578.

What does the Alarcon surname mean?

A Spanish locational surname derived from a place name meaning "the fortress" or "the castle."

What does the Alarcon map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Alarcon 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.