NameCensus.

UK surname

Alcantara

A Spanish habitational surname indicating an individual who lived near a bridge or in a place with such a name.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Westminster, Brent and Southwark.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Alcantara is 119 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

117

2016, ranked #28,033

Peak year

2014

119 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016, ranked #28,033.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Alcantara surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Alcantara surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Alcantara 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
1997 modern 40 #33,666
1998 modern 41 #33,747
1999 modern 40 #33,967
2000 modern 46 #33,458
2001 modern 46 #33,311
2002 modern 47 #33,548
2003 modern 44 #33,875
2004 modern 51 #33,478
2005 modern 46 #34,081
2006 modern 58 #33,433
2007 modern 56 #33,875
2008 modern 65 #33,303
2009 modern 82 #32,048
2010 modern 88 #31,875
2011 modern 87 #31,905
2012 modern 103 #29,733
2013 modern 107 #29,561
2014 modern 119 #27,813
2015 modern 118 #27,833
2016 modern 117 #28,033

Geography

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Where Alcantaras 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 Westminster, Brent and Southwark. 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 Westminster 017 Westminster
2 Westminster 009 Westminster
3 Brent 025 Brent
4 Brent 031 Brent
5 Southwark 018 Southwark

Forenames

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First names often paired with Alcantara

These lists show first names that appear often with the Alcantara 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 Alcantara

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Alcantara is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Alcantara 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

Alcantara 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 Alcantara is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Alcantara

The surname Alcantara is believed to have originated from the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in Portugal and Spain, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Arabic words "al-qantarah," which translates to "the bridge." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who lived near a bridge or were associated with the construction or maintenance of bridges.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Alcantara can be found in the historic town of Alcantara, located in the Estremadura region of Portugal. This town, situated on the banks of the Tagus River, was once an important military outpost during the Reconquista, the period when Christian kingdoms fought to reclaim territories from Muslim rulers.

The name Alcantara has been documented in various historical records, including the Portuguese Livro Velho de Linhagens (Old Book of Lineages) from the 13th century. This manuscript, which chronicles the genealogies of noble families, mentions individuals bearing the Alcantara surname.

In Spain, the surname Alcantara is closely associated with the town of Alcántara, located in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura. This town was once the site of a strategically important Roman bridge over the Tagus River, known as the Puente Alcántara, which played a crucial role in the region's history.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Alcantara was Fernão de Alcantara, a Portuguese nobleman who lived in the 14th century. He was a prominent figure during the reign of King Fernando I of Portugal and played a significant role in the Portuguese conquest of the Algarve region from the Moors.

Another notable figure was Bartolomé de Alcantara (1499-1541), a Spanish Franciscan friar and mystic known for his ascetic lifestyle and spiritual writings. He was beatified by Pope Clement IX in 1668 and is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church.

In the 16th century, Pedro de Alcantara (1499-1562), a Spanish friar and reformer of the Franciscan Order, gained recognition for his austere lifestyle and spiritual teachings. He was a close friend and spiritual advisor to St. Teresa of Avila and was canonized by Pope Clement IX in 1669.

During the 17th century, Pedro de Alcantara Álvarez de Toledo (1589-1667), a Spanish nobleman and military leader, served as the Viceroy of Naples and later as the Viceroy of Sicily. He played a significant role in the Spanish Empire's affairs during the Thirty Years' War.

In more recent times, the surname Alcantara has been associated with notable figures such as Rubén Alcántara (1920-2004), a renowned Peruvian poet and essayist, and María Alcántara (1944-2015), a Spanish actress and singer who gained popularity in the 1960s and 1970s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Alcantara surname: questions and answers

How common is the Alcantara surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016. That gives Alcantara a modern rank of #28,033.

What does the Alcantara surname mean?

A Spanish habitational surname indicating an individual who lived near a bridge or in a place with such a name.

What does the Alcantara map show?

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