NameCensus.

UK surname

Alphonso

A surname of Spanish and Portuguese origin, derived from the Germanic name "Alfonso".

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Alphonso surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 100, ranked #31,123, up from #34,027 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Merton, Windsor and Maidenhead and Bexley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Alphonso is 103 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9900.0%.

1881 census count

1

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

100

2016, ranked #31,123

Peak year

2014

103 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Alphonso had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016, ranked #31,123.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Alphonso surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Alphonso surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Alphonso 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
1861 historical 1 #34,435
1881 historical 1 #34,027
1891 historical 4 #34,098
1901 historical 3 #34,063
1911 historical 1 #34,332
1997 modern 61 #31,526
1998 modern 65 #31,477
1999 modern 64 #31,692
2000 modern 70 #31,180
2001 modern 68 #31,195
2002 modern 70 #31,432
2003 modern 75 #30,994
2004 modern 73 #31,403
2005 modern 73 #31,616
2006 modern 77 #31,510
2007 modern 82 #31,295
2008 modern 83 #31,483
2009 modern 93 #30,682
2010 modern 90 #31,621
2011 modern 96 #30,721
2012 modern 91 #31,659
2013 modern 98 #31,078
2014 modern 103 #30,539
2015 modern 102 #30,624
2016 modern 100 #31,123

Geography

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Where Alphonsos 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 Merton, Windsor and Maidenhead, Bexley, Great Yarmouth and Hillingdon. 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 Merton 017 Merton
2 Windsor and Maidenhead 015 Windsor and Maidenhead
3 Bexley 011 Bexley
4 Great Yarmouth 001 Great Yarmouth
5 Hillingdon 021 Hillingdon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Alphonso

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Alphonso

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Alphonso, 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

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Alphonso surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Alphonso 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 never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

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, Alphonso 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

Alphonso 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

Alphonso falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Alphonso 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 Alphonso, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Alphonso

The surname Alphonso is believed to have originated in Spain and Portugal during the medieval period. It is derived from the Germanic name Alfonso, which was popularized by the Visigothic nobles who ruled parts of the Iberian Peninsula between the 5th and 8th centuries.

The name Alfonso is a compound of the Germanic elements 'adal' meaning 'noble' and 'funs' meaning 'ready' or 'eager'. It was introduced to the region by the Visigoths and later adopted by the Catholic monarchs who ruled over the Kingdoms of León and Castile.

One of the earliest recorded references to the surname Alphonso can be found in the Codex Calixtinus, a 12th-century manuscript that documented the lives of pilgrims traveling along the Camino de Santiago. It mentions a nobleman named Alphonso de Aragón, who was said to have assisted pilgrims on their journey.

In the 13th century, the surname Alphonso gained prominence through figures such as Alphonso X, also known as Alfonso the Wise, who was the King of Castile, León, and Galicia from 1252 to 1284. He was renowned for his patronage of the arts, literature, and scientific research.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Alphonso de Albuquerque (1453-1515), a Portuguese military leader and explorer who played a crucial role in establishing Portuguese colonies in Africa and Asia. His exploits were instrumental in the expansion of the Portuguese Empire during the Age of Discovery.

In the realm of literature, Alphonso de Ercilla y Zúñiga (1533-1594) was a Spanish soldier and poet who is best known for his epic poem La Araucana, which chronicles the Spanish conquest of Chile and the resistance of the indigenous Mapuche people.

The surname Alphonso also has connections to various place names in Spain and Portugal, such as Alphonso, a town in the province of Valencia, and Alfonsine, a municipality in the province of Ravenna, Italy, which was named after the Aragonese nobleman Alfonso de Aragón.

Throughout history, the surname Alphonso has been associated with individuals of noble and distinguished backgrounds, reflecting its origins as a name adopted by the ruling classes of the Iberian Peninsula during the medieval era.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Alphonso families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Alphonso surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 1 Alphonsos recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.37x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1 10.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Andrew Holborn London in Middlesex leads with 1 Alphonsos recorded in 1881 and an index of 2500.00x.

Place Total Index
St Andrew Holborn London 1 2500.00x

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Alphonso surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Fidelo 1

Top occupations

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 Alphonso households.

Occupation Count
Ice Cream Vendor 1

FAQ

Alphonso surname: questions and answers

How common was the Alphonso surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1 people were recorded with the Alphonso surname. That placed it at #34,027 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Alphonso surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016. That gives Alphonso a modern rank of #31,123.

What does the Alphonso surname mean?

A surname of Spanish and Portuguese origin, derived from the Germanic name "Alfonso".

What does the Alphonso map show?

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