NameCensus.

UK surname

Alvares

A patronymic surname of Spanish and Portuguese origin meaning "son of Álvaro," derived from the Old Germanic name Alfarr.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Alvares is 150 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

149

2016, ranked #23,844

Peak year

2014

150 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 149 in 2016, ranked #23,844.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Alvares surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Alvares surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Alvares 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 2 #33,133
1861 historical 1 #34,435
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1901 historical 3 #34,063
1911 historical 6 #33,255
1997 modern 104 #26,351
1998 modern 106 #26,689
1999 modern 103 #27,305
2000 modern 109 #26,381
2001 modern 107 #26,328
2002 modern 106 #26,985
2003 modern 105 #26,940
2004 modern 111 #26,293
2005 modern 112 #26,114
2006 modern 114 #26,120
2007 modern 118 #25,913
2008 modern 113 #26,920
2009 modern 118 #26,766
2010 modern 127 #26,176
2011 modern 128 #25,793
2012 modern 117 #27,394
2013 modern 135 #25,395
2014 modern 150 #23,864
2015 modern 150 #23,718
2016 modern 149 #23,844

Geography

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Where Alvares' 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 Newham, Lambeth, Hounslow and Merton. 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 Newham 002 Newham
2 Newham 011 Newham
3 Lambeth 022 Lambeth
4 Hounslow 017 Hounslow
5 Merton 015 Merton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Alvares

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

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Alvares surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Alvares household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Alvares is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Alvares 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

Alvares falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Alvares

The surname Alvares has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in Portugal and Spain, where it originated during the medieval period. It is derived from the Germanic personal name Alvarus, which was a compound name formed from the elements "alf" meaning "elf" and "wari" meaning "guard" or "protector."

One of the earliest known records of the name Alvares can be found in the Cartulário do Mosteiro de Pendorada, a medieval Portuguese cartulary dating back to the 11th century. This document contains references to individuals with the surname Alvares, indicating their presence in the region during that time.

In Spain, the name Alvares appeared in various historical documents, such as the Anales Toledanos, a chronicle from the 13th century that mentions individuals with this surname. The earliest recorded bearer of the name in Spain was Alvar Núñez Álvares, a noble from the Kingdom of León who lived in the 11th century.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the surname Alvares. One of the most prominent was Afonso Alvares, a Portuguese explorer and navigator who lived from around 1285 to 1357. He is credited with discovering the Canary Islands in 1341 and played a significant role in the early stages of Portuguese maritime exploration.

Another distinguished individual with the surname Alvares was Manuel Alvares, a Portuguese Jesuit priest and grammarian who lived from 1526 to 1583. He is best known for his influential work on the grammar of the Portuguese language, "De Institutione Grammatica Libri Tres," published in 1572.

In the literary realm, Gonçalo Álvares, a Portuguese poet and chronicler who lived from around 1360 to 1428, is noteworthy for his work "Crónica do Infante Santo D. Fernando," a chronicle of the life of Prince Ferdinand of Portugal.

The surname Alvares also has connections to place names in the Iberian Peninsula. For example, the town of Álvares in northern Portugal is believed to have derived its name from the surname, reflecting the presence of families with this surname in the area.

Towards the end of the 15th century, with the Age of Discovery and the expansion of the Portuguese Empire, the surname Alvares spread to other parts of the world, particularly to Portuguese colonies in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, where it continues to be found among descendants of Portuguese settlers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Alvares surname: questions and answers

How common is the Alvares surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 149 in 2016. That gives Alvares a modern rank of #23,844.

What does the Alvares surname mean?

A patronymic surname of Spanish and Portuguese origin meaning "son of Álvaro," derived from the Old Germanic name Alfarr.

What does the Alvares map show?

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