NameCensus.

UK surname

Alvarez

A patronymic surname of Spanish origin meaning "son of Álvaro," a given name derived from the Old Germanic name Alfher.

In the 1881 census there were 31 people recorded with the Alvarez surname, ranking it #29,218 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,030, ranked #5,671, up from #29,218 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Alvarez is 1,030 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 3222.6%.

1881 census count

31

Ranked #29,218

Modern count

1,030

2016, ranked #5,671

Peak year

2016

1,030 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Alvarez had 31 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,218 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,030 in 2016, ranked #5,671.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 91 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Alvarez surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Alvarez surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Alvarez 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 10 #31,497
1861 historical 9 #32,724
1881 historical 31 #29,218
1891 historical 37 #31,398
1901 historical 52 #28,377
1911 historical 91 #23,684
1997 modern 454 #10,004
1998 modern 483 #9,853
1999 modern 508 #9,535
2000 modern 536 #9,133
2001 modern 514 #9,267
2002 modern 574 #8,697
2003 modern 562 #8,700
2004 modern 602 #8,330
2005 modern 629 #7,978
2006 modern 640 #7,902
2007 modern 680 #7,614
2008 modern 762 #7,024
2009 modern 803 #6,865
2010 modern 862 #6,618
2011 modern 877 #6,457
2012 modern 933 #6,078
2013 modern 976 #5,937
2014 modern 1,002 #5,850
2015 modern 1,013 #5,749
2016 modern 1,030 #5,671

Geography

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Where Alvarez' 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 Hammersmith and Fulham, Westminster, Brent, Kensington and Chelsea and Camden. 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 Hammersmith and Fulham 019 Hammersmith and Fulham
2 Westminster 004 Westminster
3 Brent 028 Brent
4 Kensington and Chelsea 020 Kensington and Chelsea
5 Camden 027 Camden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Alvarez

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Alvarez

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Alvarez 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

Alvarez 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

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

Meaning and origin of Alvarez

The surname Alvarez has its roots in Spain, originating from the medieval Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages. It is a patronymic surname, derived from the personal name Álvaro, which itself comes from the Germanic name Alvar, meaning "elf warrior" or "elf counsel."

Alvarez first appeared in historical records in the 9th century, when the name was written as "Alvárez" or "Álvarez." It was prevalent in the regions of Galicia, Asturias, and León, where it was borne by members of the nobility and landed gentry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the "Cartulario de Celanova," a 10th-century manuscript from the Monastery of Celanova in Galicia. This document mentions an individual named "Alvaro Vermudez," whose name would later evolve into the modern form of Alvarez.

During the Reconquista, the period when Christian kingdoms in the Iberian Peninsula fought to reclaim territory from the Moors, several notable figures bore the name Alvarez. One such individual was Pedro Álvarez de Toledo, a 14th-century military commander who played a crucial role in the conquest of Granada.

In the 15th century, the name Alvarez gained prominence through the exploits of Alonso de Ojeda and Juan de la Cosa, two navigators and explorers who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his voyages to the New World. Ojeda, in particular, was instrumental in the exploration and settlement of the Caribbean and the northern coast of South America.

As the Spanish Empire expanded, the name Alvarez spread to the Americas and other regions of the world. Notable individuals with this surname include José Álvarez de Toledo, a 16th-century Spanish colonial administrator who served as the Governor of the Philippines, and Diego de Alvarez Chanca, a physician and writer who accompanied Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas and documented the first recorded cases of syphilis in Europe.

In the realm of arts and literature, the name Alvarez is associated with figures such as José María Heredia y Heredia (1803-1839), a Cuban poet and writer who was part of the Romantic movement, and Gustavo Adolfo Álvarez Gardeazábal (1945-1999), a Colombian writer and journalist known for his works on human rights and social issues.

Other notable individuals with the surname Alvarez include Walter Alvarez (1940-2018), an American geologist who co-developed the theory that an asteroid impact caused the mass extinction of dinosaurs, and Álvaro Álvarez Guedes (1940-2012), a Spanish politician and lawyer who served as the Minister of the Interior during the Spanish transition to democracy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Alvarez families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Alvarez 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 20 Alvarez' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.61x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 20 6.61x
Lancashire 9 2.51x
Cheshire 1 1.50x
Surrey 1 0.68x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mile End Old Town London in Middlesex leads with 16 Alvarez' recorded in 1881 and an index of 248.45x.

Place Total Index
Mile End Old Town London 16 248.45x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 140.35x
St James Dukes Place 2 3333.33x
Birkenhead 1 18.80x
Croydon 1 12.22x
Hornsey 1 26.18x
Kirkdale 1 16.56x
Poplar London 1 17.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Rachel 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Elvira 1
Esther 1
Hannah 1
Katherine 1
Rebecca 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
David 2
Thomas 2
Aaron 1
Abraham 1
Anthony 1
Asher 1
Barnett 1
Benjamin 1
Donato 1
Francisco 1
Hyam 1
Isaac 1
Joseph 1
Lamey 1
Louisa 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 Alvarez households.

FAQ

Alvarez surname: questions and answers

How common was the Alvarez surname in 1881?

In 1881, 31 people were recorded with the Alvarez surname. That placed it at #29,218 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Alvarez surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,030 in 2016. That gives Alvarez a modern rank of #5,671.

What does the Alvarez surname mean?

A patronymic surname of Spanish origin meaning "son of Álvaro," a given name derived from the Old Germanic name Alfher.

What does the Alvarez map show?

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