NameCensus.

UK surname

Amaral

A Portuguese habitational surname indicating an origin near a marsh or bog.

In the 1881 census there were 2 people recorded with the Amaral surname, ranking it #33,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 306, ranked #14,543, up from #33,721 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Amaral is 310 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15200.0%.

1881 census count

2

Ranked #33,721

Modern count

306

2016, ranked #14,543

Peak year

2015

310 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Amaral had 2 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 306 in 2016, ranked #14,543.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 12 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Amaral surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Amaral surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Amaral 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
1881 historical 2 #33,721
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1901 historical 4 #33,876
1911 historical 12 #32,302
1997 modern 54 #32,210
1998 modern 67 #31,282
1999 modern 66 #31,509
2000 modern 75 #30,668
2001 modern 76 #30,366
2002 modern 97 #28,383
2003 modern 118 #25,146
2004 modern 131 #23,756
2005 modern 148 #21,961
2006 modern 158 #21,229
2007 modern 178 #19,887
2008 modern 189 #19,315
2009 modern 216 #18,120
2010 modern 246 #16,975
2011 modern 241 #17,057
2012 modern 269 #15,706
2013 modern 291 #15,067
2014 modern 303 #14,733
2015 modern 310 #14,402
2016 modern 306 #14,543

Geography

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Where Amarals 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 Lambeth, Northumberland, Westminster, South Kesteven and Brent. 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 Lambeth 004 Lambeth
2 Northumberland 001 Northumberland
3 Westminster 019 Westminster
4 South Kesteven 006 South Kesteven
5 Brent 031 Brent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Amaral

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

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

Amaral 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

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

Meaning and origin of Amaral

The surname Amaral is of Portuguese origin, deriving from the Portuguese word "amar," meaning "to love," and the suffix "-al," indicating a place name. It is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century.

Amaral is a topographic surname, referring to a location or geographical feature. It likely originated as a place name for a town or village situated near a field or meadow of yellow flowers, as "amaral" can also mean "a place with yellow flowers" in Portuguese.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Amaral surname can be found in the Livro de Linhagens (Book of Lineages), a 14th-century Portuguese manuscript documenting noble families. The Amaral family is mentioned as having connections to the region of Minho in northern Portugal.

In the 15th century, the Amaral name appears in records related to the Portuguese exploration and colonization of the Atlantic islands, such as the Azores and Madeira. Álvaro Gonçalves de Amaral was a prominent figure in the early settlement of the Azores in the mid-15th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, as the Portuguese Empire expanded, the Amaral surname spread to various Portuguese colonies, including Brazil, Africa, and Asia. In Brazil, where a significant number of Portuguese immigrants settled, the Amaral name became well-established.

Notable individuals with the Amaral surname include:

1. Tarsila do Amaral (1886-1973), a Brazilian painter and a prominent figure in the Brazilian Modernist movement. 2. João de Amaral (fl. 15th century), a Portuguese navigator and explorer who participated in the early Portuguese explorations of the Atlantic Ocean. 3. António Caetano do Amaral (1747-1819), a Portuguese historian and clergyman, known for his works on the history of the Azores islands. 4. Luís do Amaral (1635-1688), a Portuguese Baroque composer and organist active in the late 17th century. 5. Vitor Amaral de Sousa (1880-1932), a Brazilian writer and journalist, known for his novels and short stories depicting life in the Brazilian Northeast.

The Amaral surname has maintained a strong presence in Portugal, Brazil, and other Portuguese-speaking regions, reflecting its deep-rooted history and connection to the Portuguese language and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Amaral families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Amaral 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 2 Amarals recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.37x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 2 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. Paddington London in Middlesex leads with 2 Amarals recorded in 1881 and an index of 281.69x.

Place Total Index
Paddington London 2 281.69x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emily 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Bernardo 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 Amaral households.

FAQ

Amaral surname: questions and answers

How common was the Amaral surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2 people were recorded with the Amaral surname. That placed it at #33,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Amaral surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 306 in 2016. That gives Amaral a modern rank of #14,543.

What does the Amaral surname mean?

A Portuguese habitational surname indicating an origin near a marsh or bog.

What does the Amaral map show?

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