NameCensus.

UK surname

Amor

A Spanish surname derived from the word amor, meaning "love" or "affection".

In the 1881 census there were 718 people recorded with the Amor surname, ranking it #5,071 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,405, ranked #4,339, up from #5,071 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Milton Lilborne, London parishes and Bromham, Chittoe (Bishops Canning). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire and Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Amor is 1,436 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 95.7%.

1881 census count

718

Ranked #5,071

Modern count

1,405

2016, ranked #4,339

Peak year

2013

1,436 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Amor had 718 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,071 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,405 in 2016, ranked #4,339.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,259 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Amor surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Amor surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Amor 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 536 #4,700
1861 historical 377 #6,777
1881 historical 718 #5,071
1891 historical 767 #5,208
1901 historical 1,025 #4,657
1911 historical 1,259 #3,775
1997 modern 1,318 #4,351
1998 modern 1,365 #4,365
1999 modern 1,382 #4,350
2000 modern 1,409 #4,264
2001 modern 1,359 #4,304
2002 modern 1,410 #4,274
2003 modern 1,372 #4,290
2004 modern 1,395 #4,236
2005 modern 1,355 #4,301
2006 modern 1,372 #4,264
2007 modern 1,373 #4,301
2008 modern 1,389 #4,284
2009 modern 1,413 #4,305
2010 modern 1,410 #4,378
2011 modern 1,409 #4,338
2012 modern 1,392 #4,324
2013 modern 1,436 #4,290
2014 modern 1,436 #4,309
2015 modern 1,425 #4,295
2016 modern 1,405 #4,339

Geography

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Where Amors are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Milton Lilborne, London parishes, Bromham, Chittoe (Bishops Canning) and Pewsey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire and Copeland. 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 Milton Lilborne Wiltshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Bromham, Chittoe (Bishops Canning) Wiltshire
5 Pewsey Wiltshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 024 Wiltshire
2 Wiltshire 028 Wiltshire
3 Copeland 004 Copeland
4 Wiltshire 040 Wiltshire
5 Copeland 006 Copeland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Amor

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Amor

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Amor surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Amor 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Amor is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Amor is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Amor falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Amor 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Amor

The surname Amor has its origins in Spain, where it is believed to have first emerged in the 13th century. It is derived from the Spanish word "amor," which means "love." This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon someone who was considered particularly loving or affectionate.

In the medieval period, surnames were often given based on personal characteristics, occupations, or places of origin. The Amor surname likely fell into the category of descriptive surnames, reflecting a personality trait or virtue associated with the original bearer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Amor surname can be found in a 14th-century document from the region of Castile, where a certain Pedro Amor was mentioned as a landowner. This suggests that by that time, the name had already become an established surname, passed down from generation to generation.

During the 15th century, the Amor surname gained prominence in the city of Seville, where several individuals bearing the name were involved in various trades and professions. One notable figure was Juan Amor, a successful merchant who lived in Seville in the late 15th century.

As the centuries passed, the Amor surname spread to other parts of Spain and eventually beyond the country's borders. In the 16th century, a branch of the Amor family settled in the Spanish colonies of the Americas, where they contributed to the cultural and economic development of the region.

One famous bearer of the Amor surname was Miguel Amor, a Spanish soldier and explorer who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the early 16th century. Another notable figure was Fray Tomás Amor, a 17th-century Spanish friar and missionary who traveled to the Philippines and played a significant role in the evangelization efforts in the region.

In the 18th century, José Amor y Vázquez, a Spanish naval officer and cartographer, gained recognition for his contributions to the mapping of the coasts of South America. He was born in Cadiz in 1713 and died in 1779.

Moving into the 19th century, Rafael Amor y Rico, a Spanish politician and diplomat, served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Spain from 1866 to 1868. He was born in Malaga in 1818 and died in Madrid in 1886.

While the Amor surname has its roots in Spain, it has since spread to various parts of the world, reflecting the global reach of Spanish culture and influence. Today, individuals with the surname Amor can be found in many countries, carrying on the legacy of this historically significant name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Amor families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Amor 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. Wiltshire leads with 292 Amors recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.21x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 292 47.21x
Middlesex 122 1.74x
Somerset 44 3.91x
Surrey 37 1.09x
Berkshire 35 6.67x
Dorset 23 5.01x
Hampshire 23 1.60x
Kent 17 0.71x
Glamorgan 16 1.31x
Devon 13 0.89x
Oxfordshire 12 2.78x
Yorkshire 12 0.17x
Essex 10 0.72x
Gloucestershire 9 0.66x
Warwickshire 9 0.51x
Northumberland 8 0.77x
Staffordshire 7 0.30x
Cornwall 6 0.76x
Kirkcudbrightshire 5 4.94x
Lancashire 5 0.06x
Lincolnshire 5 0.45x
Durham 3 0.14x
Royal Navy 2 2.40x
Midlothian 1 0.11x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Pewsey in Wiltshire leads with 54 Amors recorded in 1881 and an index of 1186.81x.

Place Total Index
Pewsey 54 1186.81x
Bromham 49 1756.27x
Milton Lilborne 28 1944.44x
Kensington London 18 4.63x
Lambeth 18 2.95x
Limehouse London 15 19.54x
All Cannings 14 1166.67x
Swindon 14 29.18x
Battersea 12 4.66x
Ogbourne St George 12 1034.48x
St George Hanover Square 12 9.74x
Wilcott 12 888.89x
Fordington 11 111.22x
Melksham 11 102.42x
Reading St Giles 11 21.36x
St Luke London 11 9.81x
Deptford St Paul 10 5.43x
Islington London 10 1.48x
Bruton 9 203.16x
Swansea Town 9 9.01x
Cowley 8 59.35x
Hendon 8 31.80x
Reading St Mary 8 19.03x
Whitcombe 8 5000.00x
Bedminster 7 6.62x
Chippenham 7 53.97x
Devizes St John 7 150.86x
Holy Trinity 7 4.20x
Southampton St Mary 7 7.76x
Tynemouth 7 12.56x
West Ham 7 2.30x
Wootton Rivers 7 752.69x
Burton Upon Trent 6 10.86x
Earley 6 68.57x
Fisherton Anger 6 52.40x
Madron Penzance 6 20.84x
Mile End Old Town London 6 4.03x
Netheravon 6 431.65x
St George Bloomsbury 6 14.95x
Stoke 6 101.87x
Aighton Bailey 5 125.00x
Aston 5 1.03x
Broughton 5 231.48x
Calne 5 39.28x
Chard 5 36.66x
Devizes St James 5 60.83x
Dundry 5 370.37x
Enford 5 238.10x
Great Grimsby 5 7.04x
Hurley 5 183.15x
Ilminster 5 63.61x
Middlesbrough 5 5.54x
Minster In Sheppey 5 12.65x
Rerrick 5 115.21x
Speen 5 58.21x
Walcot 5 8.34x
Combpyne 4 1290.32x
Corsham 4 44.30x
Devizes St Mary 4 64.00x
Great Hinton 4 1000.00x
Seend 4 325.20x
Solihull 4 31.55x
St Pancras London 4 0.71x
Witney 4 55.40x
Bristol St James St Paul 3 6.56x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 3 24.02x
Chelsea London 3 1.42x
Darlington 3 3.73x
Gelligaer 3 10.79x
Huish 3 967.74x
Lyncombe Widcombe 3 10.18x
Mile End New Town London 3 21.71x
North Bradley 3 66.37x
Roath 3 5.42x
Southwark St Saviour 3 8.34x
Twickenham 3 10.00x
Wanstead 3 12.41x
Whitchurch Canonicorum 3 117.65x
North Newnton 2 222.22x
St Paul Covent Garden 2 28.57x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 44
William 42
Thomas 29
John 28
James 27
Charles 25
Henry 25
Frederick 11
Albert 10
Joseph 9
Alfred 8
Arthur 8
Richard 7
Walter 6
Edward 5
Harry 5
Robert 5
Stephen 5
Edwin 4
Frank 4
Herbert 4
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Fredk. 3
Cornelius 2
Eli 2
Jasper 2
Reuben 2
Sidney 2
Tom 2
Aldum 1
Andrew 1
Charley 1
Chas.H. 1
Daniel 1
Eustace 1
Fred.Cord. 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.Fred 1
Harrie 1
Jonah 1
Lawrence 1
Mark 1
Matthew 1
Maurice 1
Octavius 1
Ralph 1
Samuel 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Amor surname: questions and answers

How common was the Amor surname in 1881?

In 1881, 718 people were recorded with the Amor surname. That placed it at #5,071 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Amor surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,405 in 2016. That gives Amor a modern rank of #4,339.

What does the Amor surname mean?

A Spanish surname derived from the word amor, meaning "love" or "affection".

What does the Amor map show?

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