NameCensus.

UK surname

Atanasova

A Bulgarian surname derived from the male given name Atanas, meaning "immortal".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waltham Forest, Camden and Ealing.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Atanasova is 257 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

257

2016, ranked #16,485

Peak year

2016

257 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 257 in 2016, ranked #16,485.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Atanasova surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Atanasova surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Atanasova 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
1997 modern 1 #38,839
1998 modern 1 #38,814
1999 modern 1 #38,820
2000 modern 1 #38,790
2001 modern 1 #38,647
2002 modern 3 #38,152
2003 modern 8 #37,248
2004 modern 16 #36,439
2005 modern 21 #36,083
2006 modern 25 #35,903
2007 modern 48 #34,488
2008 modern 60 #33,743
2009 modern 81 #32,172
2010 modern 110 #28,666
2011 modern 130 #25,547
2012 modern 191 #19,802
2013 modern 206 #19,153
2014 modern 226 #18,088
2015 modern 245 #17,040
2016 modern 257 #16,485

Geography

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Where Atanasovas 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 Waltham Forest, Camden, Ealing, Enfield and Newham. 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 Waltham Forest 018 Waltham Forest
2 Camden 009 Camden
3 Ealing 030 Ealing
4 Enfield 035 Enfield
5 Newham 026 Newham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Atanasova

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

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

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Atanasova surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Atanasova 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Atanasova 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

Atanasova 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

Atanasova 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 Atanasova 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
Asian - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Atanasova

The surname Atanasova is of Bulgarian origin, dating back to the late 19th century. Its roots can be traced to the Bulgarian village of Atanasovo, located in the Plovdiv Province. The name is a patronymic form derived from the given name Atanas, which is the Bulgarian variant of the Greek name Athanasius, meaning "immortal" or "eternal life."

Atanasova is believed to have been first recorded in the village of Atanasovo, where it was likely used to identify individuals based on their place of origin or familial ties to the area. As the name spread beyond the village, it underwent various phonetic and spelling variations, including Atanassova, Atanasoff, and Atanassoff.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Atanasova can be found in the records of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church from the late 19th century. During this period, many Bulgarians adopted surnames as part of a larger effort to establish a national identity and cultural heritage.

Notably, John Vincent Atanasoff, an American computer pioneer of Bulgarian descent, was born in 1903 in Hamilton, New York. He is credited with inventing the first electronic digital computer, known as the Atanasoff-Berry Computer, in collaboration with Clifford Berry in the late 1930s and early 1940s.

Another prominent figure with the surname Atanasova was Vera Atanasova, a Bulgarian chess player born in 1927. She achieved the title of Woman International Master and was a member of the Bulgarian Women's Chess Olympiad team in the 1960s and 1970s.

In the realm of literature, the Bulgarian writer and translator Sava Atanasova (1925-2008) made significant contributions to the dissemination of world literature in her native language. She translated works by renowned authors such as Gabriel García Márquez, Jorge Luis Borges, and Pablo Neruda into Bulgarian.

Additionally, Gergana Atanasova, born in 1979, is a prominent Bulgarian volleyball player who has represented her country in numerous international competitions, including the Olympic Games and World Championships.

Lastly, Ivanka Atanasova, a Bulgarian athlete born in 1959, excelled in the high jump discipline. She won a bronze medal at the 1983 World Championships in Athletics and held the national record in her event for several years.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Atanasova surname: questions and answers

How common is the Atanasova surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 257 in 2016. That gives Atanasova a modern rank of #16,485.

What does the Atanasova surname mean?

A Bulgarian surname derived from the male given name Atanas, meaning "immortal".

What does the Atanasova map show?

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