NameCensus.

UK surname

Avila

Habitational surname referring to someone from any of the numerous places named Ávila in Spain.

In the 1881 census there were 17 people recorded with the Avila surname, ranking it #31,170 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 123, ranked #27,115, up from #31,170 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Avila is 123 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 623.5%.

1881 census count

17

Ranked #31,170

Modern count

123

2016, ranked #27,115

Peak year

2016

123 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Avila had 17 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,170 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016, ranked #27,115.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 25 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Avila surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Avila surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Avila 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 17 #31,170
1891 historical 19 #32,642
1901 historical 25 #31,259
1911 historical 25 #30,654
1997 modern 38 #33,872
1998 modern 42 #33,651
1999 modern 45 #33,511
2000 modern 51 #32,999
2001 modern 53 #32,674
2002 modern 51 #33,193
2003 modern 46 #33,710
2004 modern 47 #33,819
2005 modern 57 #33,178
2006 modern 62 #33,043
2007 modern 68 #32,760
2008 modern 72 #32,656
2009 modern 76 #32,635
2010 modern 111 #28,509
2011 modern 99 #30,218
2012 modern 102 #29,902
2013 modern 112 #28,675
2014 modern 118 #27,961
2015 modern 121 #27,405
2016 modern 123 #27,115

Geography

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Where Avilas 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, Brent, Bournemouth, Colchester and Maidstone. 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 019 Waltham Forest
2 Brent 024 Brent
3 Bournemouth 009 Bournemouth
4 Colchester 007 Colchester
5 Maidstone 007 Maidstone

Forenames

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First names often paired with Avila

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Avila

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Avila, 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 Avila surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Avila 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Avila 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

Avila 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

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

Meaning and origin of Avila

The surname Avila originated in Spain during the medieval period, specifically in the town of Avila, which is located in the Castile and León region. The name is derived from the Latin word "avilus," meaning "flat land" or "plain," which accurately describes the geography of the area.

The first recorded use of the surname Avila can be traced back to the 11th century, when it appeared in various medieval documents and records from the region. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Gonzalo de Avila, a prominent military leader who served under King Alfonso VI of León and Castile in the late 11th century.

During the Reconquista, the period when Christian kingdoms in the Iberian Peninsula fought to regain control from the Moors, the Avila surname gained prominence as many individuals with this name participated in the military campaigns. Notable figures from this era include Pedro de Avila, a 14th-century knight who fought in the Battle of Nájera, and Sancho de Avila, a 15th-century military commander who served under King Ferdinand II of Aragon.

The surname Avila is also associated with several religious figures, such as Juan de Avila, a 16th-century Spanish Catholic priest known as the "Apostle of Andalusia," and Gilberto de Avila, a 13th-century Archbishop of Valencia.

Other notable individuals with the Avila surname include Gil González de Avila, a 16th-century Spanish historian and chronicler, and Juan Tomás de Avila Alonso, a 17th-century Spanish painter known for his works in the Baroque style.

As the Spanish empire expanded throughout the centuries, the Avila surname spread to various regions, including Latin America, where it became prevalent in countries like Mexico, Argentina, and Chile.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Avila families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Avila 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. Essex leads with 10 Avilas recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.58x.

County Total Index
Essex 10 30.58x
Middlesex 7 4.23x

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 6 Avilas recorded in 1881 and an index of 169.97x.

Place Total Index
Mile End Old Town London 6 169.97x
Loughton 4 2500.00x
Wanstead 4 701.75x
Epping 2 1538.46x
Bow London 1 47.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Louisa 2
Ada 1
Augusta 1
Edith 1
Elenor 1
Kate 1
Louise 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Arthur 1
Chs.A. 1
Fred 1
James 1
Jas.B. 1
John 1
Josiah 1
Wm.H. 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 Avila households.

FAQ

Avila surname: questions and answers

How common was the Avila surname in 1881?

In 1881, 17 people were recorded with the Avila surname. That placed it at #31,170 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Avila surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016. That gives Avila a modern rank of #27,115.

What does the Avila surname mean?

Habitational surname referring to someone from any of the numerous places named Ávila in Spain.

What does the Avila map show?

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