NameCensus.

UK surname

Baca

A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone living near a berry patch, cow pasture, or grazing area.

In the 1881 census there were 6 people recorded with the Baca surname, ranking it #32,926 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 103, ranked #30,515, up from #32,926 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Baca is 103 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1616.7%.

1881 census count

6

Ranked #32,926

Modern count

103

2016, ranked #30,515

Peak year

2016

103 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Baca had 6 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,926 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016, ranked #30,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Baca surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Baca surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Baca 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
1861 historical 5 #33,418
1881 historical 6 #32,926
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1911 historical 2 #34,020
1997 modern 18 #36,053
1998 modern 19 #36,009
1999 modern 18 #36,151
2000 modern 19 #36,007
2001 modern 22 #35,531
2002 modern 23 #35,606
2003 modern 26 #35,371
2004 modern 24 #35,697
2005 modern 38 #34,741
2006 modern 55 #33,688
2007 modern 57 #33,800
2008 modern 59 #33,827
2009 modern 73 #32,923
2010 modern 80 #32,670
2011 modern 72 #33,323
2012 modern 98 #30,612
2013 modern 95 #31,523
2014 modern 100 #31,033
2015 modern 99 #31,168
2016 modern 103 #30,515

Geography

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Where Bacas 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 Enfield, Camden, Hammersmith and Fulham and Newton Stewart. 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 Enfield 003 Enfield
2 Camden 024 Camden
3 Enfield 004 Enfield
4 Hammersmith and Fulham 025 Hammersmith and Fulham
5 Newton Stewart Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Baca

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Baca

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Baca 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

Baca 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

Baca falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Baca 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 Baca, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Baca

The surname Baca has its origins in Spain, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "baca," which means "cow" or "heifer." This suggests that the name may have originally been an occupational name for someone who worked with cattle, such as a cowherd or dairy farmer.

The Baca name can be traced back to the 13th century, with records showing individuals bearing this surname in various regions of Spain, including Aragon and Catalonia. One of the earliest known references to the name is found in the "Libro de Repartimiento de Mallorca," a document from the 13th century that recorded the distribution of land and properties in the Balearic Islands after the Christian conquest.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Baca surname gained prominence in Andalusia, particularly in the city of Seville. In 1499, a certain Juan Baca was listed as a member of the Seville city council, indicating that the family had achieved a certain level of social standing and influence in the region.

The Baca name also has a historical connection to the exploration and conquest of the Americas. One notable figure was Alonso Baca, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the expedition of Francisco Vázquez de Coronado in the 16th century. Alonso Baca was born around 1492 and played a role in the exploration of what is now the southwestern United States.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Tomás Baca, a Spanish military officer and governor of New Mexico in the late 17th century. He was born in 1625 and served as the governor of the province from 1691 to 1695, during a period of conflict with indigenous tribes in the region.

In the realm of literature, one notable figure was Gonzalo Baca de Quiroga, a Spanish poet and playwright who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He is known for his works in the Spanish Golden Age, including plays and religious poetry.

As the Baca name spread throughout Spain and its colonies, it also underwent various linguistic variations and spellings, such as Baca, Vaca, and Baccà. Some of these variations were influenced by regional dialects or the adoption of the name in different cultural contexts.

Throughout history, the Baca surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, including artists, politicians, military leaders, and scholars. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Spain, the name has since become a part of the cultural tapestry of many countries and communities around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Baca families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Baca 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. Lancashire leads with 4 Bacas recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.77x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 4 5.77x
Essex 1 8.67x
Middlesex 1 1.71x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackley in Lancashire leads with 4 Bacas recorded in 1881 and an index of 3333.33x.

Place Total Index
Blackley 4 3333.33x
Bethnal Green London 1 39.37x
Terling 1 5000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 1
Ann 1
Anne 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 2
Abraham 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 Baca households.

FAQ

Baca surname: questions and answers

How common was the Baca surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6 people were recorded with the Baca surname. That placed it at #32,926 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Baca surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016. That gives Baca a modern rank of #30,515.

What does the Baca surname mean?

A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone living near a berry patch, cow pasture, or grazing area.

What does the Baca map show?

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