NameCensus.

UK surname

Bello

An Italian surname derived from the word "bello," meaning "beautiful," "handsome," or "fair."

In the 1881 census there were 11 people recorded with the Bello surname, ranking it #32,081 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,263, ranked #4,735, up from #32,081 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Southwark, Greenwich and Lewisham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bello is 1,266 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11381.8%.

1881 census count

11

Ranked #32,081

Modern count

1,263

2016, ranked #4,735

Peak year

2014

1,266 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bello had 11 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,081 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,263 in 2016, ranked #4,735.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 11 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Bello surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bello surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bello 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 11 #31,309
1861 historical 4 #33,628
1881 historical 11 #32,081
1891 historical 5 #33,939
1901 historical 7 #33,435
1911 historical 3 #33,789
1997 modern 451 #10,049
1998 modern 478 #9,940
1999 modern 497 #9,698
2000 modern 522 #9,313
2001 modern 499 #9,483
2002 modern 563 #8,821
2003 modern 637 #7,940
2004 modern 740 #7,098
2005 modern 851 #6,308
2006 modern 977 #5,654
2007 modern 1,063 #5,329
2008 modern 1,128 #5,118
2009 modern 1,175 #5,028
2010 modern 1,249 #4,875
2011 modern 1,193 #5,010
2012 modern 1,179 #4,983
2013 modern 1,229 #4,898
2014 modern 1,266 #4,797
2015 modern 1,255 #4,785
2016 modern 1,263 #4,735

Geography

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Where Bellos 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 Southwark, Greenwich and Lewisham. 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 Southwark 018 Southwark
2 Southwark 019 Southwark
3 Greenwich 002 Greenwich
4 Lewisham 006 Lewisham
5 Greenwich 011 Greenwich

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bello

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bello

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

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Bello surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Bello 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 younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

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, Bello 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

Bello 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

Bello falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bello

The surname Bello is of Italian origin, derived from the Italian word "bello" meaning "beautiful" or "handsome." This name likely originated as a nickname for someone considered attractive or good-looking.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Bello can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Italy, particularly in the northern regions such as Lombardy and Veneto. It is believed that the name may have originated from the Latin word "bellus," which also means "beautiful" or "pleasing."

In the 14th century, the Bello surname appeared in historical records and manuscripts, including the tax rolls of the city of Bologna in 1315, where a certain Guglielmo Bello was listed as a taxpayer.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Bello was Francesco Bello, a renowned Italian painter and architect from Ferrara who lived in the 15th century (c. 1420-1490). His works can still be seen in various churches and palaces in northern Italy.

Another prominent figure with this surname was Antonio Bello, a 16th-century Venetian nobleman and diplomat who served as the ambassador of the Republic of Venice to the Ottoman Empire in the 1570s.

In the 17th century, the Bello name was associated with the town of Bello, located in the province of Padua, in the Veneto region of northern Italy. This town may have derived its name from the surname or vice versa, but the connection is unclear.

During the 18th century, a distinguished family with the Bello surname rose to prominence in the Kingdom of Naples. One of its members, Giuseppe Bello (1737-1816), was a renowned jurist and legal scholar who served as the president of the Supreme Court of Naples.

Another notable figure was Antonio Bello y Arce (1788-1848), a Venezuelan military leader and politician who played a significant role in the Venezuelan War of Independence. He served as the President of Venezuela from 1847 to 1848.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bello families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bello 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. Surrey leads with 7 Bellos recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.10x.

County Total Index
Surrey 7 21.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Streatham in Surrey leads with 4 Bellos recorded in 1881 and an index of 784.31x.

Place Total Index
Streatham 4 784.31x
Croydon 3 163.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 1
Emma 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alfred 2
Stizia 2
Deamanchia 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 Bello households.

FAQ

Bello surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bello surname in 1881?

In 1881, 11 people were recorded with the Bello surname. That placed it at #32,081 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bello surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,263 in 2016. That gives Bello a modern rank of #4,735.

What does the Bello surname mean?

An Italian surname derived from the word "bello," meaning "beautiful," "handsome," or "fair."

What does the Bello map show?

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