NameCensus.

UK surname

Cali

Derived from a place name referring to someone who lived in a hot or warm place.

In the 1881 census there were 9 people recorded with the Cali surname, ranking it #32,416 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 203, ranked #19,396, up from #32,416 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ealing, Birmingham and Barking and Dagenham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cali is 203 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 2155.6%.

1881 census count

9

Ranked #32,416

Modern count

203

2016, ranked #19,396

Peak year

2016

203 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cali had 9 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,416 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 203 in 2016, ranked #19,396.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Cali surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cali surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cali 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
1881 historical 9 #32,416
1911 historical 3 #33,789
1997 modern 16 #36,292
1998 modern 22 #35,687
1999 modern 28 #35,127
2000 modern 42 #33,791
2001 modern 40 #33,842
2002 modern 49 #33,377
2003 modern 58 #32,619
2004 modern 68 #31,880
2005 modern 83 #30,486
2006 modern 114 #26,120
2007 modern 113 #26,641
2008 modern 121 #25,785
2009 modern 121 #26,373
2010 modern 143 #24,247
2011 modern 145 #23,837
2012 modern 153 #22,963
2013 modern 166 #22,075
2014 modern 184 #20,809
2015 modern 197 #19,774
2016 modern 203 #19,396

Geography

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Where Calis 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 Ealing, Birmingham, Barking and Dagenham, Calderdale and Milton Keynes. 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 Ealing 037 Ealing
2 Birmingham 051 Birmingham
3 Barking and Dagenham 021 Barking and Dagenham
4 Calderdale 008 Calderdale
5 Milton Keynes 018 Milton Keynes

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cali

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

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

Cali 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

Cali 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 Cali 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Cali

The surname Cali has its origins in Italy, specifically in the region of Sicily. It likely emerged in the medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century. The name is believed to derive from the Latin word "callis," which means "path" or "road." It may have been initially used as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near a prominent road or path.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cali can be found in a document from the 13th century in Palermo, Sicily. The document mentions a person named Giovanni Cali, suggesting that the name was already in use by that time. Another early reference is found in the Sicilian Vespers, an uprising against French rule in 1282, where a person named Matteo Cali is mentioned as a participant.

In the 15th century, there are records of a noble family called the Cali di Palermo, who were landowners and held significant influence in the city of Palermo. One notable member of this family was Giovanni Cali, who lived in the late 15th century and was a prominent merchant and ambassador.

The name Cali has also been associated with various place names in Sicily, such as Cali-Sicaminò, a small town near Messina. It is possible that the surname may have originated from one of these locations, but the exact connection is difficult to establish with certainty.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the surname Cali. One example is the Italian painter Vincenzo Cali, who was born in Palermo in 1659 and is known for his religious works and portraits. Another is the Sicilian playwright and poet Giovanni Cali, who lived in the 18th century and wrote several popular comedies.

In the 19th century, Ignazio Cali was a prominent Sicilian businessman and politician who served as the mayor of Palermo from 1848 to 1849. Francesco Cali, born in 1865, was a renowned Sicilian sculptor and creator of numerous public monuments and statues.

The surname Cali has also been found in other parts of Italy, such as Calabria and Campania, likely due to migration patterns within the country. However, its roots can be traced back to Sicily, where it has a long and rich history dating back to the medieval period.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cali families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cali 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. Durham leads with 8 Calis recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.69x.

County Total Index
Durham 8 30.69x
Kent 1 3.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gateshead in Durham leads with 6 Calis recorded in 1881 and an index of 307.69x.

Place Total Index
Gateshead 6 307.69x
Westoe 2 135.14x
Cliffe 1 1428.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eleanor 2
Domenica 1
Florence 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 1
Joseph 1
Vincent 1
William 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 Cali households.

FAQ

Cali surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cali surname in 1881?

In 1881, 9 people were recorded with the Cali surname. That placed it at #32,416 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cali surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 203 in 2016. That gives Cali a modern rank of #19,396.

What does the Cali surname mean?

Derived from a place name referring to someone who lived in a hot or warm place.

What does the Cali map show?

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