NameCensus.

UK surname

Calvo

A Spanish and Italian surname referring to a bald person or someone with very short hair.

In the 1881 census there were 11 people recorded with the Calvo surname, ranking it #32,081 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 170, ranked #21,801, up from #32,081 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, Islington and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Calvo is 170 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1445.5%.

1881 census count

11

Ranked #32,081

Modern count

170

2016, ranked #21,801

Peak year

2016

170 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Calvo had 11 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,081 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 170 in 2016, ranked #21,801.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 35 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Calvo surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Calvo surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Calvo 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 2 #33,133
1861 historical 6 #33,230
1881 historical 11 #32,081
1891 historical 9 #33,451
1901 historical 24 #31,365
1911 historical 35 #29,478
1997 modern 89 #28,490
1998 modern 91 #28,806
1999 modern 106 #26,885
2000 modern 114 #25,717
2001 modern 112 #25,644
2002 modern 104 #27,303
2003 modern 98 #28,046
2004 modern 92 #29,197
2005 modern 100 #28,025
2006 modern 120 #25,269
2007 modern 123 #25,208
2008 modern 133 #24,350
2009 modern 142 #23,791
2010 modern 147 #23,809
2011 modern 147 #23,627
2012 modern 162 #22,078
2013 modern 163 #22,342
2014 modern 160 #22,824
2015 modern 166 #22,159
2016 modern 170 #21,801

Geography

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Where Calvos 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 Kensington and Chelsea, Islington, Wakefield, Lambeth and Westminster. 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 Kensington and Chelsea 008 Kensington and Chelsea
2 Islington 023 Islington
3 Wakefield 017 Wakefield
4 Lambeth 006 Lambeth
5 Westminster 014 Westminster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Calvo

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Calvo

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

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Calvo surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Calvo 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 never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

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, Calvo 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

Calvo 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

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

Meaning and origin of Calvo

The surname Calvo originates from Spain and Italy, deriving from the Late Latin word "calvus" meaning bald or hairless. It likely originated as a nickname for someone who was bald or had thinning hair.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Calvo dates back to the 10th century in various regions of Spain and Italy. Some of the earliest records include mentions in the Catalan grand cartulary of the 11th century and the Codice diplomatico della Lombardia medievale from the late 10th century in Italy.

In Spain, the surname Calvo can be traced back to the medieval Kingdom of Aragon, where it appeared in records from places like Zaragoza and Teruel. It was also present in other regions like Andalusia and Castile during this time period. One notable early bearer of the name was Pedro Calvo, a 13th-century nobleman from Aragon who served as a royal adviser to King James I of Aragon.

In Italy, the surname Calvo was particularly prominent in the regions of Lombardy and Piedmont. An early recorded instance is that of Guglielmo Calvo, a 12th-century nobleman from Piedmont who served as a diplomat for the Holy Roman Empire.

Other notable historical figures with the surname Calvo include Francisco Calvo, a 16th-century Spanish explorer and conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés. Another prominent individual was Andrea Calvo, a 17th-century Italian architect and sculptor who designed several churches and palaces in Turin and Genoa.

The surname Calvo has also been present in various other European countries over the centuries, likely due to migration and intermarriage. For example, there are records of the name in France dating back to the 13th century, with individuals like Étienne Calvo, a 14th-century merchant from Marseille.

While the surname Calvo originated as a nickname for someone with thinning hair or baldness, it eventually became a hereditary surname passed down through generations in many families across Europe, particularly in Spain and Italy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Calvo families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Calvo 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. Sussex leads with 11 Calvos recorded in 1881 and an index of 60.84x.

County Total Index
Sussex 11 60.84x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 11 Calvos recorded in 1881 and an index of 301.37x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 11 301.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Eliza 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 2
Charles 1
George 1
James 1
John 1
Louis 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 Calvo households.

FAQ

Calvo surname: questions and answers

How common was the Calvo surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Calvo surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 170 in 2016. That gives Calvo a modern rank of #21,801.

What does the Calvo surname mean?

A Spanish and Italian surname referring to a bald person or someone with very short hair.

What does the Calvo map show?

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