NameCensus.

UK surname

Camara

A Portuguese and Galician surname referring to a person who lived in or near a small chamber or room.

In the 1881 census there were 2 people recorded with the Camara surname, ranking it #33,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 841, ranked #6,640, up from #33,721 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Camara is 841 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41950.0%.

1881 census count

2

Ranked #33,721

Modern count

841

2016, ranked #6,640

Peak year

2016

841 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Camara had 2 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 841 in 2016, ranked #6,640.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Camara surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Camara surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Camara 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 1 #34,435
1881 historical 2 #33,721
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1901 historical 2 #34,263
1911 historical 3 #33,789
1997 modern 173 #19,295
1998 modern 190 #18,687
1999 modern 202 #18,127
2000 modern 204 #17,987
2001 modern 203 #17,787
2002 modern 239 #16,332
2003 modern 259 #15,254
2004 modern 296 #14,005
2005 modern 375 #11,752
2006 modern 441 #10,411
2007 modern 481 #9,844
2008 modern 551 #8,951
2009 modern 628 #8,299
2010 modern 697 #7,805
2011 modern 660 #8,064
2012 modern 730 #7,377
2013 modern 767 #7,209
2014 modern 797 #7,022
2015 modern 823 #6,778
2016 modern 841 #6,640

Geography

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Where Camaras 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 Lambeth, Southwark, Birmingham and Eastbourne. 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 Lambeth 010 Lambeth
2 Lambeth 018 Lambeth
3 Southwark 023 Southwark
4 Birmingham 044 Birmingham
5 Eastbourne 010 Eastbourne

Forenames

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First names often paired with Camara

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

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

Camara 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

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

Meaning and origin of Camara

The surname Camara originated in Spain and Portugal, derived from the Latin word "camera" meaning "chamber" or "vault." It is believed to have first emerged in the Middle Ages as a reference to individuals who lived in or were associated with chambers or vaults, possibly as guards, servants, or residents.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Camara can be found in the 13th century Cortes de Valladolid, a legal document from the Kingdom of Castile. The name appears in various medieval Spanish records and manuscripts, often with slight spelling variations such as Cámara or Camara.

In Portugal, the surname Camara is closely tied to the Azores islands, where it was prominently associated with influential families and landowners. The Camara family played a significant role in the colonization and administration of the Azores archipelago in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Notable individuals with the surname Camara throughout history include:

1. Pedro Álvares Cabral (c. 1467-c. 1520), a Portuguese navigator who is credited with the discovery of Brazil in 1500 during his expedition to India. His family name was also spelled Camara.

2. Vasco da Gama (c. 1460-1524), a renowned Portuguese explorer who was the first European to reach India by sea, leading the way for the establishment of a maritime trade route. Some historical records suggest his mother's family name was Camara.

3. Diego de Camara (fl. 16th century), a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Guatemala and served as the first governor of the province of Tuzulutlán.

4. Miguel de Camara (fl. 17th century), a Spanish military officer and governor of the Philippine Islands from 1645 to 1649.

5. António Manoel de Vilhena Camara e Albuquerque (1677-1747), a Portuguese military officer and governor of the Portuguese colony of Macau from 1732 to 1736.

The surname Camara has also been associated with various place names, such as Cámara de Arias (a municipality in Spain) and Camara de Lobos (a city in Madeira, Portugal), which may have influenced the adoption or propagation of the surname in certain regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Camara families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Camara 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. Middlesex leads with 1 Camaras recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.19x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1 5.19x
Surrey 1 10.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Clapham in Surrey leads with 1 Camaras recorded in 1881 and an index of 416.67x.

Place Total Index
Clapham 1 416.67x
Hampstead London 1 333.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Augusta 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 Camara households.

Occupation Count
Nurse Domestic Serv 1

FAQ

Camara surname: questions and answers

How common was the Camara surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2 people were recorded with the Camara surname. That placed it at #33,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Camara surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 841 in 2016. That gives Camara a modern rank of #6,640.

What does the Camara surname mean?

A Portuguese and Galician surname referring to a person who lived in or near a small chamber or room.

What does the Camara map show?

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