NameCensus.

UK surname

Cardenas

A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from any of numerous places named Cárdenas, derived from cárdeno meaning "purple."

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cardenas is 114 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

114

2016, ranked #28,515

Peak year

2016

114 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016, ranked #28,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Cardenas surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cardenas surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cardenas 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
1911 historical 3 #33,789
1997 modern 27 #35,016
1998 modern 25 #35,365
1999 modern 28 #35,127
2000 modern 31 #34,798
2001 modern 31 #34,648
2002 modern 34 #34,634
2003 modern 34 #34,681
2004 modern 43 #34,149
2005 modern 62 #32,708
2006 modern 67 #32,532
2007 modern 68 #32,760
2008 modern 71 #32,753
2009 modern 81 #32,172
2010 modern 89 #31,745
2011 modern 85 #32,127
2012 modern 94 #31,258
2013 modern 108 #29,379
2014 modern 109 #29,452
2015 modern 113 #28,645
2016 modern 114 #28,515

Geography

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Where Cardenas' 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 Birmingham, Bromley, Brent, Camden and Hammersmith and Fulham. 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 Birmingham 032 Birmingham
2 Bromley 009 Bromley
3 Brent 014 Brent
4 Camden 022 Camden
5 Hammersmith and Fulham 014 Hammersmith and Fulham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cardenas

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cardenas

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cardenas, 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 Cardenas surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Cardenas 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, Cardenas 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

Cardenas 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

Cardenas 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 Cardenas is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Cardenas

The surname Cardenas originated in Spain during the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "cardena," which means "bruise" or "bluish discoloration." This could refer to a person who had a distinctive physical feature, such as a birthmark or scar.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Cardenas can be found in the region of Andalusia, particularly in the provinces of Seville and Cadiz. Some historians suggest that the name may have originated from a place name or a family estate in this area.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Cardenas surname was Alonso de Cardenas, a Spanish nobleman who lived in the 14th century. He was mentioned in several medieval documents and chronicles as a prominent figure in the court of King Alfonso XI of Castile.

Another notable figure was Gutierre de Cardenas, a Spanish conquistador and explorer who participated in the conquest of the Aztec Empire in the 16th century. He was one of Hernán Cortés's captains and played a significant role in the fall of Tenochtitlán (present-day Mexico City) in 1521.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Cardenas surname spread to various parts of the Spanish Empire, including the Americas. One prominent individual was Diego de Cardenas, a Spanish explorer who led an expedition through the Grand Canyon region in present-day Arizona in 1540.

In the 18th century, José de Cardenas was a Spanish naval officer and cartographer who contributed to the mapping of the Pacific Coast of North America. He commanded several expeditions along the California coast between 1792 and 1795.

Another notable bearer of the Cardenas surname was Manuel Cardenas, a Mexican revolutionary and politician who played a significant role in the Mexican Revolution of 1910-1920. He served as the interim governor of the state of Coahuila from 1913 to 1914.

Throughout history, the Cardenas surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including nobility, explorers, military leaders, and politicians. While the origins of the name can be traced back to medieval Spain, it has since spread to many parts of the world, particularly in Latin American countries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Cardenas surname: questions and answers

How common is the Cardenas surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016. That gives Cardenas a modern rank of #28,515.

What does the Cardenas surname mean?

A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from any of numerous places named Cárdenas, derived from cárdeno meaning "purple."

What does the Cardenas map show?

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