NameCensus.

UK surname

Cardoso

A Portuguese and Spanish surname derived from the word "cardo" meaning thistle, likely referring to a prickly or tough person.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cardoso is 976 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

976

2016, ranked #5,916

Peak year

2016

976 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 976 in 2016, ranked #5,916.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Cardoso surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cardoso surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cardoso 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
1891 historical 5 #33,939
1901 historical 7 #33,435
1911 historical 3 #33,789
1997 modern 118 #24,423
1998 modern 152 #21,481
1999 modern 177 #19,670
2000 modern 192 #18,683
2001 modern 188 #18,652
2002 modern 250 #15,819
2003 modern 256 #15,377
2004 modern 334 #12,897
2005 modern 389 #11,423
2006 modern 469 #9,937
2007 modern 518 #9,316
2008 modern 580 #8,629
2009 modern 641 #8,158
2010 modern 722 #7,599
2011 modern 692 #7,748
2012 modern 780 #7,002
2013 modern 813 #6,854
2014 modern 892 #6,417
2015 modern 912 #6,268
2016 modern 976 #5,916

Geography

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Where Cardosos 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 Swindon, Great Yarmouth, Brent, Wandsworth and Peterborough. 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 Swindon 015 Swindon
2 Great Yarmouth 006 Great Yarmouth
3 Brent 020 Brent
4 Wandsworth 002 Wandsworth
5 Peterborough 014 Peterborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cardoso

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

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

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Cardoso surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Cardoso household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Cardoso 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

Cardoso 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

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

Meaning and origin of Cardoso

The surname Cardoso has its origins in Portugal and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Latin word "carduus," meaning thistle, and the suffix "-oso," indicating abundance. The name likely originated as a nickname for someone who lived near an area abundant with thistles or worked with this plant.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Cardoso surname can be found in a 13th-century Portuguese manuscript, where it was spelled "Cardoso." This spelling has remained largely consistent throughout history, with minor variations such as "Cardozo" in some regions.

The Cardoso name is also associated with several place names in Portugal, such as Cardoso da Beira and Cardoso de Arão, suggesting that some individuals may have adopted the surname based on their place of origin or residence.

Notable individuals with the surname Cardoso include:

1. Isaac Cardoso (1603-1683), a Jewish philosopher, scholar, and author born in Portugal. 2. Fernão Cardim (1543-1625), a Portuguese Jesuit missionary and explorer who traveled to Brazil in the 16th century. 3. Inácio Cardoso (1563-1628), a Portuguese Jesuit missionary and linguist who worked in Japan and China. 4. Baltasar Cardoso de Miranda (1670-1744), a Portuguese nobleman and military officer who served in the War of the Spanish Succession. 5. Manuel Cardoso (1566-1650), a Portuguese composer and organist during the Renaissance period.

The Cardoso surname has since spread throughout the Portuguese-speaking world, including Brazil, where it is also widely found. It has also gained prominence in other countries due to migration and intermarriage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Cardoso surname: questions and answers

How common is the Cardoso surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 976 in 2016. That gives Cardoso a modern rank of #5,916.

What does the Cardoso surname mean?

A Portuguese and Spanish surname derived from the word "cardo" meaning thistle, likely referring to a prickly or tough person.

What does the Cardoso map show?

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