NameCensus.

UK surname

Cardoza

A Portuguese and Spanish surname derived from the place name Cardoso, meaning "a place of thistles or brambles."

In the 1881 census there were 21 people recorded with the Cardoza surname, ranking it #30,609 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 117, ranked #28,033, up from #30,609 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cardoza is 119 in 2004. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 457.1%.

1881 census count

21

Ranked #30,609

Modern count

117

2016, ranked #28,033

Peak year

2004

119 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cardoza had 21 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,609 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016, ranked #28,033.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 71 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Cardoza surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cardoza surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cardoza 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 13 #30,970
1861 historical 15 #31,942
1881 historical 21 #30,609
1891 historical 45 #30,747
1901 historical 65 #26,917
1911 historical 71 #25,742
1997 modern 91 #28,215
1998 modern 91 #28,806
1999 modern 97 #28,187
2000 modern 96 #28,299
2001 modern 97 #27,823
2002 modern 106 #26,985
2003 modern 102 #27,383
2004 modern 119 #25,200
2005 modern 119 #25,193
2006 modern 116 #25,813
2007 modern 115 #26,348
2008 modern 114 #26,796
2009 modern 115 #27,207
2010 modern 119 #27,250
2011 modern 108 #28,811
2012 modern 108 #28,849
2013 modern 112 #28,675
2014 modern 108 #29,658
2015 modern 111 #28,986
2016 modern 117 #28,033

Geography

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Where Cardozas 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 Wealden, Brent, Lambeth, Trafford and Sandwell. 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 Wealden 013 Wealden
2 Brent 033 Brent
3 Lambeth 024 Lambeth
4 Trafford 021 Trafford
5 Sandwell 009 Sandwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cardoza

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cardoza

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cardoza, 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 Cardoza surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Cardoza 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cardoza is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cardoza 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

Cardoza 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 Cardoza is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
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 Cardoza, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cardoza

The surname Cardoza has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in Portugal and Spain. It is derived from the Portuguese and Spanish term "cardozo," which means "thistle" or "thorny plant." This suggests that the name may have initially been given to someone who lived near or worked with thistles or thorny plants.

During the medieval period, the name Cardoza appeared in various documents and records across the Iberian Peninsula. One notable example is the mention of a certain Rodrigo Cardoza in a 14th-century charter from the city of Lisbon, Portugal.

As the centuries passed, the name Cardoza spread beyond the Iberian Peninsula, particularly to regions with strong Portuguese and Spanish influence, such as the Americas and parts of Asia. In Brazil, for instance, the name can be traced back to the 16th century, when Portuguese settlers began arriving in the country.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Cardoza was Juan Cardoza, a Spanish explorer who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the early 16th century. Another notable figure was Gaspar Cardoza de Acosta, a Portuguese merchant and diplomat who lived in the 17th century and played a crucial role in establishing trade relations between Portugal and Japan.

In the 18th century, a prominent member of the Cardoza family was Father António Cardoza, a Portuguese Catholic priest and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of Portuguese literature and history. His extensive writings and publications shed light on various aspects of Portuguese culture and tradition.

Moving into the 19th century, one of the most renowned individuals with the surname Cardoza was Isaac Nunes Cardoza, a prominent Jewish-Portuguese merchant and philanthropist who lived in England. He was instrumental in establishing the Bevis Marks Synagogue in London, which remains an important center of Jewish life and worship to this day.

Throughout history, the name Cardoza has been associated with various fields, including exploration, commerce, religion, and academia. While its origins can be traced back to the Iberian Peninsula, the name has since spread across multiple continents, reflecting the global reach and influence of Portuguese and Spanish culture and heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cardoza families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cardoza 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 10 Cardozas recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.88x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 10 4.88x
Essex 5 12.37x
Somerset 4 12.14x
Hertfordshire 1 7.08x
Surrey 1 1.00x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 7 Cardozas recorded in 1881 and an index of 78.65x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 7 78.65x
Leyton Low 5 609.76x
Spitalfields London 2 129.87x
Taunton St James 2 416.67x
Walcot 2 113.64x
Caterham 1 227.27x
Hampstead London 1 31.35x
Hertford St John 1 476.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Hannah 2
Bridget 1
Charlotte 1
Ellen 1
Harriet 1
Mary 1
R. 1
Rebecca 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Samuel 2
William 2
Arthur 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Joseph 1
Mordgai 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 Cardoza households.

FAQ

Cardoza surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cardoza surname in 1881?

In 1881, 21 people were recorded with the Cardoza surname. That placed it at #30,609 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cardoza surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016. That gives Cardoza a modern rank of #28,033.

What does the Cardoza surname mean?

A Portuguese and Spanish surname derived from the place name Cardoso, meaning "a place of thistles or brambles."

What does the Cardoza map show?

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