NameCensus.

UK surname

Carlo

An Italian surname derived from the given name Carlo, meaning "free man" or "strong."

In the 1881 census there were 70 people recorded with the Carlo surname, ranking it #23,670 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 217, ranked #18,535, up from #23,670 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a and Colchester St Leonard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Babergh, Slough and South Bucks.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carlo is 221 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 210.0%.

1881 census count

70

Ranked #23,670

Modern count

217

2016, ranked #18,535

Peak year

2014

221 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Carlo had 70 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,670 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 217 in 2016, ranked #18,535.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 136 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Carlo surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Carlo surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Carlo 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 24 #29,038
1861 historical 25 #30,804
1881 historical 70 #23,670
1891 historical 51 #30,158
1901 historical 136 #19,110
1911 historical 128 #19,664
1997 modern 170 #19,505
1998 modern 175 #19,658
1999 modern 172 #20,009
2000 modern 168 #20,252
2001 modern 173 #19,635
2002 modern 183 #19,354
2003 modern 180 #19,347
2004 modern 179 #19,523
2005 modern 180 #19,395
2006 modern 187 #19,079
2007 modern 183 #19,553
2008 modern 186 #19,524
2009 modern 188 #19,797
2010 modern 197 #19,640
2011 modern 195 #19,610
2012 modern 191 #19,802
2013 modern 199 #19,584
2014 modern 221 #18,412
2015 modern 219 #18,406
2016 modern 217 #18,535

Geography

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Where Carlos are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a, Colchester St Leonard and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Babergh, Slough, South Bucks, Southend-on-Sea and Isle of Anglesey. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex
4 Colchester St Leonard Essex
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Babergh 002 Babergh
2 Slough 012 Slough
3 South Bucks 008 South Bucks
4 Southend-on-Sea 006 Southend-on-Sea
5 Isle of Anglesey 003 Isle of Anglesey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Carlo

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Carlo

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Carlo is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Carlo is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Carlo falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Carlo 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Carlo

The surname Carlo is of Italian origin and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Italian personal name Carlo, which is the Italian form of the Germanic name Karl, meaning "free man" or "husband." The name was originally used as a first name but later adopted as a surname.

Carlo is a widespread surname in Italy, particularly in the regions of Tuscany, Lombardy, and Veneto, where it has been recorded since the 12th century. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Codice Diplomatico Longobardo, a collection of historical documents from the Lombard period in Italy, dating back to the 8th century.

During the Renaissance period, several notable figures bore the surname Carlo. One of the most famous was Carlo Goldoni (1707-1793), an Italian playwright and librettist who was a leading figure in the Italian literary movement known as the Commedia dell'Arte.

Another notable Carlo was Carlo Borromeo (1538-1584), a Italian Catholic cardinal and Archbishop of Milan. He was known for his reforms and charitable works, and he was canonized as a saint in 1610.

In the 19th century, Carlo Collodi (1826-1890), the Italian writer and journalist best known for his children's book "The Adventures of Pinocchio," was born under the name Carlo Lorenzini and later adopted the pen name Collodi.

Moving into the 20th century, Carlo Levi (1902-1975) was an Italian writer, painter, and political activist who gained fame for his memoir "Christ Stopped at Eboli," which explored the poverty and social injustice in Southern Italy during the fascist era.

Another notable figure was Carlo Ponti (1912-2007), an Italian film producer and husband of the famous actress Sophia Loren. He produced several successful films throughout his career, including "Doctor Zhivago" and "Blow-Up."

While the surname Carlo has its roots in Italy, it has also been adopted in other countries, particularly in areas with significant Italian immigration, such as the United States and Argentina.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Carlo families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carlo 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. Surrey leads with 23 Carlos recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.91x.

County Total Index
Surrey 23 6.91x
Essex 20 14.84x
Middlesex 16 2.34x
Glamorgan 6 5.05x
Hertfordshire 1 2.12x
Lancashire 1 0.12x
Monmouthshire 1 2.03x
Suffolk 1 1.20x
Worcestershire 1 1.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 17 Carlos recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.56x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 17 28.56x
Colchester St Leonard 11 2558.14x
Colchester St James 6 1090.91x
Bethnal Green London 5 16.86x
Camberwell 4 9.17x
Swansea Town 4 41.03x
Cardiff St Mary 2 30.53x
Colchester St Giles 2 150.38x
St Anne Soho London 2 51.28x
St Martin In Fields 2 48.90x
Aldham 1 1000.00x
Hampstead London 1 9.41x
Hemel Hempstead 1 47.17x
Islington London 1 1.51x
Manchester 1 2.75x
Mathon 1 384.62x
Newington 1 3.97x
Newport 1 42.55x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 33.78x
St Bartholomew Less 1 285.71x
St Marylebone London 1 2.74x
St Pancras London 1 1.82x
Stanstead 1 1111.11x
Sutton 1 41.49x
Westminster St James 1 14.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Susan 3
Annie 2
Emma 2
Phoebe 2
Alice 1
Alma 1
Ann 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Eleanor 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Florence 1
Grace 1
Julia 1
Mary 1
Sarah 1
Thea 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 5
George 4
John 4
Henry 3
Arthur 2
Seth 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Bengonzo 1
Cilvano 1
Edwin 1
Eocchio 1
Ghizro 1
Harry 1
Jean 1
Jonathan 1
Jose 1
Joseph 1
Mastaglio 1
Max 1
Oncelli 1
Paracchia 1
Peccorini 1
Rispoli 1
Samuel 1
Squintam 1
Villa 1
Volgins 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Carlo surname: questions and answers

How common was the Carlo surname in 1881?

In 1881, 70 people were recorded with the Carlo surname. That placed it at #23,670 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Carlo surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 217 in 2016. That gives Carlo a modern rank of #18,535.

What does the Carlo surname mean?

An Italian surname derived from the given name Carlo, meaning "free man" or "strong."

What does the Carlo map show?

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