NameCensus.

UK surname

Cela

A Spanish surname derived from the Latin word "cella" meaning a room or cell.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lewisham, Camden and Croydon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cela is 133 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

133

2016, ranked #25,765

Peak year

2016

133 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 133 in 2016, ranked #25,765.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Cela surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cela surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cela 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 2 #34,135
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1911 historical 1 #34,332
1997 modern 9 #37,214
1998 modern 8 #37,334
1999 modern 8 #37,367
2000 modern 8 #37,264
2001 modern 9 #36,980
2002 modern 13 #36,570
2003 modern 13 #36,620
2004 modern 16 #36,439
2005 modern 27 #35,588
2006 modern 51 #33,992
2007 modern 58 #33,731
2008 modern 65 #33,303
2009 modern 77 #32,553
2010 modern 81 #32,582
2011 modern 83 #32,336
2012 modern 99 #30,442
2013 modern 116 #27,992
2014 modern 117 #28,109
2015 modern 119 #27,684
2016 modern 133 #25,765

Geography

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Where Celas 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 Lewisham, Camden, Croydon and Enfield. 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 Lewisham 033 Lewisham
2 Camden 006 Camden
3 Camden 013 Camden
4 Croydon 019 Croydon
5 Enfield 036 Enfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cela

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cela

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

Cela 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

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

Meaning and origin of Cela

The surname Cela has its origins in Spain, and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Latin word "cella," meaning a small room or cell. This likely referred to a small dwelling or hut, which may have been the residence of the family from which the name originated.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cela is in the Codex Calixtinus, a 12th-century manuscript from the Santiago de Compostela region of Spain. This document includes a list of pilgrims who traveled to the city, and a few individuals with the surname Cela are mentioned.

In the 13th century, there are records of a nobleman named Pedro Cela who was granted lands in the province of Galicia by King Alfonso IX of León and Galicia. This suggests that the name had become established among the aristocracy by this time.

The Cela surname is also linked to several place names in Spain, such as the village of Cela in the province of Pontevedra, and the municipality of Cela in the province of Ourense. These locations likely played a role in the geographic spread of the name.

Over the centuries, various notable individuals have borne the Cela surname. One of the most famous was Camilo José Cela (1916-2002), a Spanish novelist and essayist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1989 for his work, which included the novel "La Familia de Pascual Duarte."

Other historical figures with the Cela surname include:

1. Alonso Cela (fl. 16th century), a Spanish poet and humanist from Seville. 2. Juan Cela (1592-1675), a Spanish Baroque painter known for his religious works. 3. Margarita Cela (1605-1652), a Spanish nun and mystic who founded the Congregation of the Servants of Mary. 4. Francisco Cela y Acuña (1675-1733), a Spanish military engineer and architect who worked on fortifications in Cuba and Florida. 5. Ramón Cela (1870-1942), a Spanish politician and lawyer who served as a deputy in the Spanish parliament.

While the Cela surname may have originated from humble beginnings, it has left a lasting mark on Spanish history and culture, with notable contributions in literature, art, religion, and public service.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Cela surname: questions and answers

How common is the Cela surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 133 in 2016. That gives Cela a modern rank of #25,765.

What does the Cela surname mean?

A Spanish surname derived from the Latin word "cella" meaning a room or cell.

What does the Cela map show?

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