NameCensus.

UK surname

Chaves

A Portuguese and Spanish surname referring to someone who lived near or worked with keys or locks.

In the 1881 census there were 2 people recorded with the Chaves surname, ranking it #33,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 196, ranked #19,848, up from #33,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Neath Port Talbot and Breckland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chaves is 196 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9700.0%.

1881 census count

2

Ranked #33,721

Modern count

196

2016, ranked #19,848

Peak year

2016

196 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chaves had 2 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 196 in 2016, ranked #19,848.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 15 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Chaves surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chaves surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chaves 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 15 #30,614
1861 historical 4 #33,628
1881 historical 2 #33,721
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1901 historical 1 #34,548
1911 historical 8 #32,903
1997 modern 67 #30,915
1998 modern 83 #29,638
1999 modern 100 #27,757
2000 modern 98 #27,988
2001 modern 95 #28,101
2002 modern 92 #29,040
2003 modern 97 #28,217
2004 modern 114 #25,870
2005 modern 113 #25,974
2006 modern 119 #25,413
2007 modern 119 #25,747
2008 modern 131 #24,583
2009 modern 150 #22,937
2010 modern 168 #21,733
2011 modern 149 #23,408
2012 modern 159 #22,361
2013 modern 175 #21,320
2014 modern 183 #20,880
2015 modern 187 #20,502
2016 modern 196 #19,848

Geography

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Where Chaves' 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 Neath Port Talbot and Breckland. 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 Neath Port Talbot 016 Neath Port Talbot
2 Neath Port Talbot 017 Neath Port Talbot
3 Neath Port Talbot 014 Neath Port Talbot
4 Neath Port Talbot 013 Neath Port Talbot
5 Breckland 016 Breckland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chaves

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

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

Chaves 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

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

Meaning and origin of Chaves

The surname Chaves is believed to have originated in Portugal. It is derived from the Galician word "chave," meaning "key," which stems from the Latin word "clavis." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with locksmiths, key makers, or individuals who held positions of authority and control.

The earliest known record of the Chaves surname dates back to the 12th century in the northern Portuguese region of Tras-os-Montes. It is thought to have been derived from the town of Chaves, located near the Spanish border. The town's name itself is believed to come from the Latin word "caveis," meaning "hollows" or "cavities," referring to the topography of the area.

In the 13th century, the Chaves surname appeared in the "Livro Velho de Linhagens," an important Portuguese genealogical record. This document mentions several individuals with the surname, suggesting that it was already well-established by that time.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the Chaves surname was Pero Rodrigues Chaves, a 14th-century Portuguese nobleman and military commander who fought against the Moors in the Reconquista. He was born around 1300 and served under King Afonso IV.

Another prominent figure was Duarte Chaves, a 16th-century Portuguese cartographer and cosmographer. He was born around 1520 and is credited with creating some of the earliest accurate maps of the Indian Ocean and the coasts of Africa and Asia.

In the 17th century, Manoel Chaves was a renowned Portuguese architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Church of Santa Engrácia in Lisbon. He was born in 1590 and is considered a master of the Baroque architectural style.

During the 18th century, José Chaves was a Portuguese painter known for his religious works and portraits. He was born in 1730 and his paintings can be found in various churches and museums throughout Portugal.

In the 19th century, Tomás de Chaves was a Portuguese poet and writer who contributed significantly to the Romantic literary movement in Portugal. He was born in 1825 and his works explored themes of love, nature, and nationalism.

While the Chaves surname has its roots in Portugal, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including Spain, Brazil, and various Latin American countries, due to migration and colonization. However, its earliest and most significant historical references can be traced back to the Portuguese territories and the individuals who bore this name throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chaves families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chaves 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. Lancashire leads with 1 Chaves' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.37x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1 4.37x
Surrey 1 10.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bootle Cum Linacre in Lancashire leads with 1 Chaves' recorded in 1881 and an index of 555.56x.

Place Total Index
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 555.56x
Southwark St Saviour 1 1000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eliza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Andres 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 Chaves households.

Occupation Count
2nd Scullery Boy 1
Barmaid 1

FAQ

Chaves surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chaves surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2 people were recorded with the Chaves surname. That placed it at #33,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chaves surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 196 in 2016. That gives Chaves a modern rank of #19,848.

What does the Chaves surname mean?

A Portuguese and Spanish surname referring to someone who lived near or worked with keys or locks.

What does the Chaves map show?

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