NameCensus.

UK surname

Chavez

A Spanish surname derived from the medieval given name "Chaves," which comes from the Latin "flavius," meaning golden-haired or fair-haired.

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Chavez surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 199, ranked #19,653, up from #34,027 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Haringey, Birmingham and Waltham Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chavez is 199 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19800.0%.

1881 census count

1

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

199

2016, ranked #19,653

Peak year

2016

199 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chavez had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 199 in 2016, ranked #19,653.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Chavez surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chavez surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chavez 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
1881 historical 1 #34,027
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1911 historical 3 #33,789
1997 modern 31 #34,582
1998 modern 35 #34,344
1999 modern 42 #33,778
2000 modern 42 #33,791
2001 modern 42 #33,658
2002 modern 47 #33,548
2003 modern 51 #33,266
2004 modern 54 #33,248
2005 modern 72 #31,730
2006 modern 83 #30,808
2007 modern 90 #30,228
2008 modern 110 #27,391
2009 modern 125 #25,823
2010 modern 139 #24,688
2011 modern 147 #23,627
2012 modern 174 #21,065
2013 modern 176 #21,237
2014 modern 185 #20,739
2015 modern 192 #20,138
2016 modern 199 #19,653

Geography

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Where Chavez' 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 Haringey, Birmingham, Waltham Forest, Shortlees and Cardiff. 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 Haringey 023 Haringey
2 Birmingham 021 Birmingham
3 Waltham Forest 028 Waltham Forest
4 Shortlees East Ayrshire
5 Cardiff 003 Cardiff

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chavez

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

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Chavez 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

Chavez 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

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

Meaning and origin of Chavez

The surname Chavez originates from Spain and is derived from the Spanish word "chavo," which means "boy" or "lad." It likely emerged as a nickname or descriptive name in the Middle Ages, referring to a young man or boy.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Chavez can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Spain, including Andalusia, Extremadura, and Castile. It was often spelled in different ways, such as Chaves, Chave, or Chave.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Pedro Fernandez Chaves, a Spanish nobleman who lived in the late 13th century and served as a knight under King Alfonso X of Castile.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Chavez surname gained prominence in Spain, and some notable individuals emerged. Juan Chavez, a Spanish explorer born in 1492, accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico and played a significant role in the conquest of the Aztec Empire.

Another prominent figure was Alonso de Chaves, a Spanish cartographer and navigator born in 1492, who is credited with creating one of the first world maps to include the newly discovered Americas.

As the Spanish Empire expanded, the Chavez surname spread to various parts of the Americas, including Mexico, where it became particularly prevalent. One of the most famous bearers of the name was César Chávez, an American labor leader and civil rights activist born in 1927, who played a crucial role in the farm workers' movement and fought for better working conditions and rights for agricultural laborers.

In the 16th century, the Chavez surname was also found in various regions of Peru, where it is thought to have originated from Spanish settlers or soldiers. A notable figure was José Gabriel Condorcanqui, also known as Túpac Amaru II, a Peruvian rebel leader born in 1742, who led a significant uprising against Spanish colonial rule.

Throughout the centuries, the Chavez surname has been carried by numerous individuals across different fields, including politics, arts, and literature. Among them were Carlos Chavez, a renowned Mexican composer and conductor born in 1899, and Hugo Chavez, the former President of Venezuela, born in 1954, who served from 1999 until his death in 2013.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chavez families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chavez 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. Buckinghamshire leads with 1 Chavez' recorded in 1881 and an index of 172.41x.

County Total Index
Buckinghamshire 1 172.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Poges in Buckinghamshire leads with 1 Chavez' recorded in 1881 and an index of 10000.00x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Poges 1 10000.00x

Top male names

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

Name Count
Antonio 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 Chavez households.

Occupation Count
Scholar 1

FAQ

Chavez surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chavez surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1 people were recorded with the Chavez surname. That placed it at #34,027 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chavez surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 199 in 2016. That gives Chavez a modern rank of #19,653.

What does the Chavez surname mean?

A Spanish surname derived from the medieval given name "Chaves," which comes from the Latin "flavius," meaning golden-haired or fair-haired.

What does the Chavez map show?

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