UK surname

Christoforou

A Greek surname meaning "follower of Christ".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Enfield, Dennistoun and Barnet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Christoforou is 516 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

Modern count

510

2016, ranked #9,846

Peak year

2015

516 bearers

Map years

1998 to 2016

Key insights

• The latest modern count shown here is 510 in 2016, ranked #9,846.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Map

Christoforou surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Christoforou surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Christoforou 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
1997	modern	432	#10,395
1998	modern	455	#10,315
1999	modern	440	#10,648
2000	modern	440	#10,629
2001	modern	425	#10,716
2002	modern	450	#10,452
2003	modern	465	#9,985
2004	modern	469	#9,983
2005	modern	456	#10,111
2006	modern	443	#10,369
2007	modern	456	#10,221
2008	modern	459	#10,265
2009	modern	477	#10,206
2010	modern	491	#10,192
2011	modern	494	#10,042
2012	modern	498	#9,886
2013	modern	511	#9,862
2014	modern	511	#9,927
2015	modern	516	#9,789
2016	modern	510	#9,846

Geography

Where Christoforous 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 Enfield, Dennistoun and Barnet. 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	Enfield 021	Enfield
2	Enfield 031	Enfield
3	Dennistoun	Glasgow City
4	Barnet 011	Barnet
5	Enfield 017	Enfield

Forenames

First names often paired with Christoforou

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Maria Christina Anna Michelle Nicola Georgia Joanna Androulla Elena Lisa

Recent male names

Christopher Andrew Andreas George Michael Alexander Nicholas Chris Peter Costas

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Christoforou

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Christoforou surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Christoforou household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Christoforou is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Christoforou 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.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Christoforou falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Christoforou 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.

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: White - Other

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

Origin

Meaning and origin of Christoforou

The surname Christoforou originates from Greece and can be traced back to the Byzantine era, around the 11th century AD. It derives from the Greek given name Christoforos, which means "Christ-bearer" and was a popular name among Greek Christians.

The earliest known references to the Christoforou name can be found in official records and manuscripts from the Byzantine Empire, particularly in regions like Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), Thessaloniki, and other parts of the Greek mainland and islands.

One notable mention of the name is in a 12th-century Byzantine chronicle, where a certain Ioannis Christoforou is mentioned as a high-ranking official in the court of Emperor Manuel I Komnenos (reigned 1143-1180).

In the centuries that followed, the Christoforou name spread across various regions of the Greek-speaking world, including parts of modern-day Turkey, Cyprus, and the Balkans. Some variations in spelling, such as Christophorou or Christoforidis, emerged due to regional dialects and the influence of other languages like Turkish or Slavic.

During the Ottoman period (15th-19th centuries), several Christoforou families are recorded as prominent merchants and landowners in various parts of the Ottoman Empire, particularly in cities like Smyrna (modern-day Izmir) and Alexandria.

One notable figure was Georgios Christoforou (1808-1878), a Greek merchant and philanthropist from Smyrna, who funded the construction of several schools and churches in his hometown and Athens.

Another distinguished individual was Fotis Christoforou (1866-1940), a Greek scholar and educator who played a significant role in the establishment of modern Greek education in Cyprus during the British rule.

In more recent times, the name Christoforou has been associated with notable figures such as:

1. Panikos Christoforou (1920-2008), a Cypriot politician and diplomat who served as the President of the Republic of Cyprus from 1977 to 1988. 2. Giorgos Christoforou (1942-2005), a Greek actor and singer who had a successful career in both theater and cinema. 3. Eleni Christoforou (born 1974), a Greek long-distance runner who won the bronze medal in the marathon event at the 2004 Athens Olympics. 4. Konstantinos Christoforou (born 1980), a Cypriot composer and conductor known for his orchestral and choral works. 5. Stathis Christoforou (born 1988), a Greek professional basketball player who has played for several teams in the Greek Basket League and EuroLeague.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Christoforou surname: questions and answers

How common is the Christoforou surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 510 in 2016. That gives Christoforou a modern rank of #9,846.

What does the Christoforou surname mean?