UK surname

Costas

A Greek surname derived from the given name Konstantinos.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Costas is 165 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

Modern count

155

2016, ranked #23,197

Peak year

2010

165 bearers

Map years

1998 to 2016

Key insights

• The latest modern count shown here is 155 in 2016, ranked #23,197.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2 in 1891.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Map

Costas surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Costas surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Costas 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	1	#33,412
1861	historical	1	#34,435
1891	historical	2	#34,436
1997	modern	129	#23,143
1998	modern	136	#23,013
1999	modern	144	#22,405
2000	modern	150	#21,781
2001	modern	145	#21,951
2002	modern	138	#23,094
2003	modern	134	#23,260
2004	modern	138	#22,997
2005	modern	145	#22,253
2006	modern	148	#22,111
2007	modern	147	#22,510
2008	modern	149	#22,530
2009	modern	162	#21,791
2010	modern	165	#22,026
2011	modern	164	#21,900
2012	modern	159	#22,361
2013	modern	160	#22,621
2014	modern	159	#22,930
2015	modern	155	#23,194
2016	modern	155	#23,197

Geography

Where Costas' 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, Wolverhampton, Wyre Forest, Bromley 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	Haringey 023	Haringey
2	Wolverhampton 028	Wolverhampton
3	Wyre Forest 013	Wyre Forest
4	Bromley 001	Bromley
5	Enfield 019	Enfield

Forenames

First names often paired with Costas

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Maria Anna Jacqueline Georgina Helen Sophie Alexandra Christina Sheri Michelle

Recent male names

John Peter Anthony Andreas Nicholas Andrew George Michael Paul Constantinos

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Costas

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Costas is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Costas 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

Costas 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.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Costas 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 Costas, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Origin

Meaning and origin of Costas

The surname "COSTAS" is of Greek origin and can be traced back to the Byzantine era. It is derived from the Greek word "kostas," which means "rib" or "side." The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname or occupational name for someone who worked with ribs or sides, such as a butcher or a tailor.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname "COSTAS" can be found in medieval Greek documents from the 11th and 12th centuries. It was particularly prevalent in the regions of modern-day Greece, Cyprus, and parts of Turkey that were once under Byzantine rule. The name was also found in some Italian records, likely due to the close cultural and trade ties between the Byzantine Empire and the Italian city-states.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname "COSTAS" was Demetrios Costas, a Byzantine scholar and theologian who lived in the 12th century. He was known for his work on the interpretation of the Bible and his defense of Orthodox Christian doctrine against the teachings of the Latin Church.

In the 15th century, a Greek merchant named Georgios Costas is mentioned in Venetian trade records as operating a successful business importing goods from the Levant. His descendants likely played a role in the spread of the surname throughout the Mediterranean region.

During the Ottoman period, the surname "COSTAS" was carried by several prominent Greek families, including the Costas family of Chios, which produced several notable scholars and merchants. Ioannis Costas (1776-1847), a member of this family, was a renowned Greek scholar and teacher who played a crucial role in the preservation of Greek language and culture during the Ottoman occupation.

As the Greek diaspora spread throughout the world, the surname "COSTAS" was also carried to other regions. One notable figure was Petros Costas (1835-1919), a Greek immigrant to the United States who became a successful businessman and philanthropist in New York City.

Another individual of note was Constantinos Costas (1884-1968), a Greek journalist and political activist who fought for the independence of Cyprus from British rule. His writings and activism played a significant role in shaping the Cypriot national movement in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Costas surname: questions and answers

How common is the Costas surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 155 in 2016. That gives Costas a modern rank of #23,197.

What does the Costas surname mean?