NameCensus.

UK surname

Dacruz

A Portuguese surname meaning "from the cross".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rhondda Cynon Taf, Cardiff and Hounslow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dacruz is 268 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

267

2016, ranked #16,054

Peak year

2011

268 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 267 in 2016, ranked #16,054.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Dacruz surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dacruz surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dacruz 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
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1911 historical 4 #33,595
1997 modern 124 #23,669
1998 modern 124 #24,316
1999 modern 131 #23,709
2000 modern 122 #24,698
2001 modern 118 #24,832
2002 modern 152 #21,723
2003 modern 158 #20,952
2004 modern 151 #21,720
2005 modern 177 #19,598
2006 modern 187 #19,079
2007 modern 195 #18,799
2008 modern 211 #17,997
2009 modern 224 #17,685
2010 modern 247 #16,931
2011 modern 268 #15,843
2012 modern 260 #16,090
2013 modern 263 #16,232
2014 modern 256 #16,643
2015 modern 260 #16,361
2016 modern 267 #16,054

Geography

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Where Dacruz' 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 Rhondda Cynon Taf, Cardiff and Hounslow. 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 Rhondda Cynon Taf 023 Rhondda Cynon Taf
2 Cardiff 015 Cardiff
3 Cardiff 016 Cardiff
4 Cardiff 037 Cardiff
5 Hounslow 010 Hounslow

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dacruz

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

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

Dacruz 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

Dacruz falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Dacruz

The surname DACRUZ has its origins in Portugal, dating back to the 15th century. It is a combination of the Portuguese words "da" meaning "from" and "cruz" meaning "cross." This suggests that the name may have been derived from a location or geographical feature associated with a cross, such as a settlement near a crossroads or a place with a prominent cruciform structure.

The earliest recorded instances of the DACRUZ surname can be found in Portuguese parish records and historical documents from the late 15th and early 16th centuries. One notable example is the appearance of the name in the chronicles of the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, who led the first maritime expedition from Europe to India in 1498. It is possible that some of the sailors or crew members on this voyage bore the surname DACRUZ.

During the Age of Exploration and the subsequent Portuguese colonization efforts, the DACRUZ name spread to various regions of the world, including Brazil, Africa, and parts of Asia. This dispersal was likely facilitated by Portuguese settlers, missionaries, and traders who carried the name with them as they established communities abroad.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the DACRUZ surname was Pedro da Cruz (c. 1470 - c. 1540), a Portuguese navigator and explorer who accompanied Ferdinand Magellan on his famous circumnavigation voyage in 1519-1522. Another notable figure was Gaspar da Cruz (c. 1520 - c. 1570), a Portuguese Dominican friar and author who wrote extensively about the cultures and religions of India and Southeast Asia.

In the 17th century, Diogo da Cruz (c. 1605 - c. 1670) was a Portuguese Jesuit missionary who worked in China and contributed to the early scientific study of Chinese language and culture. During the same period, Álvaro da Cruz (c. 1625 - c. 1690) was a prominent Portuguese architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings and fortifications in Brazil.

Fast-forwarding to the 19th century, José da Cruz Souza (1858 - 1898) was a Brazilian poet and one of the leading figures of the Symbolist movement in Brazilian literature. His work explored themes of race, identity, and the African diaspora experience in Brazil.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Dacruz surname: questions and answers

How common is the Dacruz surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 267 in 2016. That gives Dacruz a modern rank of #16,054.

What does the Dacruz surname mean?

A Portuguese surname meaning "from the cross".

What does the Dacruz map show?

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