NameCensus.

UK surname

Dasilva

A Portuguese toponymic surname indicating a person who lived near or worked in the woods or forest.

In the 1881 census there were 35 people recorded with the Dasilva surname, ranking it #28,715 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,015, ranked #1,690, up from #28,715 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brent, Swindon and Kensington and Chelsea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dasilva is 4,015 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11371.4%.

1881 census count

35

Ranked #28,715

Modern count

4,015

2016, ranked #1,690

Peak year

2016

4,015 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dasilva had 35 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,715 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,015 in 2016, ranked #1,690.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 47 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Dasilva surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dasilva surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dasilva 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 6 #32,278
1861 historical 2 #34,135
1881 historical 35 #28,715
1891 historical 12 #33,181
1901 historical 16 #32,260
1911 historical 47 #28,110
1997 modern 1,188 #4,746
1998 modern 1,326 #4,473
1999 modern 1,455 #4,179
2000 modern 1,506 #4,052
2001 modern 1,477 #4,039
2002 modern 1,769 #3,522
2003 modern 1,833 #3,348
2004 modern 2,050 #3,054
2005 modern 2,211 #2,820
2006 modern 2,522 #2,530
2007 modern 2,688 #2,419
2008 modern 2,904 #2,272
2009 modern 3,144 #2,151
2010 modern 3,395 #2,054
2011 modern 3,455 #1,993
2012 modern 3,541 #1,897
2013 modern 3,686 #1,861
2014 modern 3,839 #1,791
2015 modern 3,910 #1,736
2016 modern 4,015 #1,690

Geography

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Where Dasilvas 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 Brent, Swindon, Kensington and Chelsea and Peterborough. 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 Brent 031 Brent
2 Swindon 015 Swindon
3 Kensington and Chelsea 001 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Kensington and Chelsea 004 Kensington and Chelsea
5 Peterborough 014 Peterborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dasilva

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

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

Dasilva 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

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

Meaning and origin of Dasilva

The surname DASILVA has its origins in Portugal, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Portuguese phrase "da silva," which translates to "from the forest" or "from the woods." This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived near or worked in a forested area.

In the early days, the name was often spelled in various ways, such as "Da Silva," "D'Assilva," or "DeSilva," reflecting regional dialects and orthographic preferences. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in Portuguese historical documents from the 12th and 13th centuries, particularly in regions like Minho, Trás-os-Montes, and Beiras.

One notable early figure bearing this surname was João da Silva, a Portuguese explorer who participated in the conquest of Ceuta in 1415, during the reign of King John I. Another prominent individual was Diogo da Silva, a 15th-century navigator and explorer who accompanied Vasco da Gama on his historic voyage to India in 1497-1499.

As the Portuguese empire expanded, the DASILVA name spread to various colonies and territories, including Brazil, Africa, and parts of Asia. In Brazil, the name became particularly common, with many notable figures emerging over the centuries. One such individual was Tomé da Silva Teles, a 17th-century landowner and cattle rancher who played a significant role in the development of the Brazilian Northeast.

In the 18th century, José da Silva Lisboa, also known as the Viscount of Cairu, was a prominent Brazilian economist and statesman who made significant contributions to the country's economic and political development. Later, in the 19th century, Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, known as Tiradentes, became a prominent figure in the Brazilian independence movement and is considered a national hero.

Other notable individuals with the DASILVA surname include the 20th-century Portuguese writer and poet Miguel Torga (1907-1995), whose real name was Adolfo Correia da Silva, and the Brazilian actress and producer Camila da Silva (born 1985), known for her work in television and film.

Overall, the DASILVA surname has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval Portugal, and it has since spread across the globe, carried by explorers, settlers, and individuals from various walks of life.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dasilva families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dasilva 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. Middlesex leads with 52 Dasilvas recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.60x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 52 8.60x
Surrey 4 1.36x
Durham 2 1.11x
Kent 2 0.97x
Lancashire 2 0.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 18 Dasilvas recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.71x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 18 30.71x
Hackney London 14 41.30x
Mile End Old Town 7 73.30x
Mile End Old Town London 7 54.39x
Bow London 6 77.92x
Bishop Auckland 2 82.99x
Camberwell 2 5.18x
Kingston On Thames 2 28.25x
Lee 2 66.67x
Moss Side 2 52.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Maria 7
Esther 2
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Augusta 1
Caroline 1
Hannah 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Miriam 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Arthur 2
Abraham 1
Aderita 1
Albert 1
Alfredo 1
Algernon 1
Charles 1
Edwin 1
Henry 1
John 1
Jonah 1
Mansel 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 Dasilva households.

FAQ

Dasilva surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dasilva surname in 1881?

In 1881, 35 people were recorded with the Dasilva surname. That placed it at #28,715 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dasilva surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,015 in 2016. That gives Dasilva a modern rank of #1,690.

What does the Dasilva surname mean?

A Portuguese toponymic surname indicating a person who lived near or worked in the woods or forest.

What does the Dasilva map show?

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