NameCensus.

UK surname

Decosta

A Portuguese surname indicating a person who lived near the coast or derived from the Latin word for "coast."

In the 1881 census there were 47 people recorded with the Decosta surname, ranking it #27,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 223, ranked #18,222, up from #27,019 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ealing, Montrose South and Angus Glens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Decosta is 223 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 374.5%.

1881 census count

47

Ranked #27,019

Modern count

223

2016, ranked #18,222

Peak year

2016

223 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Decosta had 47 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,019 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 223 in 2016, ranked #18,222.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 80 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Decosta surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Decosta surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Decosta 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 31 #27,734
1861 historical 26 #30,677
1881 historical 47 #27,019
1891 historical 80 #26,785
1901 historical 75 #25,852
1911 historical 59 #26,914
1997 modern 133 #22,705
1998 modern 145 #22,139
1999 modern 165 #20,535
2000 modern 157 #21,146
2001 modern 145 #21,951
2002 modern 145 #22,392
2003 modern 149 #21,766
2004 modern 164 #20,609
2005 modern 168 #20,227
2006 modern 174 #19,921
2007 modern 179 #19,811
2008 modern 186 #19,524
2009 modern 204 #18,779
2010 modern 221 #18,205
2011 modern 217 #18,271
2012 modern 204 #18,973
2013 modern 209 #18,984
2014 modern 210 #19,064
2015 modern 216 #18,600
2016 modern 223 #18,222

Geography

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Where Decostas 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 Ealing, Montrose South, Angus Glens, Camden and Brighton and Hove. 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 Ealing 038 Ealing
2 Montrose South Angus
3 Angus Glens Angus
4 Camden 010 Camden
5 Brighton and Hove 011 Brighton and Hove

Forenames

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First names often paired with Decosta

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

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Decosta is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Decosta 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

Decosta falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Decosta 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Decosta

The surname DeCosta has its origins in Portugal, where it first emerged in the late 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Portuguese word "costa," meaning "coast" or "shore," suggesting that the name may have been given to individuals who lived near the coastline or had some association with maritime activities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the DeCosta surname can be found in the Livro de Linhagens, a Portuguese genealogical record dating back to the 13th century. This document mentions individuals with variations of the DeCosta name, such as "da Costa" and "DaCosta," indicating its long-standing presence in Portuguese history.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the DeCosta name began to spread beyond Portugal as Portuguese explorers and settlers ventured to various parts of the world, including the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Some notable individuals bearing this surname during this period include João Rodrigues DeCosta, a Portuguese navigator who accompanied Vasco da Gama's expedition to India in the late 15th century, and Álvaro de Costa, a 16th-century Portuguese explorer and cartographer who produced maps of the Caribbean and Brazil.

As the Portuguese Empire expanded, the DeCosta name also found its way to other regions, such as Brazil, where it became a prominent surname among the Portuguese-descended population. One notable Brazilian with this surname was João Fernandes DeCosta, a 17th-century explorer and settler who played a significant role in the colonization of the Amazon region.

In the United States, the DeCosta name can be traced back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries, when Portuguese immigrants began arriving in significant numbers. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname in the US was João DeCosta, a merchant from Madeira who settled in Massachusetts in the early 19th century.

Throughout history, the DeCosta surname has been associated with various notable figures across different fields. These include Miguel DeCosta, a 16th-century Portuguese composer and organist; António DeCosta, a 17th-century Portuguese Jesuit missionary and explorer in Japan; and José DeCosta, a 19th-century Brazilian poet and abolitionist.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Decosta families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Decosta 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. Lancashire leads with 26 Decostas recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.92x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 26 5.92x
Middlesex 11 2.97x
Worcestershire 1 2.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Crosby in Lancashire leads with 11 Decostas recorded in 1881 and an index of 916.67x.

Place Total Index
Great Crosby 11 916.67x
Mile End Old Town London 6 76.14x
Liverpool 5 18.73x
Walton On Hill 5 210.08x
St Luke London 4 67.34x
Cheetham 1 30.49x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 14.33x
Hackney London 1 4.81x
Layton With Warbreck 1 62.11x
Toxteth Park 1 6.72x
West Derby 1 7.78x
Whistones 1 285.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Edith 3
Mary 3
Cecilia 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Isabella 1
Julia 1
Lillian 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Rebecca 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Joseph 3
William 3
Abraham 1
Bernado 1
David 1
Francis 1
Harold 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
James 1
Louis 1
Phillip 1
Richard 1
Samuel 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 Decosta households.

FAQ

Decosta surname: questions and answers

How common was the Decosta surname in 1881?

In 1881, 47 people were recorded with the Decosta surname. That placed it at #27,019 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Decosta surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 223 in 2016. That gives Decosta a modern rank of #18,222.

What does the Decosta surname mean?

A Portuguese surname indicating a person who lived near the coast or derived from the Latin word for "coast."

What does the Decosta map show?

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