NameCensus.

UK surname

Defreitas

Derived from a Portuguese topographic name meaning "from the cold lands."

In the 1881 census there were 5 people recorded with the Defreitas surname, ranking it #33,110 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,079, ranked #5,412, up from #33,110 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lambeth, Newham and Waltham Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Defreitas is 1,091 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21480.0%.

1881 census count

5

Ranked #33,110

Modern count

1,079

2016, ranked #5,412

Peak year

2014

1,091 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Defreitas had 5 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,110 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,079 in 2016, ranked #5,412.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 11 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Defreitas surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Defreitas surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Defreitas 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 4 #32,658
1861 historical 2 #34,135
1881 historical 5 #33,110
1891 historical 9 #33,451
1901 historical 4 #33,876
1911 historical 11 #32,463
1997 modern 595 #8,199
1998 modern 654 #7,865
1999 modern 700 #7,513
2000 modern 719 #7,356
2001 modern 691 #7,443
2002 modern 730 #7,255
2003 modern 713 #7,268
2004 modern 769 #6,888
2005 modern 809 #6,555
2006 modern 845 #6,352
2007 modern 893 #6,125
2008 modern 940 #5,930
2009 modern 985 #5,836
2010 modern 1,009 #5,844
2011 modern 1,007 #5,787
2012 modern 1,004 #5,716
2013 modern 1,061 #5,546
2014 modern 1,091 #5,440
2015 modern 1,081 #5,427
2016 modern 1,079 #5,412

Geography

Back to top

Where Defreitas' 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 Lambeth, Newham, Waltham Forest and Kensington and Chelsea. 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 Lambeth 022 Lambeth
2 Newham 009 Newham
3 Waltham Forest 026 Waltham Forest
4 Kensington and Chelsea 001 Kensington and Chelsea
5 Kensington and Chelsea 016 Kensington and Chelsea

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Defreitas

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Defreitas

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Defreitas surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Defreitas 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 includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Defreitas 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

Defreitas 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

Defreitas 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Defreitas

The surname DEFREITAS originates from Portugal and can be traced back to the 15th century. It is derived from the Portuguese word "freitas," which means "fringes" or "borders," suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a border or boundary.

The earliest recorded mention of the DEFREITAS surname can be found in Portuguese records from the 1400s. Some historians believe that the name may have been associated with Jewish families who fled from Spain during the Inquisition and settled in Portugal, adopting the surname DEFREITAS as a way to assimilate into Portuguese society.

In the 16th century, the DEFREITAS name appeared in several documents related to the Portuguese colonization of Brazil. One notable individual was Pedro de Freitas, a Portuguese explorer who was part of the expedition led by Martim Afonso de Sousa to establish the first permanent Portuguese settlement in Brazil in 1532.

During the 17th century, the DEFREITAS surname began to spread to other parts of the world as a result of Portuguese exploration and colonization. For instance, João de Freitas was a Portuguese soldier who fought in the Dutch-Portuguese War in Brazil in the 1640s.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure with the DEFREITAS surname was Joaquim José de Freitas, a Portuguese military engineer who played a significant role in the construction of fortifications in various Portuguese colonies, including Brazil and Mozambique.

Another notable individual was Tomás de Freitas, a Portuguese navigator and cartographer who was involved in mapping the coasts of Brazil and West Africa in the late 18th century.

In the 19th century, one of the most famous figures with the DEFREITAS surname was José Joaquim de Freitas, a Portuguese journalist and politician who was instrumental in the establishment of the liberal constitutional monarchy in Portugal.

As the DEFREITAS name spread across the globe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Freitas, DeFreitas, and DeFretas, reflecting the influences of different languages and cultures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Defreitas families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Defreitas 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. Durham leads with 2 Defreitas' recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.02x.

County Total Index
Durham 2 23.02x
Middlesex 1 3.42x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Esh in Durham leads with 2 Defreitas' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3333.33x.

Place Total Index
Esh 2 3333.33x
Chelsea London 1 113.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 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 Defreitas households.

Occupation Count
Scholar 1

FAQ

Defreitas surname: questions and answers

How common was the Defreitas surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5 people were recorded with the Defreitas surname. That placed it at #33,110 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Defreitas surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,079 in 2016. That gives Defreitas a modern rank of #5,412.

What does the Defreitas surname mean?

Derived from a Portuguese topographic name meaning "from the cold lands."

What does the Defreitas map show?

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