NameCensus.

UK surname

Ferrara

Italian locational surname referring to someone from the city of Ferrara in Northern Italy.

In the 1881 census there were 5 people recorded with the Ferrara surname, ranking it #33,110 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 363, ranked #12,777, up from #33,110 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ayr South Harbour and Town Centre, Hillingdon and Kensington and Chelsea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ferrara is 363 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7160.0%.

1881 census count

5

Ranked #33,110

Modern count

363

2016, ranked #12,777

Peak year

2016

363 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ferrara had 5 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,110 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 363 in 2016, ranked #12,777.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 22 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Ferrara surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ferrara surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ferrara 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 4 #33,628
1881 historical 5 #33,110
1891 historical 4 #34,098
1901 historical 11 #32,907
1911 historical 22 #31,030
1997 modern 201 #17,564
1998 modern 219 #17,115
1999 modern 219 #17,203
2000 modern 212 #17,554
2001 modern 214 #17,211
2002 modern 226 #16,939
2003 modern 228 #16,663
2004 modern 228 #16,723
2005 modern 253 #15,514
2006 modern 273 #14,804
2007 modern 279 #14,732
2008 modern 298 #14,206
2009 modern 310 #14,113
2010 modern 324 #13,979
2011 modern 320 #13,976
2012 modern 338 #13,304
2013 modern 343 #13,372
2014 modern 351 #13,227
2015 modern 354 #13,063
2016 modern 363 #12,777

Geography

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Where Ferraras 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 Ayr South Harbour and Town Centre, Hillingdon, Kensington and Chelsea, Torbay and Gravesham. 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 Ayr South Harbour and Town Centre South Ayrshire
2 Hillingdon 007 Hillingdon
3 Kensington and Chelsea 017 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Torbay 019 Torbay
5 Gravesham 005 Gravesham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ferrara

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ferrara

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

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Ferrara surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Ferrara 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 never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Ferrara is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ferrara 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

Ferrara falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ferrara

The surname Ferrara has its origins in Italy, where it first emerged during the medieval period. Derived from the Italian place name Ferrara, which is a city located in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, the name likely referred to someone who hailed from that city or its surrounding areas.

Ferrara itself is an ancient settlement, with its name possibly stemming from the Latin word "ferrarius," meaning "blacksmith" or "iron worker." This suggests that the name may have originally been an occupational surname, referring to those involved in metalworking professions.

Some of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Ferrara can be found in historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries in Italy. One notable example is Bartolomeo Ferrara, a Franciscan friar born in Ferrara around 1230 who later became a renowned scholar and theologian.

During the Renaissance period, the Ferrara name gained prominence due to the powerful Este family, who ruled over the Duchy of Ferrara from the 13th to the 16th centuries. One of the most renowned members of this dynasty was Lucrezia Borgia (1480-1519), who married Alfonso I d'Este, the Duke of Ferrara, in 1501.

Another prominent figure with the Ferrara surname was Girolamo Savonarola (1452-1498), a Dominican friar and influential religious reformer who was born in Ferrara but later moved to Florence, where he played a pivotal role in the city's political and religious affairs.

In the realm of art, the Ferrara name is associated with Girolamo da Ferrara (c.1445-c.1500), an Italian Renaissance painter and illuminator who was active in Ferrara and other Italian cities during the latter half of the 15th century.

As the name spread beyond Italy, it also gained a foothold in other parts of Europe and the Americas. For example, Juan Ferrara (c.1545-c.1610) was a Spanish navigator and explorer who participated in several expeditions to the New World in the late 16th century.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the Ferrara surname throughout history, highlighting its rich Italian heritage and the various fields in which it has been represented over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ferrara families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ferrara 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 5 Ferraras recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.31x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 5 10.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Marylebone London in Middlesex leads with 4 Ferraras recorded in 1881 and an index of 154.44x.

Place Total Index
St Marylebone London 4 154.44x
St Andrew Holborn 1 625.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emily 1
Margaret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 2
Wm. 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 Ferrara households.

FAQ

Ferrara surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ferrara surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Ferrara surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 363 in 2016. That gives Ferrara a modern rank of #12,777.

What does the Ferrara surname mean?

Italian locational surname referring to someone from the city of Ferrara in Northern Italy.

What does the Ferrara map show?

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