NameCensus.

UK surname

Ferraro

An occupational surname referring to a blacksmith or ironworker.

In the 1881 census there were 18 people recorded with the Ferraro surname, ranking it #31,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 307, ranked #14,508, up from #31,019 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St Andrews North and Strathkinness, Ceredigion and Broxbourne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ferraro is 307 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1605.6%.

1881 census count

18

Ranked #31,019

Modern count

307

2016, ranked #14,508

Peak year

2016

307 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ferraro had 18 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,019 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 307 in 2016, ranked #14,508.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 82 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Ferraro surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ferraro surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ferraro 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 8 #32,887
1881 historical 18 #31,019
1891 historical 15 #32,956
1901 historical 52 #28,377
1911 historical 82 #24,635
1997 modern 201 #17,564
1998 modern 219 #17,115
1999 modern 227 #16,834
2000 modern 226 #16,840
2001 modern 219 #16,967
2002 modern 227 #16,877
2003 modern 232 #16,447
2004 modern 237 #16,283
2005 modern 230 #16,583
2006 modern 236 #16,384
2007 modern 253 #15,776
2008 modern 267 #15,349
2009 modern 283 #15,020
2010 modern 300 #14,730
2011 modern 303 #14,506
2012 modern 287 #14,978
2013 modern 298 #14,815
2014 modern 303 #14,733
2015 modern 300 #14,758
2016 modern 307 #14,508

Geography

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Where Ferraros 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 St Andrews North and Strathkinness, Ceredigion, Broxbourne and East Hertfordshire. 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 St Andrews North and Strathkinness Fife
2 Ceredigion 010 Ceredigion
3 Broxbourne 003 Broxbourne
4 East Hertfordshire 018 East Hertfordshire
5 Broxbourne 001 Broxbourne

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ferraro

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ferraro

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ferraro, 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 Ferraro surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Ferraro 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Ferraro 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

Ferraro 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

Ferraro falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ferraro is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Ferraro

The surname Ferraro originated in Italy during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Italian word "ferro," meaning iron, and was likely an occupational name given to someone who worked as a blacksmith or ironworker.

The earliest recorded instances of the Ferraro surname can be traced back to the 12th century in various regions of Italy, including Tuscany, Lazio, and Sicily. Some of the earliest known bearers of the name were members of noble families, such as the Ferraro family of Naples, who were prominent in the 13th and 14th centuries.

In the late 13th century, a Genoese explorer named Lanzarotto Ferraro is believed to have accompanied Marco Polo on his expeditions to Asia. Historical records also mention a nobleman named Giacomo Ferraro, who was a prominent figure in the court of King Robert of Naples in the early 14th century.

The name Ferraro can be found in various historical documents and records, including the Codice Diplomatico Siciliano, which contains references to individuals with this surname in Sicily during the 12th and 13th centuries. In the 15th century, the Ferraro family was among the noble families of Palermo, Sicily, and their coat of arms is still preserved in the city's archives.

Notable individuals with the surname Ferraro include the Italian philosopher and theologian Francesco Ferraro (1489-1549), who was a prominent figure during the Renaissance. Another notable bearer of the name was the Italian composer and violinist Giovanni Ferraro (1540-1609), who was a contemporary of Monteverdi and contributed to the development of early Baroque music.

In more recent history, Geraldine Ferraro (1935-2011) was a prominent American politician and the first woman to be nominated as a vice-presidential candidate of a major political party in the United States. She was the running mate of Walter Mondale in the 1984 presidential election.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ferraro families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ferraro 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 12 Ferraros recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.83x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 12 6.83x
Devon 4 10.94x
Glamorgan 2 6.54x

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 6 Ferraros recorded in 1881 and an index of 64.03x.

Place Total Index
St Marylebone London 6 64.03x
Paddington London 4 61.92x
Stoke Damerel 4 156.25x
Cardiff St Mary 2 119.05x
St George Martyr London 2 555.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Ada 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Florence 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Giovanni 2
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Giuseppe 1
Henry 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Pasquali 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 Ferraro households.

FAQ

Ferraro surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ferraro surname in 1881?

In 1881, 18 people were recorded with the Ferraro surname. That placed it at #31,019 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ferraro surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 307 in 2016. That gives Ferraro a modern rank of #14,508.

What does the Ferraro surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a blacksmith or ironworker.

What does the Ferraro map show?

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