NameCensus.

UK surname

Fonseca

A habitational surname referring to someone from any of the numerous places named Fonseca, primarily in Portugal and Spain.

In the 1881 census there were 4 people recorded with the Fonseca surname, ranking it #33,288 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 628, ranked #8,401, up from #33,288 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Westminster, Luton and Wandsworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fonseca is 628 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15600.0%.

1881 census count

4

Ranked #33,288

Modern count

628

2016, ranked #8,401

Peak year

2016

628 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fonseca had 4 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,288 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 628 in 2016, ranked #8,401.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 33 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Fonseca surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fonseca surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fonseca 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
1861 historical 21 #31,242
1881 historical 4 #33,288
1891 historical 12 #33,181
1901 historical 18 #32,032
1911 historical 33 #29,703
1997 modern 214 #16,893
1998 modern 229 #16,657
1999 modern 253 #15,667
2000 modern 255 #15,538
2001 modern 249 #15,573
2002 modern 273 #14,892
2003 modern 284 #14,331
2004 modern 338 #12,781
2005 modern 350 #12,359
2006 modern 377 #11,743
2007 modern 406 #11,249
2008 modern 422 #10,992
2009 modern 462 #10,444
2010 modern 491 #10,192
2011 modern 506 #9,873
2012 modern 544 #9,245
2013 modern 590 #8,848
2014 modern 613 #8,654
2015 modern 619 #8,517
2016 modern 628 #8,401

Geography

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Where Fonsecas 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 Westminster, Luton, Wandsworth, Hillingdon and Lambeth. 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 Westminster 024 Westminster
2 Luton 010 Luton
3 Wandsworth 026 Wandsworth
4 Hillingdon 002 Hillingdon
5 Lambeth 006 Lambeth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fonseca

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

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

Fonseca 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

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

Meaning and origin of Fonseca

The surname Fonseca has its origins in Portugal, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Portuguese words "fonte" meaning "spring" or "fountain" and "seca" meaning "dry". The name likely referred to someone who lived near a dry spring or a place where a spring had dried up.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fonseca can be found in the 13th century. In 1250, a nobleman named João Fernandes da Fonseca was listed as a witness in a legal document in the city of Braga, northern Portugal. This suggests that the surname was already established among the Portuguese nobility by that time.

In the 14th century, the Fonseca family played a prominent role in the Portuguese exploration of the Atlantic Ocean and the colonization of the Azores Islands. In 1439, Gonçalo Velho Cabral, a member of the Fonseca family, was appointed as the first captain-major of the island of Santa Maria in the Azores.

The Fonseca surname also has a strong connection to the Catholic Church. In the 15th century, Pedro da Fonseca (1528-1599) was a renowned Spanish philosopher and theologian who served as the rector of the University of Coimbra in Portugal. He is considered one of the most influential figures in the development of the Jesuit educational system.

Another notable figure was Manuel da Fonseca e Silva (1691-1766), a Portuguese diplomat and architect who designed several important buildings in Lisbon, including the Águas Livres Aqueduct and the Church of São Roque.

In the 19th century, Deodoro da Fonseca (1827-1892) was a Brazilian military officer and politician who served as the first President of Brazil after the country's transition from a monarchy to a republic in 1889.

Beyond Portugal and Brazil, the Fonseca surname also has a presence in other parts of the world. For example, Rubén Fonseca (born 1925) is a Colombian writer and screenwriter known for his works of crime fiction, while Eduardo Fonseca (1958-2022) was a renowned Peruvian chef and restaurateur.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fonseca families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fonseca 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 4 Fonsecas recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.29x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 4 10.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Botolph Aldgate London in Middlesex leads with 3 Fonsecas recorded in 1881 and an index of 3750.00x.

Place Total Index
St Botolph Aldgate London 3 3750.00x
Spitalfields London 1 344.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Catherine 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1

FAQ

Fonseca surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fonseca surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4 people were recorded with the Fonseca surname. That placed it at #33,288 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fonseca surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 628 in 2016. That gives Fonseca a modern rank of #8,401.

What does the Fonseca surname mean?

A habitational surname referring to someone from any of the numerous places named Fonseca, primarily in Portugal and Spain.

What does the Fonseca map show?

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