NameCensus.

UK surname

Fortes

A Portuguese and Spanish surname referring to a strong, vigorous, or brave person.

In the 1881 census there were 57 people recorded with the Fortes surname, ranking it #25,575 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 178, ranked #21,160, up from #25,575 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Swindon and Kingston upon Hull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fortes is 179 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 212.3%.

1881 census count

57

Ranked #25,575

Modern count

178

2016, ranked #21,160

Peak year

2014

179 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fortes had 57 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,575 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 178 in 2016, ranked #21,160.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 94 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Fortes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fortes surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fortes 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 43 #25,518
1861 historical 94 #21,883
1881 historical 57 #25,575
1891 historical 69 #28,188
1901 historical 43 #29,380
1911 historical 58 #27,001
1997 modern 64 #31,233
1998 modern 82 #29,754
1999 modern 87 #29,398
2000 modern 84 #29,706
2001 modern 88 #29,056
2002 modern 97 #28,383
2003 modern 91 #29,121
2004 modern 104 #27,338
2005 modern 102 #27,689
2006 modern 110 #26,717
2007 modern 118 #25,913
2008 modern 138 #23,763
2009 modern 155 #22,438
2010 modern 154 #23,082
2011 modern 150 #23,309
2012 modern 170 #21,379
2013 modern 172 #21,575
2014 modern 179 #21,186
2015 modern 167 #22,066
2016 modern 178 #21,160

Geography

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Where Fortes' 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 Bradford, Swindon, Kingston upon Hull, Cherwell and Wiltshire. 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 Bradford 031 Bradford
2 Swindon 015 Swindon
3 Kingston upon Hull 010 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 Cherwell 004 Cherwell
5 Wiltshire 055 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fortes

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

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Fortes 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

Fortes 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

Fortes 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 Fortes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Fortes

The surname FORTES is of Portuguese origin, with its roots tracing back to the medieval era. It is derived from the Latin word "fortis," meaning strong, brave, or courageous. This name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who exhibited such qualities.

In the 13th century, the FORTES surname can be found in historical records from the northern regions of Portugal, particularly in the provinces of Minho and Trás-os-Montes. The earliest known spelling variations include Fortes, Fortis, and Fortez.

One of the earliest documented references to the FORTES name dates back to 1287, when a certain João Fortes was mentioned in a land deed from the town of Guimarães. This region was historically significant, as it was the birthplace of the first Portuguese king, Afonso Henriques.

In the 15th century, during the Age of Discovery, several notable Portuguese explorers bore the FORTES surname. Among them was Pedro Fortes, a navigator who accompanied Vasco da Gama on his historic voyage to India in 1498.

Another prominent figure was Fernão Fortes, a soldier and military engineer who played a crucial role in the Portuguese conquest of Malacca in 1511. He later served as the governor of the Moluccas Islands from 1522 to 1525.

During the 16th century, the FORTES name gained further prominence with the birth of Luís Fortes (1508-1588), a renowned humanist scholar and professor at the University of Coimbra. He was widely respected for his contributions to the fields of philosophy and rhetoric.

In the 17th century, Diogo Fortes (1630-1698) was a celebrated architect and military engineer. He is best known for his work on the fortifications of Lisbon and the design of the Aqueduto das Águas Livres, a monumental aqueduct that supplied water to the city.

The FORTES surname has also been associated with several notable individuals in more recent history, such as José Fortes (1785-1849), a Portuguese poet and dramatist, and António Fortes (1919-2000), a prominent journalist and writer who played a significant role in the fight against the Estado Novo regime in Portugal.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fortes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fortes 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. Norfolk leads with 12 Fortes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.04x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 12 14.04x
Lancashire 10 1.52x
Yorkshire 9 1.63x
Kent 8 4.22x
Middlesex 8 1.44x
Suffolk 5 7.38x
Hampshire 3 2.63x
Buckinghamshire 1 2.98x
Surrey 1 0.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bressingham in Norfolk leads with 12 Fortes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 12000.00x.

Place Total Index
Bressingham 12 12000.00x
Bowling 8 146.52x
Habergham Eaves 8 132.67x
Hadlow 7 1489.36x
Shoreditch London 7 29.05x
Aldershot 3 78.53x
Rickinghall Superior 3 2727.27x
Whalley 2 208.33x
Dewsbury 1 17.70x
Gravesend 1 62.11x
Hackney London 1 3.21x
Hinderclay 1 1666.67x
Lambeth 1 2.06x
Onehouse 1 1428.57x
Stoke Poges 1 243.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 3
Florence 3
Eliza 2
Alexandria 1
Alice 1
Carl.E. 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Harriet 1
Jane 1
Lavinia 1
Liza 1
Maria 1
Mary 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Rachel 1
S.A. 1
Sarah 1
Sophia 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Harry 3
John 3
Hosea 2
James 2
Reuben 2
Thomas 2
William 2
A. 1
Albert 1
Arthur 1
David 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
George 1
Jobey 1
Joseph 1
Levi 1
Malechie 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 Fortes households.

FAQ

Fortes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fortes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 57 people were recorded with the Fortes surname. That placed it at #25,575 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fortes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 178 in 2016. That gives Fortes a modern rank of #21,160.

What does the Fortes surname mean?

A Portuguese and Spanish surname referring to a strong, vigorous, or brave person.

What does the Fortes map show?

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