NameCensus.

UK surname

Furtado

A Portuguese occupational surname referring to a thief or burglar.

In the 1881 census there were 8 people recorded with the Furtado surname, ranking it #32,581 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 277, ranked #15,619, up from #32,581 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Haringey, Hounslow and Swindon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Furtado is 277 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 3362.5%.

1881 census count

8

Ranked #32,581

Modern count

277

2016, ranked #15,619

Peak year

2015

277 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Furtado had 8 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,581 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 277 in 2016, ranked #15,619.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 12 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Furtado surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Furtado surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Furtado 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 3 #32,890
1861 historical 1 #34,435
1881 historical 8 #32,581
1891 historical 9 #33,451
1901 historical 12 #32,772
1911 historical 12 #32,302
1997 modern 84 #29,106
1998 modern 94 #28,435
1999 modern 112 #26,044
2000 modern 112 #25,978
2001 modern 106 #26,468
2002 modern 110 #26,412
2003 modern 111 #26,091
2004 modern 137 #23,098
2005 modern 125 #24,398
2006 modern 135 #23,486
2007 modern 138 #23,478
2008 modern 142 #23,270
2009 modern 169 #21,190
2010 modern 181 #20,738
2011 modern 191 #19,871
2012 modern 209 #18,659
2013 modern 240 #17,251
2014 modern 260 #16,470
2015 modern 277 #15,622
2016 modern 277 #15,619

Geography

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Where Furtados 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 Haringey, Hounslow, Swindon, Spelthorne and Forest of Dean. 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 Haringey 036 Haringey
2 Hounslow 024 Hounslow
3 Swindon 015 Swindon
4 Spelthorne 005 Spelthorne
5 Forest of Dean 005 Forest of Dean

Forenames

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First names often paired with Furtado

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

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

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Furtado surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Furtado household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Furtado is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Furtado 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

Furtado falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Furtado

The surname Furtado originated in Portugal during the medieval period. It is derived from the Latin word "furtare," meaning "to steal," and the Portuguese suffix "-ado," which indicates a profession or quality. The name likely referred to someone who was a thief or whose ancestor was a thief.

Furtado is an ancient surname that can be traced back to the 13th century in Portugal. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in a legal document from the town of Guimarães, dated 1258, which mentions a person named Pedro Furtado.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various historical records, including the "Livro das Linhagens" (Book of Lineages), a compilation of Portuguese noble families. This suggests that the Furtado surname was already well-established among the Portuguese nobility at that time.

During the Age of Discovery in the 15th and 16th centuries, many Portuguese explorers and settlers with the surname Furtado played a significant role in the colonization of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. One notable figure was João Furtado de Mendonça (c. 1480-1537), a Portuguese explorer and navigator who commanded several expeditions to Brazil and the Indian Ocean.

In the 17th century, the Furtado name gained prominence in Brazil, where several members of the family held important political and military positions. One example is Francisco Barreto Furtado (1616-1691), a Portuguese colonial administrator who served as the Governor-General of Brazil from 1671 to 1675.

Another famous bearer of the Furtado surname was Francisco Xavier de Mendonça Furtado (1701-1769), a Portuguese statesman and diplomat who served as the Secretary of State for the Navy and Overseas Territories under King José I. He played a crucial role in the reform and reorganization of the Portuguese colonial administration.

Throughout history, the Furtado surname has been associated with various place names and localities in Portugal, such as Furtado (a parish in the municipality of Chaves), Furtadouro (a village in the municipality of Mirandela), and Furtadinha (a village in the municipality of Ourique).

Other notable individuals with the surname Furtado include João Pinto Furtado (1760-1830), a Portuguese military officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor-General of Portuguese India, and Luís Furtado de Castro do Rio de Mendonça (1664-1733), a Portuguese nobleman and military officer who served as the Governor of the Captaincy of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Furtado families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Furtado 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 8 Furtados recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.26x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 8 10.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 7 Furtados recorded in 1881 and an index of 111.47x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 7 111.47x
Hammersmith London 1 52.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Anne 1
Eliza 1
Eveline 1
M. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 1
Ernest 1
Montague 1
W.C. 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 Furtado households.

FAQ

Furtado surname: questions and answers

How common was the Furtado surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8 people were recorded with the Furtado surname. That placed it at #32,581 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Furtado surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 277 in 2016. That gives Furtado a modern rank of #15,619.

What does the Furtado surname mean?

A Portuguese occupational surname referring to a thief or burglar.

What does the Furtado map show?

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