NameCensus.

UK surname

Gomes

A Portuguese and Galician surname derived from the given name Gomes, which is of Germanic origin meaning "man."

In the 1881 census there were 44 people recorded with the Gomes surname, ranking it #27,447 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,184, ranked #2,133, up from #27,447 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gomes is 3,184 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7136.4%.

1881 census count

44

Ranked #27,447

Modern count

3,184

2016, ranked #2,133

Peak year

2016

3,184 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gomes had 44 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,447 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,184 in 2016, ranked #2,133.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 90 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Gomes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gomes surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gomes 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 15 #30,614
1861 historical 87 #22,681
1881 historical 44 #27,447
1891 historical 55 #29,744
1901 historical 63 #27,134
1911 historical 90 #23,797
1997 modern 1,006 #5,474
1998 modern 1,081 #5,332
1999 modern 1,174 #5,022
2000 modern 1,278 #4,649
2001 modern 1,241 #4,666
2002 modern 1,350 #4,433
2003 modern 1,370 #4,295
2004 modern 1,558 #3,867
2005 modern 1,680 #3,578
2006 modern 1,877 #3,263
2007 modern 2,063 #3,033
2008 modern 2,224 #2,857
2009 modern 2,399 #2,729
2010 modern 2,593 #2,618
2011 modern 2,610 #2,573
2012 modern 2,782 #2,397
2013 modern 2,872 #2,369
2014 modern 3,004 #2,285
2015 modern 3,062 #2,208
2016 modern 3,184 #2,133

Geography

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Where Gomes' 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 Swindon, Lambeth, Huntingdonshire, Great Yarmouth and Westminster. 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 Swindon 015 Swindon
2 Lambeth 011 Lambeth
3 Huntingdonshire 008 Huntingdonshire
4 Great Yarmouth 006 Great Yarmouth
5 Westminster 024 Westminster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gomes

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

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Gomes is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gomes 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

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

Meaning and origin of Gomes

The surname Gomes is of Portuguese origin, deriving from the personal name Gomes. This name is thought to have originated from the Old Germanic name Gumma, which is a diminutive of the word 'guma' meaning 'man' or 'warrior'. The earliest known bearers of the Gomes name lived in Portugal during the 12th century.

In the historical records of Portugal, the Gomes surname can be found in documents dating back to the 13th century. One notable early bearer was Gomes Lourenço, a nobleman who served as a councilor to King Afonso III in the mid-1200s. Another was João Gomes de Abreu, a 14th century explorer who accompanied Portuguese expeditions to the Canary Islands.

The surname Gomes also has connections to several place names in Portugal. The town of Gomes Aires in the Algarve region is thought to have been named after an early settler with the Gomes surname. Similarly, the parish of Gomes in Porto may have derived its name from a landowner called Gomes.

Throughout history, there have been several prominent individuals with the surname Gomes. These include Pedro Álvares Gomes, a 15th century Portuguese navigator who explored the coast of West Africa. João Gomes Barreto (1520-1593) was a notable Portuguese explorer and naval officer who served as the Governor of Portuguese India.

In the literary world, João Baptista Gomes (1635-1700) was a renowned Portuguese playwright and poet during the baroque period. More recently, João Guimarães Rosa (1908-1967), often considered one of Brazil's greatest novelists, was born João Gomes Rosa.

Another noteworthy bearer of the Gomes surname was Sebastião Gomes da Silva (1892-1962), a Brazilian football player and manager who played a key role in establishing the sport in his home country. He was part of the first Brazilian national team to compete in the World Cup in 1930.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gomes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gomes 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. Hampshire leads with 18 Gomes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.46x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 18 20.46x
Lancashire 13 2.55x
Midlothian 5 8.70x
Middlesex 3 0.70x
Surrey 2 0.96x
Essex 1 1.18x
Lanarkshire 1 0.72x
Northumberland 1 1.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Alverstoke in Hampshire leads with 14 Gomes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 440.25x.

Place Total Index
Alverstoke 14 440.25x
Croston 5 1923.08x
North Leith 5 187.97x
Liverpool 4 12.93x
Portsea 3 17.40x
Ardwick 2 43.57x
Lambeth 2 5.34x
Toxteth Park 2 11.60x
Chelsea London 1 7.73x
Govan Church 1 5000.00x
Morpeth 1 133.33x
Norwood 1 102.04x
Ryde 1 52.91x
St Bartholomew Less 1 454.55x
Walthamstow 1 32.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Sarah 4
Alice 2
Elizabeth 2
Betty 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Jose 1
Julia 1
Maria 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

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 Gomes households.

FAQ

Gomes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gomes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 44 people were recorded with the Gomes surname. That placed it at #27,447 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gomes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,184 in 2016. That gives Gomes a modern rank of #2,133.

What does the Gomes surname mean?

A Portuguese and Galician surname derived from the given name Gomes, which is of Germanic origin meaning "man."

What does the Gomes map show?

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