NameCensus.

UK surname

Gonzales

A patronymic surname meaning "son of Gonzalo," a Spanish given name derived from the Visigothic word meaning "battle."

In the 1881 census there were 3 people recorded with the Gonzales surname, ranking it #33,498 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 679, ranked #7,896, up from #33,498 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland, Preston and Hackney.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gonzales is 679 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22533.3%.

1881 census count

3

Ranked #33,498

Modern count

679

2016, ranked #7,896

Peak year

2016

679 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gonzales had 3 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,498 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 679 in 2016, ranked #7,896.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 32 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Gonzales surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gonzales surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gonzales 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 1 #33,412
1861 historical 2 #34,135
1881 historical 3 #33,498
1891 historical 3 #34,257
1901 historical 23 #31,466
1911 historical 32 #29,838
1997 modern 324 #12,859
1998 modern 329 #13,070
1999 modern 333 #13,049
2000 modern 314 #13,516
2001 modern 305 #13,594
2002 modern 341 #12,864
2003 modern 335 #12,815
2004 modern 359 #12,222
2005 modern 375 #11,752
2006 modern 396 #11,338
2007 modern 418 #10,976
2008 modern 449 #10,447
2009 modern 520 #9,568
2010 modern 575 #9,052
2011 modern 536 #9,468
2012 modern 579 #8,830
2013 modern 608 #8,651
2014 modern 649 #8,266
2015 modern 651 #8,187
2016 modern 679 #7,896

Geography

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Where Gonzales' 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 Sunderland, Preston, Hackney, Lambeth and Sutton. 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 Sunderland 030 Sunderland
2 Preston 016 Preston
3 Hackney 002 Hackney
4 Lambeth 008 Lambeth
5 Sutton 019 Sutton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gonzales

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gonzales

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

Gonzales 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

Gonzales falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gonzales

The surname Gonzales is Spanish in origin, derived from the personal name Gonzalo, which in turn is derived from the ancient Germanic name Gundisalvus. The name is composed of two parts: "gund" meaning "battle" and "salvus" meaning "safe" or "protection."

The earliest recorded use of the surname Gonzales can be traced back to the 9th century in the northern regions of Spain, particularly in the Basque Country and Navarre. It is believed that the name originated as a patronymic, meaning "son of Gonzalo," and was later adopted as a hereditary surname.

The Gonzales surname has a rich history, with several notable individuals bearing this name throughout the centuries. One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Becerro Galicano, a 13th-century manuscript that records the noble families of Galicia, Spain.

In the 15th century, Juan Gonzales de Mendoza (1428-1495) was an influential Spanish cardinal and statesman who served as the Archbishop of Seville and played a crucial role in the Spanish Inquisition. Another notable figure was Hernán Cortés (1485-1547), the Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire in present-day Mexico.

The Gonzales surname also has a strong presence in the New World, with many individuals bearing this name contributing to the exploration and settlement of the Americas. One such individual was Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada (1495-1579), a Spanish explorer and conquistador who founded the city of Bogotá, Colombia, in 1538.

In the literary world, Tomás Gonzales de Santalla (1624-1682) was a Spanish playwright and poet who wrote numerous plays and poems during the Golden Age of Spanish literature. More recently, José Lezama Lima (1910-1976), a Cuban novelist, poet, and essayist, is considered one of the most influential figures in Latin American literature of the 20th century.

The Gonzales surname has also been prominent in various fields, including politics, sports, and entertainment. For example, Henry B. Gonzales (1916-1998) was a prominent American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Texas for nearly four decades.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gonzales families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gonzales 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. Lancashire leads with 2 Gonzales' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.34x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2 4.34x
Channel Islands 1 86.96x
Middlesex 1 2.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 2 Gonzales' recorded in 1881 and an index of 71.43x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 2 71.43x
Poplar London 1 136.99x
St Helier 1 270.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eleanor 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Jno. 1
Lorenzo 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 Gonzales households.

FAQ

Gonzales surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gonzales surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3 people were recorded with the Gonzales surname. That placed it at #33,498 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gonzales surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 679 in 2016. That gives Gonzales a modern rank of #7,896.

What does the Gonzales surname mean?

A patronymic surname meaning "son of Gonzalo," a Spanish given name derived from the Visigothic word meaning "battle."

What does the Gonzales map show?

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