NameCensus.

UK surname

Gonzalez

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

In the 1881 census there were 12 people recorded with the Gonzalez surname, ranking it #31,914 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,151, ranked #3,006, up from #31,914 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gonzalez is 2,151 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17825.0%.

1881 census count

12

Ranked #31,914

Modern count

2,151

2016, ranked #3,006

Peak year

2016

2,151 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gonzalez had 12 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,914 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,151 in 2016, ranked #3,006.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 45 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Gonzalez surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gonzalez surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Gonzalez 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 6 #33,230
1881 historical 12 #31,914
1891 historical 20 #32,579
1901 historical 25 #31,259
1911 historical 45 #28,332
1997 modern 983 #5,579
1998 modern 1,147 #5,071
1999 modern 1,202 #4,927
2000 modern 1,210 #4,866
2001 modern 1,168 #4,932
2002 modern 1,280 #4,639
2003 modern 1,296 #4,500
2004 modern 1,361 #4,326
2005 modern 1,403 #4,180
2006 modern 1,466 #4,046
2007 modern 1,536 #3,908
2008 modern 1,562 #3,877
2009 modern 1,696 #3,678
2010 modern 1,872 #3,459
2011 modern 1,832 #3,478
2012 modern 1,930 #3,282
2013 modern 2,005 #3,236
2014 modern 2,100 #3,130
2015 modern 2,097 #3,097
2016 modern 2,151 #3,006

Geography

Back to top

Where Gonzalez' 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 Southwark, Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea 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 Southwark 018 Southwark
2 Westminster 017 Westminster
3 Kensington and Chelsea 013 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Lambeth 008 Lambeth
5 Westminster 022 Westminster

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Gonzalez

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Gonzalez

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

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Gonzalez surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Gonzalez 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 never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

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, Gonzalez 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

Gonzalez 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

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

Meaning and origin of Gonzalez

The surname Gonzalez originated in Spain and has its roots in the Visigothic name Gundisalvus. The name is derived from the Germanic elements 'gund' meaning war, and 'salvo' meaning safety or protection. It can be translated as 'battle protection' or 'war security'.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Gonzalez can be traced back to the 9th century in the Kingdom of Asturias and Galicia. The name was popularized during the Reconquista, the period of Islamic-Christian conflict in the Iberian Peninsula between the 8th and 15th centuries.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Gonzalez was Gonzalo Fernández (1238-1285), a powerful Castilian nobleman and military leader who played a crucial role in the Reconquista. He was known for his victories against the Moors and his unwavering loyalty to King Alfonso X.

Another prominent figure in Spanish history was Hernán González de Córdoba (1453-1518), a celebrated general and diplomat who served under the Catholic Monarchs, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. He was instrumental in the conquest of Granada, the last Muslim stronghold in Spain.

In the realm of literature, one of the most renowned individuals with the surname Gonzalez was Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1648-1695), a Mexican nun, scholar, and poet whose work is considered a masterpiece of the Spanish Golden Age. Her contributions to literature and philosophy have earned her a place among the most influential figures of her time.

During the Age of Exploration, Juan González de Mendoza (1545-1617), a Spanish historian and writer, gained recognition for his work "Historia de las cosas más notables, ritos y costumbres del gran reino de la China" (History of the Most Notable Things, Rites and Customs of the Great Kingdom of China), which provided Europeans with one of the earliest comprehensive accounts of Chinese culture and society.

In the 20th century, Pedro González (1925-2006), a Mexican-American labor leader and civil rights activist, played a crucial role in the fight for farmworkers' rights. He co-founded the United Farm Workers Union alongside Cesar Chavez and dedicated his life to improving the working conditions and wages of migrant workers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Gonzalez families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gonzalez 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 4 Gonzalez' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.88x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 4 2.88x
Cheshire 3 11.63x
Angus 2 18.47x
Buckinghamshire 1 14.16x
Middlesex 1 0.86x
Surrey 1 1.76x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birkenhead in Cheshire leads with 3 Gonzalez' recorded in 1881 and an index of 145.63x.

Place Total Index
Birkenhead 3 145.63x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 90.91x
Dundee 2 49.51x
Toxteth Park 2 42.55x
Clapham 1 68.49x
St George Bloomsbury 1 149.25x
Stoke Poges 1 1111.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Francisco 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Ceazar 1
D. 1
Francisco 1
H. 1
Joseph 1
Juan 1
Manuel 1
T. 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 Gonzalez households.

FAQ

Gonzalez surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gonzalez surname in 1881?

In 1881, 12 people were recorded with the Gonzalez surname. That placed it at #31,914 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gonzalez surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,151 in 2016. That gives Gonzalez a modern rank of #3,006.

What does the Gonzalez surname mean?

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

What does the Gonzalez map show?

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