NameCensus.

UK surname

Graca

A surname of Portuguese origin meaning "grace" or "mercy".

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Graca surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 115, ranked #28,348, up from #34,027 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Windsor and Maidenhead, Breckland and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Graca is 119 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11400.0%.

1881 census count

1

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

115

2016, ranked #28,348

Peak year

2013

119 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Graca had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016, ranked #28,348.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Graca surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Graca surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Graca 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
1881 historical 1 #34,027
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1997 modern 32 #34,472
1998 modern 30 #34,833
1999 modern 40 #33,967
2000 modern 37 #34,217
2001 modern 35 #34,261
2002 modern 43 #33,871
2003 modern 42 #34,040
2004 modern 45 #33,957
2005 modern 48 #33,932
2006 modern 55 #33,688
2007 modern 69 #32,662
2008 modern 85 #31,247
2009 modern 95 #30,393
2010 modern 95 #31,000
2011 modern 103 #29,589
2012 modern 115 #27,717
2013 modern 119 #27,541
2014 modern 117 #28,109
2015 modern 119 #27,684
2016 modern 115 #28,348

Geography

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Where Gracas 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 Windsor and Maidenhead, Breckland, Doncaster and Croydon. 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 Windsor and Maidenhead 015 Windsor and Maidenhead
2 Windsor and Maidenhead 006 Windsor and Maidenhead
3 Breckland 017 Breckland
4 Doncaster 027 Doncaster
5 Croydon 020 Croydon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Graca

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

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

Graca 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

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

Meaning and origin of Graca

The surname Graca is of Portuguese origin, originating in the 15th century. It is derived from the Portuguese word "graça," meaning "grace" or "favor." The name may have been originally bestowed upon someone who was considered gracious or favored.

The earliest known record of the surname Graca dates back to 1489, when a João da Graca was mentioned in a document from the town of Évora, in southern Portugal. This region, particularly the Alentejo province, seems to be the area where the name first emerged and became established.

In the 16th century, the surname Graca appeared in various historical records, including parish registers and tax rolls. Notably, a Pedro de Graca was listed as a landowner in the village of Montemor-o-Novo in 1567.

During the Age of Discovery, as Portuguese explorers and settlers traveled to different parts of the world, the surname Graca spread to other regions. In the 17th century, it was recorded in colonial Brazil, where a Manoel da Graca was born in Salvador in 1623.

One of the earliest famous individuals with the surname Graca was Frei Agostinho da Graca (1596-1667), a Portuguese Catholic priest and writer who authored several religious works. Another notable figure was José da Graca Falcão (1705-1782), a Brazilian poet and lawyer from Rio de Janeiro.

In the 19th century, the surname Graca gained prominence with the birth of António da Graca (1806-1876), a Portuguese military officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Cape Verde from 1863 to 1866. Another individual of note was João da Graca Barreto (1835-1897), a Brazilian lawyer and politician who served as the President of the State of Piauí.

Graca is also a place name in Portugal, with towns and villages bearing this name, such as Graca in the Alentejo region and Graca do Divor in the Évora district. These place names may have contributed to the surname's origin or spread.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Graca families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Graca 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. Yorkshire leads with 1 Gracas recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.47x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1 10.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Patrington in Yorkshire leads with 1 Gracas recorded in 1881 and an index of 0.00x.

Place Total Index
Patrington 1 0.00x

Top male names

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

Name Count
Francis 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 Graca households.

Occupation Count
Ag Labourer 1

FAQ

Graca surname: questions and answers

How common was the Graca surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1 people were recorded with the Graca surname. That placed it at #34,027 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Graca surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016. That gives Graca a modern rank of #28,348.

What does the Graca surname mean?

A surname of Portuguese origin meaning "grace" or "mercy".

What does the Graca map show?

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