NameCensus.

UK surname

Lemos

A Portuguese and Galician surname derived from the plural of lemo, meaning "elm tree" or "wooded area with elm trees."

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lemos is 261 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

257

2016, ranked #16,485

Peak year

2010

261 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 257 in 2016, ranked #16,485.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 10 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Lemos surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lemos surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lemos 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
1861 historical 10 #32,589
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1901 historical 2 #34,263
1911 historical 4 #33,595
1997 modern 113 #25,106
1998 modern 120 #24,793
1999 modern 121 #24,855
2000 modern 141 #22,648
2001 modern 143 #22,133
2002 modern 149 #22,001
2003 modern 162 #20,624
2004 modern 160 #20,926
2005 modern 181 #19,334
2006 modern 183 #19,326
2007 modern 200 #18,485
2008 modern 218 #17,638
2009 modern 225 #17,631
2010 modern 261 #16,294
2011 modern 230 #17,578
2012 modern 243 #16,839
2013 modern 248 #16,877
2014 modern 244 #17,189
2015 modern 248 #16,905
2016 modern 257 #16,485

Geography

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Where Lemos' 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 Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea and Camden. 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 Westminster 011 Westminster
2 Westminster 012 Westminster
3 Westminster 019 Westminster
4 Kensington and Chelsea 012 Kensington and Chelsea
5 Camden 012 Camden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lemos

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lemos

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Lemos is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lemos 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

Lemos falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lemos

The surname LEMOS is of Portuguese origin, believed to have emerged in the late medieval period around the 12th or 13th centuries. It is derived from the Portuguese word "lemos," which means "elm trees," suggesting that the name may have originated from a place or region known for its elm trees.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the LEMOS surname can be found in medieval Portuguese records from the 14th century, where it is mentioned as a place name. In the Livro de Linhagens do Conde D. Pedro (Book of Lineages of Count D. Pedro), a medieval Portuguese genealogical work, the name LEMOS is referenced as a location in the northern region of Portugal.

The LEMOS surname has a strong connection to the town of Lemos, located in the Braga district of Portugal. It is believed that the earliest bearers of the LEMOS surname may have originated from this town or the surrounding areas, taking their name from the place where they lived or held land.

In the late 15th century, during the Age of Discovery, several individuals with the LEMOS surname played significant roles in the Portuguese exploration and colonization efforts. One notable figure was Alvaro de Lemos, a Portuguese navigator and explorer who accompanied Vasco da Gama on his historic voyage to India in 1498.

Another prominent figure was Francisco de Lemos, a Portuguese conquistador and explorer who participated in the conquest of Brazil in the early 16th century. He is credited with founding the city of Salvador in 1549, which became the first colonial capital of Brazil.

In the 17th century, Manuel de Lemos, a Portuguese Jesuit missionary, traveled to Japan and worked tirelessly to spread Christianity in the region. He is remembered for his efforts in establishing and strengthening the Catholic Church's presence in Japan during a time of religious persecution.

The LEMOS surname also has a notable presence in the literary world. Basilio da Gama Lemos, a 19th-century Portuguese writer and poet, is renowned for his works that explored themes of love, nature, and human emotions.

Throughout history, the LEMOS surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including nobility, explorers, missionaries, and artists. Its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in Portugal, where it was closely associated with specific locations and geographic features, particularly elm trees.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Lemos surname: questions and answers

How common is the Lemos surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 257 in 2016. That gives Lemos a modern rank of #16,485.

What does the Lemos surname mean?

A Portuguese and Galician surname derived from the plural of lemo, meaning "elm tree" or "wooded area with elm trees."

What does the Lemos map show?

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