NameCensus.

UK surname

Lima

A habitational surname referring to someone who originated from the city of Lima, Peru, or a place with a similar name.

In the 1881 census there were 13 people recorded with the Lima surname, ranking it #31,761 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 840, ranked #6,645, up from #31,761 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brent, Carmarthenshire and South Kesteven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lima is 840 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6361.5%.

1881 census count

13

Ranked #31,761

Modern count

840

2016, ranked #6,645

Peak year

2016

840 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lima had 13 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,761 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 840 in 2016, ranked #6,645.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 40 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Lima surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lima surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lima 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 10 #31,497
1861 historical 31 #30,058
1881 historical 13 #31,761
1891 historical 17 #32,787
1901 historical 28 #30,951
1911 historical 40 #28,913
1997 modern 182 #18,693
1998 modern 201 #18,047
1999 modern 211 #17,662
2000 modern 219 #17,195
2001 modern 216 #17,103
2002 modern 243 #16,147
2003 modern 266 #14,987
2004 modern 323 #13,230
2005 modern 355 #12,243
2006 modern 385 #11,556
2007 modern 449 #10,350
2008 modern 504 #9,575
2009 modern 542 #9,269
2010 modern 627 #8,493
2011 modern 606 #8,623
2012 modern 707 #7,550
2013 modern 750 #7,344
2014 modern 807 #6,947
2015 modern 807 #6,881
2016 modern 840 #6,645

Geography

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Where Limas 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 Brent, Carmarthenshire, South Kesteven and The Vale of Glamorgan. 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 Brent 031 Brent
2 Carmarthenshire 008 Carmarthenshire
3 Brent 032 Brent
4 South Kesteven 006 South Kesteven
5 The Vale of Glamorgan 007 Vale of Glamorgan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lima

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

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

Lima 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

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

Meaning and origin of Lima

The surname Lima has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in Portugal and Spain. It emerged during the medieval period, likely derived from the Latin word "limus," meaning "mud" or "slime." This connection suggests that the name may have initially referred to individuals who lived near marshy or muddy areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lima can be traced back to the 12th century in Portugal. In the Cartulário de Pendorada, a medieval document from the monastery of Pendorada, the name appears as "Limam" in reference to a landowner or tenant.

The name Lima is also closely associated with the city of Lima, the capital of Peru. When the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the region in the 16th century, they encountered an indigenous settlement called Limaq, which they later renamed Lima. It is possible that some individuals adopted the surname Lima after the establishment of the Spanish colony.

In the Iberian Peninsula, the name Lima can be found in various historical records and documents, such as the Livro Velho de Linhagens (Old Book of Lineages) from the 13th century, which chronicles the genealogies of noble Portuguese families.

Notable individuals with the surname Lima throughout history include:

1. António de Lima (1570-1631), a Portuguese Jesuit missionary and explorer who traveled extensively in Asia and Africa. 2. José Joaquim de Lima e Silva (1756-1835), a Brazilian poet and playwright known as the "Father of the Brazilian Theater." 3. Manuel de Lima (1670-1736), a Spanish architect who designed several notable buildings in Madrid, including the Royal Palace of Aranjuez. 4. María de Lima (1594-1640), a Spanish mystic and Discalced Carmelite nun who is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church. 5. Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, Marquês de Pombal (1699-1782), a Portuguese statesman and reformer who used the title "Conde de Oeiras e Lima" as part of his noble titles.

While the surname Lima has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly Latin America and regions with significant Portuguese and Spanish influence.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lima families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lima 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. Surrey leads with 5 Limas recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.03x.

County Total Index
Surrey 5 7.03x
Hampshire 4 13.36x
Royal Navy 2 114.94x
Herefordshire 1 16.69x
Hertfordshire 1 9.93x
Lancashire 1 0.58x
Middlesex 1 0.68x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 5 Limas recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.59x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 5 53.59x
Portsea 3 51.11x
Royal Navy 2 134.23x
Lymington 1 454.55x
St George Hanover Square 1 38.91x
Standon 1 1000.00x
Whitbourne 1 2500.00x
Wigan 1 41.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Albinia 1
Alice 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellie 1
Josephine 1
Leonora 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Frederick 2
Edmund 1
Joseph 1
Leopold 1
Louis 1
Simon 1
Visura 1

FAQ

Lima surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lima surname in 1881?

In 1881, 13 people were recorded with the Lima surname. That placed it at #31,761 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lima surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 840 in 2016. That gives Lima a modern rank of #6,645.

What does the Lima surname mean?

A habitational surname referring to someone who originated from the city of Lima, Peru, or a place with a similar name.

What does the Lima map show?

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