NameCensus.

UK surname

Madeira

An occupational surname referring to a woodworker dealing with madeira wood.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Oldham, Bromley and Eastleigh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Madeira is 161 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

161

2016, ranked #22,606

Peak year

2016

161 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 161 in 2016, ranked #22,606.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Madeira surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Madeira surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Madeira 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
1911 historical 1 #34,332
1997 modern 57 #31,917
1998 modern 72 #30,775
1999 modern 74 #30,759
2000 modern 74 #30,785
2001 modern 71 #30,907
2002 modern 77 #30,709
2003 modern 78 #30,654
2004 modern 93 #29,065
2005 modern 92 #29,271
2006 modern 102 #27,926
2007 modern 105 #27,868
2008 modern 114 #26,796
2009 modern 130 #25,176
2010 modern 139 #24,688
2011 modern 143 #24,056
2012 modern 135 #24,952
2013 modern 135 #25,395
2014 modern 147 #24,177
2015 modern 155 #23,194
2016 modern 161 #22,606

Geography

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Where Madeiras 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 Oldham, Bromley, Eastleigh, Brent and North Lincolnshire. 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 Oldham 024 Oldham
2 Bromley 009 Bromley
3 Eastleigh 010 Eastleigh
4 Brent 011 Brent
5 North Lincolnshire 008 North Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Madeira

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

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

Madeira 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

Madeira 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 Madeira is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Madeira, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Madeira

The surname Madeira originated in Portugal and has its roots in the Portuguese word for wood or timber. It is believed to have first appeared in the 15th century, around the time of the Portuguese discovery and colonization of the Madeira Islands in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Madeira Islands were named after the Portuguese word for wood, as the islands were heavily forested at the time of their discovery. It is likely that the surname Madeira was initially given to individuals who worked with wood or lived in forested areas of Portugal. Over time, it became an established family name.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Madeira can be found in the "Livro de Linhagens" (Book of Lineages), a medieval Portuguese manuscript from the 13th century that documented noble families. The name is also mentioned in various historical documents and records from the 15th and 16th centuries, during the height of Portuguese exploration and expansion.

Notable individuals with the surname Madeira include João Gonçalves Madeira (c. 1470-1539), a Portuguese explorer who was one of the first Europeans to reach the Moluccas Islands in present-day Indonesia. Another notable figure is Bartolomeu Madeira (c. 1510-1570), a Portuguese navigator and cartographer who played a significant role in the exploration of the Indian Ocean and the mapping of its coastlines.

In the 17th century, Diogo de Madeira (1615-1692) was a Portuguese Jesuit missionary who worked in Japan and is known for his efforts in promoting Catholic missionary work in the region. Later, in the 19th century, José Vieira Madeira (1820-1898) was a prominent Portuguese politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Finance and Foreign Affairs.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Madeira is the Brazilian author and playwright Jorge Andrade Madeira (1922-1984), best known for his plays that explored themes of family, tradition, and social issues in Brazil. His works, such as "A Moratória" and "Pedra do Reino," are considered classics of Brazilian literature.

The surname Madeira has since spread beyond Portugal and can be found in various parts of the world, particularly in countries with significant Portuguese immigration and influence, such as Brazil, the United States, and parts of Africa and Asia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Madeira surname: questions and answers

How common is the Madeira surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 161 in 2016. That gives Madeira a modern rank of #22,606.

What does the Madeira surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a woodworker dealing with madeira wood.

What does the Madeira map show?

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