NameCensus.

UK surname

Maffia

A surname derived from the Italian word "mafia", referring to a criminal organization or unlawful enterprise.

In the 1881 census there were 38 people recorded with the Maffia surname, ranking it #28,285 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 105, ranked #30,114, down from #28,285 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bury, Basildon and Thurrock.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Maffia is 110 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 176.3%.

1881 census count

38

Ranked #28,285

Modern count

105

2016, ranked #30,114

Peak year

2010

110 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Maffia had 38 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,285 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016, ranked #30,114.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 68 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Maffia surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Maffia surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Maffia 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 11 #31,309
1861 historical 20 #31,364
1881 historical 38 #28,285
1891 historical 53 #29,946
1901 historical 62 #27,252
1911 historical 68 #26,050
1997 modern 94 #27,781
1998 modern 93 #28,563
1999 modern 92 #28,833
2000 modern 96 #28,299
2001 modern 92 #28,528
2002 modern 93 #28,920
2003 modern 90 #29,260
2004 modern 88 #29,758
2005 modern 89 #29,683
2006 modern 92 #29,576
2007 modern 96 #29,339
2008 modern 97 #29,527
2009 modern 106 #28,666
2010 modern 110 #28,666
2011 modern 104 #29,424
2012 modern 99 #30,442
2013 modern 104 #30,076
2014 modern 108 #29,658
2015 modern 109 #29,327
2016 modern 105 #30,114

Geography

Back to top

Where Maffias 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 Bury, Basildon, Thurrock, Harlow and Waltham Forest. 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 Bury 023 Bury
2 Basildon 004 Basildon
3 Thurrock 018 Thurrock
4 Harlow 004 Harlow
5 Waltham Forest 008 Waltham Forest

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Maffia

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Maffia

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Maffia surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Maffia household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Maffia is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Maffia 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

Maffia falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Maffia

The surname Maffia originated in southern Italy, particularly in the regions of Campania and Calabria, in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the Greek word "mafia," which means "boldness" or "bravery," suggesting that the name may have been initially given to someone who displayed those qualities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Maffia can be found in the Sicilian tax records of the late 15th century, where several individuals with this surname were listed as residents of various towns and villages across the island. The name's prevalence in Sicily during this period may indicate that it had spread from mainland Italy to the island, likely due to migration or trade.

In the 16th century, a notable bearer of the name Maffia was Antonio Maffia, a prominent philosopher and theologian from Naples, who lived from 1520 to 1598. His scholarly works on ethics and metaphysics were influential during the Renaissance era.

The name Maffia also appeared in historical documents related to the noble families of southern Italy. For instance, the Maffia family of Calabria was mentioned in several chronicles from the 17th and 18th centuries as landowners and influential figures in their local communities.

Another noteworthy individual with the surname Maffia was Giambattista Maffia, an Italian painter who lived from 1711 to 1785. He was known for his religious and mythological works, which adorned various churches and palaces in Naples and its surrounding areas.

In the 19th century, the name Maffia gained further recognition with the birth of Francesco Maffia (1835-1899), an Italian politician and journalist who played a significant role in the unification of Italy under the House of Savoy. He served as a member of the Italian parliament and was a vocal advocate for the rights of southern Italians.

Throughout its history, the surname Maffia has been associated with various professions, from scholars and artists to landowners and political figures, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bore this name in different regions of southern Italy over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Maffia families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Maffia 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. Middlesex leads with 21 Maffias recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.67x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 21 5.67x
Lancashire 7 1.59x
Hertfordshire 5 19.58x
Monmouthshire 5 18.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mile End Old Town in Middlesex leads with 8 Maffias recorded in 1881 and an index of 136.75x.

Place Total Index
Mile End Old Town 8 136.75x
Manchester 7 35.41x
Shoreditch London 7 43.59x
Clerkenwell London 5 57.21x
Hertford All Saints 5 3571.43x
Monmouth 3 422.54x
St Woollos 2 66.89x
St Luke London 1 16.84x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
Charles 3
Dominic 2
Edward 2
Henry 2
Joseph 2
Louis 2
Anglo 1
Anthony 1
Carlo 1
Ernest 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 Maffia households.

FAQ

Maffia surname: questions and answers

How common was the Maffia surname in 1881?

In 1881, 38 people were recorded with the Maffia surname. That placed it at #28,285 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Maffia surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016. That gives Maffia a modern rank of #30,114.

What does the Maffia surname mean?

A surname derived from the Italian word "mafia", referring to a criminal organization or unlawful enterprise.

What does the Maffia map show?

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