NameCensus.

UK surname

Magdalena

A surname of Spanish origin meaning "from Magdala".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Dover and Braintree.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Magdalena is 115 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

115

2016, ranked #28,348

Peak year

2016

115 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016, ranked #28,348.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Magdalena surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Magdalena surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Magdalena 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 1 #34,435
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1997 modern 24 #35,376
1998 modern 23 #35,603
1999 modern 22 #35,725
2000 modern 23 #35,588
2001 modern 22 #35,531
2002 modern 23 #35,606
2003 modern 22 #35,740
2004 modern 24 #35,697
2005 modern 30 #35,347
2006 modern 49 #34,152
2007 modern 75 #32,079
2008 modern 79 #31,957
2009 modern 67 #33,450
2010 modern 67 #33,713
2011 modern 71 #33,392
2012 modern 98 #30,612
2013 modern 106 #29,740
2014 modern 106 #30,030
2015 modern 105 #30,092
2016 modern 115 #28,348

Geography

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Where Magdalenas 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 County Durham, Dover, Braintree, Haringey and Kensington and Chelsea. 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 County Durham 007 County Durham
2 Dover 011 Dover
3 Braintree 012 Braintree
4 Haringey 001 Haringey
5 Kensington and Chelsea 013 Kensington and Chelsea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Magdalena

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Magdalena

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

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Magdalena surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Magdalena household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Magdalena is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Magdalena 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

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

Meaning and origin of Magdalena

The surname MAGDALENA is of Spanish origin, derived from the biblical place name Magdala, a town on the Sea of Galilee in ancient Israel. It is believed to have emerged as a surname in Spain during the Middle Ages.

MAGDALENA is a locational surname, which means it was originally given to someone who lived in or came from the town of Magdala. As Christians spread throughout Europe, the name became associated with various places named after the biblical town, such as Magdalena in Spain.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname MAGDALENA can be found in the Codex Calixtinus, a 12th-century manuscript from the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. This manuscript contains a collection of sermons, liturgical texts, and accounts of pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela, including references to individuals with the surname MAGDALENA.

In the 13th century, a notable bearer of the name was Gonzalo Magdalena, a Spanish military commander and conquistador who participated in the conquests of Mexico and Guatemala under Hernán Cortés and Pedro de Alvarado.

During the 15th century, the surname MAGDALENA was found in various historical records across Spain, including the archives of the Kingdom of Aragon and the Kingdom of Castile. One notable individual from this period was Álvaro de Magdalena, a Spanish nobleman and military commander who fought in the Reconquista against the Moors.

In the 16th century, the explorer and conquistador Hernando de Magdalena, born in Spain around 1500, accompanied Francisco Pizarro on his expeditions to Peru and played a significant role in the conquest of the Inca Empire.

Another notable bearer of the surname was María Magdalena, a 16th-century Spanish nun and mystic known for her visions and spiritual writings. She was born in Aguilar de Campoo, Spain, around 1520 and founded the Order of the Unbracaded Recollects.

Over the centuries, the surname MAGDALENA spread beyond Spain to other parts of Europe and the Americas, carried by Spanish settlers, explorers, and immigrants.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Magdalena surname: questions and answers

How common is the Magdalena surname today?

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

What does the Magdalena surname mean?

A surname of Spanish origin meaning "from Magdala".

What does the Magdalena map show?

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