NameCensus.

UK surname

Maria

Derived from the given name Maria, ultimately from the Hebrew name Miriam, meaning "rebellious" or "obstinate."

In the 1881 census there were 10 people recorded with the Maria surname, ranking it #32,243 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 542, ranked #9,396, up from #32,243 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Pancras, Manchester and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnet, Newham and Lambeth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Maria is 542 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5320.0%.

1881 census count

10

Ranked #32,243

Modern count

542

2016, ranked #9,396

Peak year

2016

542 bearers

Map years

5

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Maria had 10 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,243 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 542 in 2016, ranked #9,396.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 400 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Maria surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Maria surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Maria 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 321 #7,237
1861 historical 400 #6,412
1881 historical 10 #32,243
1891 historical 74 #27,538
1901 historical 36 #30,099
1911 historical 105 #22,064
1997 modern 75 #30,109
1998 modern 86 #29,343
1999 modern 92 #28,833
2000 modern 91 #28,952
2001 modern 91 #28,670
2002 modern 108 #26,698
2003 modern 125 #24,265
2004 modern 136 #23,207
2005 modern 145 #22,253
2006 modern 161 #20,972
2007 modern 180 #19,745
2008 modern 207 #18,243
2009 modern 229 #17,431
2010 modern 268 #15,978
2011 modern 297 #14,698
2012 modern 354 #12,851
2013 modern 381 #12,360
2014 modern 434 #11,246
2015 modern 462 #10,619
2016 modern 542 #9,396

Geography

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Where Marias are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Pancras, Manchester, Lambeth, St Marylebone and Campton with Shefford, Shefford Hardwick, Chicksands. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnet, Newham, Lambeth and Westminster. 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 St Pancras London (North Districts)
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Campton with Shefford, Shefford Hardwick, Chicksands Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnet 026 Barnet
2 Newham 008 Newham
3 Lambeth 010 Lambeth
4 Newham 010 Newham
5 Westminster 019 Westminster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Maria

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Maria

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Maria is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Maria 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

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

Meaning and origin of Maria

The surname Maria is of Latin origin and can be traced back to ancient Rome. It is derived from the Latin word "mare," meaning "sea." The name likely originated as a nickname or descriptive name for someone who lived near the sea or worked as a sailor or fisherman.

In ancient Roman records, the name Maria appeared as a cognomen or third name, often given to individuals with a connection to the sea or maritime activities. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the writings of the Roman historian Suetonius, who mentions a nobleman named Gaius Julius Maria who lived during the 1st century AD.

During the Middle Ages, the name Maria gained popularity in regions along the Mediterranean coast, particularly in Italy and Spain. It was often used as a surname for families residing in coastal towns or villages. In the 13th century, records from the Republic of Venice mention a prominent merchant family with the surname Maria.

As the name spread throughout Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Marias, Mariah, and Marya. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in England can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a landowner named Richard Maria in the county of Norfolk.

Notable individuals with the surname Maria throughout history include:

1. Giovanni Maria (c. 1490-1547), an Italian Renaissance architect and engineer known for his work on the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome. 2. Francisco de Maria (c. 1625-1688), a Spanish Baroque painter and etcher from Valencia. 3. Antonio Maria Valsalva (1666-1723), an Italian anatomist and physician best known for the Valsalva maneuver used in medical examinations. 4. Johann Matthias Maria von Rottmann (1654-1730), a German Catholic theologian and philosopher. 5. Maria Gaetana Agnesi (1718-1799), an Italian mathematician, philosopher, and theologian, considered one of the pioneers of the study of differential and integral calculus.

While the surname Maria has been widely dispersed across various regions, its origins can be traced back to ancient Rome and the Latin word "mare," reflecting a connection to the sea or maritime pursuits.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Maria families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Maria 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. Lancashire leads with 5 Marias recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.33x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 5 4.33x
Middlesex 2 2.06x
Dorset 1 15.67x
Lanarkshire 1 3.18x
Northumberland 1 6.91x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 4 Marias recorded in 1881 and an index of 57.06x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 4 57.06x
Bothwell 1 117.65x
Elswick 1 86.21x
Hackney London 1 18.35x
Melcombe Regis 1 384.62x
North Meols 1 88.50x
St Andrew Holborn 1 303.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 3
Adela 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Cernini 1
Elizabeth 1
Gill 1
Jago 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Antonio 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 Maria households.

FAQ

Maria surname: questions and answers

How common was the Maria surname in 1881?

In 1881, 10 people were recorded with the Maria surname. That placed it at #32,243 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Maria surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 542 in 2016. That gives Maria a modern rank of #9,396.

What does the Maria surname mean?

Derived from the given name Maria, ultimately from the Hebrew name Miriam, meaning "rebellious" or "obstinate."

What does the Maria map show?

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