NameCensus.

UK surname

Massa

An Italian occupational surname referring to the owner or manager of a farm or estate.

In the 1881 census there were 48 people recorded with the Massa surname, ranking it #26,869 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 170, ranked #21,801, up from #26,869 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hambleton, East Staffordshire and Redbridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Massa is 174 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 254.2%.

1881 census count

48

Ranked #26,869

Modern count

170

2016, ranked #21,801

Peak year

2013

174 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Massa had 48 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,869 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 170 in 2016, ranked #21,801.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 48 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Massa surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Massa surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Massa 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 30 #27,891
1861 historical 38 #29,216
1881 historical 48 #26,869
1891 historical 33 #31,681
1901 historical 44 #29,276
1911 historical 34 #29,600
1997 modern 117 #24,553
1998 modern 116 #25,332
1999 modern 119 #25,095
2000 modern 117 #25,324
2001 modern 111 #25,767
2002 modern 121 #24,984
2003 modern 121 #24,776
2004 modern 110 #26,451
2005 modern 116 #25,564
2006 modern 110 #26,717
2007 modern 121 #25,469
2008 modern 140 #23,511
2009 modern 144 #23,577
2010 modern 155 #22,985
2011 modern 157 #22,574
2012 modern 166 #21,683
2013 modern 174 #21,401
2014 modern 168 #22,075
2015 modern 169 #21,888
2016 modern 170 #21,801

Geography

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Where Massas 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 Hambleton, East Staffordshire, Redbridge and Dacorum. 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 Hambleton 010 Hambleton
2 East Staffordshire 008 East Staffordshire
3 Redbridge 033 Redbridge
4 Dacorum 011 Dacorum
5 Hambleton 011 Hambleton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Massa

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Massa

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

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Massa surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Massa 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 younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

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, Massa 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

Massa 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

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

Meaning and origin of Massa

The surname MASSA has its origins in Italy, where it first emerged in the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Latin word "massa," meaning "a lump" or "a mass." This word was often used to refer to an estate or a landed property, suggesting that the name may have been initially adopted by someone who lived on or owned such an estate.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MASSA can be found in the Codice Diplomatico Longobardo, a collection of documents from the Lombard era in Italy, dating back to the 8th century. This suggests that the name was already in use among the Lombard nobility at that time.

The name MASSA also appeared in the Codice Diplomatico della Repubblica di Genova, a compilation of diplomatic documents from the Republic of Genoa, which dates back to the 12th century. This indicates that the name was well-established in the Genoese region by that period.

In the 13th century, the name MASSA was recorded in the Libro Rosso di Stazzana, a historical document from the town of Stazzano, near Alessandria in northern Italy. This provides evidence of the name's presence in that area during the Middle Ages.

One notable individual bearing the surname MASSA was Niccolò di Massa, a 14th-century Italian architect and sculptor from Siena. He is best known for his work on the Cathedral of Siena, where he designed the Cappella del Corporale and contributed to the construction of the façade.

Another prominent figure with the surname MASSA was Pietro Andrea Massa, a 16th-century Italian historian and writer from Genoa. He is renowned for his work "Delle Vite de' Capitani Illustri," a collection of biographies of famous military leaders, published in 1576.

In the 17th century, Gian Battista Massa, an Italian painter and architect from Bologna, gained recognition for his contributions to the Baroque style. He worked on various churches and palaces in Bologna and other cities in northern Italy.

The name MASSA was also associated with the town of Massa, located in the province of Massa-Carrara in Tuscany, Italy. This place name likely contributed to the widespread use of the surname in that region.

In the 19th century, Eugenio Massa, an Italian botanist from Piedmont, made significant contributions to the study of plant life. He published several works on the flora of northern Italy and is credited with discovering and naming several new plant species.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Massa families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Massa 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. Yorkshire leads with 22 Massas recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.74x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 22 4.74x
Lancashire 11 1.98x
Staffordshire 5 3.17x
Cornwall 3 5.66x
Glamorgan 3 3.68x
Essex 2 2.17x
Herefordshire 1 5.21x
Kent 1 0.63x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Derby in Lancashire leads with 10 Massas recorded in 1881 and an index of 61.54x.

Place Total Index
West Derby 10 61.54x
Heeley 6 425.53x
Leeds 6 22.91x
Wednesbury 5 126.58x
Sheffield 4 27.10x
Brightside Bierlow 3 32.97x
Cardiff St Mary 3 66.82x
Falmouth 3 159.57x
West Ham 2 9.80x
Bradford 1 8.90x
Cheetham 1 24.15x
Deptford St Paul 1 8.12x
Dewsbury 1 21.01x
Hereford St Peter 1 196.08x
Snaith Cowick 1 357.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Ann 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Amy 1
Annie 1
Bridget 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Jane 1
Martha 1
Sibylla 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 5
John 4
Thomas 3
Harry 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Antonio 1
George 1
Giuseppe 1
Innocento 1
James 1
Leopoldo 1
Pietro 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 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 Massa households.

FAQ

Massa surname: questions and answers

How common was the Massa surname in 1881?

In 1881, 48 people were recorded with the Massa surname. That placed it at #26,869 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Massa surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 170 in 2016. That gives Massa a modern rank of #21,801.

What does the Massa surname mean?

An Italian occupational surname referring to the owner or manager of a farm or estate.

What does the Massa map show?

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