NameCensus.

UK surname

Mata

A Spanish and Portuguese occupational surname referring to a person who kills or slaughters animals, derived from "matar" meaning "to kill."

In the 1881 census there were 6 people recorded with the Mata surname, ranking it #32,926 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 223, ranked #18,222, up from #32,926 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Camden, Hammersmith and Fulham and Slough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mata is 223 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 3616.7%.

1881 census count

6

Ranked #32,926

Modern count

223

2016, ranked #18,222

Peak year

2016

223 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mata had 6 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,926 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 223 in 2016, ranked #18,222.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Mata surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mata surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mata 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 1 #33,412
1861 historical 4 #33,628
1881 historical 6 #32,926
1891 historical 3 #34,257
1901 historical 6 #33,591
1911 historical 7 #33,083
1997 modern 52 #32,444
1998 modern 58 #32,138
1999 modern 60 #32,078
2000 modern 74 #30,785
2001 modern 73 #30,699
2002 modern 72 #31,269
2003 modern 73 #31,186
2004 modern 74 #31,306
2005 modern 86 #30,094
2006 modern 101 #28,125
2007 modern 118 #25,913
2008 modern 122 #25,638
2009 modern 133 #24,817
2010 modern 160 #22,487
2011 modern 154 #22,886
2012 modern 181 #20,531
2013 modern 190 #20,201
2014 modern 203 #19,504
2015 modern 207 #19,155
2016 modern 223 #18,222

Geography

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Where Matas 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 Camden, Hammersmith and Fulham, Slough, Croydon and Hounslow. 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 Camden 007 Camden
2 Hammersmith and Fulham 001 Hammersmith and Fulham
3 Slough 014 Slough
4 Croydon 033 Croydon
5 Hounslow 026 Hounslow

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mata

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

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

Mata 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

Mata 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 Mata is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Mata

The surname Mata originated in Spain and is derived from the Spanish word "mata," which means "bush" or "shrub." It is believed that the name was initially given as a descriptive surname to someone who lived near a bush or wooded area.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Mata can be traced back to the 12th century in various regions of Spain, such as Catalonia, Aragon, and Castile. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sancho Mata, a nobleman from Navarre, who was mentioned in a document dated 1178.

In the 13th century, the name Mata appeared in the Libro de la Montería, a medieval hunting treatise commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile. The book listed several place names derived from the word "mata," indicating the presence of families bearing this surname in different parts of Spain.

During the Spanish colonization of the Americas, many individuals with the surname Mata migrated to the New World, contributing to the spread of the name across various regions of Latin America, particularly in Mexico, Cuba, and Peru.

Notable individuals with the surname Mata throughout history include:

1. Juan de Mata Carrillo (1597-1629), a Spanish priest and missionary who worked in New Spain (present-day Mexico). 2. Gregorio de Mata y Muñoz (1687-1742), a Spanish painter known for his religious and historical works. 3. José Antonio de la Mata Linares (1808-1890), a Mexican lawyer and politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs during the Second Mexican Empire. 4. Manuel Mata (1842-1898), a Cuban patriot and military leader who played a significant role in the Cuban War of Independence against Spain. 5. Joaquín Álvarez Quintero (1873-1944), a Spanish playwright and novelist, whose mother's maiden name was Mata.

The surname Mata has also been associated with various place names, such as Matamoros (a city in Tamaulipas, Mexico), and Matanzas (a city in Cuba), both of which derive from the Spanish word "mata" and other related terms.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mata families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mata 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 6 Matas recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.27x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 6 10.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 6 Matas recorded in 1881 and an index of 106.01x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 6 106.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Charlotte 1
Eva 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alexander 1
Charles 1
Francis 1
John 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 Mata households.

FAQ

Mata surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mata surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6 people were recorded with the Mata surname. That placed it at #32,926 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mata surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 223 in 2016. That gives Mata a modern rank of #18,222.

What does the Mata surname mean?

A Spanish and Portuguese occupational surname referring to a person who kills or slaughters animals, derived from "matar" meaning "to kill."

What does the Mata map show?

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