NameCensus.

UK surname

Mendoza

A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from any of several places called Mendoza, derived from Basque mendi-otza meaning "cold mountain".

In the 1881 census there were 134 people recorded with the Mendoza surname, ranking it #16,602 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 952, ranked #6,034, up from #16,602 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Botolph Aldgate, - and Christ Church Spitalfields. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Croydon, Kensington and Chelsea and Camden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mendoza is 952 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 610.4%.

1881 census count

134

Ranked #16,602

Modern count

952

2016, ranked #6,034

Peak year

2016

952 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mendoza had 134 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,602 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 952 in 2016, ranked #6,034.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 248 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Mendoza surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mendoza surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mendoza 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 91 #18,187
1861 historical 85 #22,922
1881 historical 134 #16,602
1891 historical 168 #16,937
1901 historical 200 #15,120
1911 historical 248 #12,988
1997 modern 459 #9,920
1998 modern 489 #9,760
1999 modern 505 #9,587
2000 modern 502 #9,605
2001 modern 489 #9,629
2002 modern 535 #9,178
2003 modern 550 #8,843
2004 modern 546 #8,906
2005 modern 561 #8,667
2006 modern 618 #8,102
2007 modern 648 #7,883
2008 modern 674 #7,695
2009 modern 750 #7,248
2010 modern 850 #6,693
2011 modern 832 #6,720
2012 modern 870 #6,407
2013 modern 900 #6,343
2014 modern 931 #6,225
2015 modern 944 #6,097
2016 modern 952 #6,034

Geography

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Where Mendozas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Botolph Aldgate, -, Christ Church Spitalfields, St Mary Whitechapel and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Croydon, Kensington and Chelsea, Camden and Harrogate. 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 Botolph Aldgate London (Central Districts)
2 - City Of London
3 Christ Church Spitalfields London (East Districts)
4 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Croydon 034 Croydon
2 Kensington and Chelsea 005 Kensington and Chelsea
3 Camden 027 Camden
4 Kensington and Chelsea 021 Kensington and Chelsea
5 Harrogate 015 Harrogate

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mendoza

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mendoza

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mendoza, 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 Mendoza surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Mendoza 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, Mendoza 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

Mendoza 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mendoza

The surname Mendoza originates from Spain and has its roots in the 8th century. It is derived from the Basque words "mendi" meaning mountain and "hotza" meaning cold, referring to a cold mountainous region. The name is closely linked to the town of Mendoza, located in the northern Spanish province of Álava.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Mendoza name dates back to the 10th century, appearing in the Becerro Galicano, an ancient manuscript containing genealogical records of prominent Spanish families. This document references a nobleman named Diego López de Mendoza, who lived during the reign of King Sancho I of León.

In the 12th century, the Mendoza family gained significant prominence and influence in Spain. Iñigo López de Mendoza, born in 1188, was a prominent military leader and served as the Lord of Hita and Buitrago. His descendants continued to play influential roles in Spanish politics and society throughout the subsequent centuries.

The Mendoza surname is also closely associated with the city of Mendoza in Argentina, which was founded in 1561 by Pedro del Castillo and named after the governor of Chile at the time, García Hurtado de Mendoza. This city, located in the western region of Argentina, became an important agricultural and wine-producing center.

Notable individuals bearing the Mendoza surname include:

1. Diego Hurtado de Mendoza (1465-1536), a Spanish Renaissance writer, poet, and diplomat who served as the ambassador to the Holy Roman Empire and Venice.

2. Íñigo López de Mendoza y Quiñones (1398-1458), known as the Marquis of Santillana, a prominent Spanish poet and patron of the arts during the Renaissance.

3. Francisco de Mendoza (1508-1566), a Spanish conquistador and explorer who participated in the conquest of Guatemala and founded the city of Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala.

4. Antonio de Mendoza (1490-1552), the first viceroy of New Spain (Mexico) and a significant figure in the Spanish colonization of the Americas.

5. María de Mendoza (1508-1567), a Spanish noblewoman and patron of the arts, known for her literary salon and support of writers and artists during the Spanish Renaissance.

While the Mendoza surname has its roots in Spain, it has since spread across the globe and is now found in various countries, particularly in Latin America, where it is a prominent surname with a rich historical legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mendoza families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mendoza 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 127 Mendozas recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.72x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 127 9.72x
Lancashire 6 0.39x
Yorkshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Spitalfields London in Middlesex leads with 45 Mendozas recorded in 1881 and an index of 457.78x.

Place Total Index
Spitalfields London 45 457.78x
Bethnal Green London 23 40.51x
Mile End Old Town 20 96.95x
Mile End New Town 11 617.98x
St Botolph Aldgate 11 617.98x
Liverpool 6 6.37x
St George Bloomsbury 5 66.67x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 4 216.22x
Old Artillery Ground 3 265.49x
St Katherine 3 1875.00x
Leeds 1 1.37x
St Pancras London 1 0.95x
Whitechapel London 1 7.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 8
Hannah 5
Sarah 5
Julia 3
Rachel 3
Abigail 2
Annie 2
Ellen 2
Esther 2
Maria 2
Mary 2
Nancy 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Adelaide 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Eve 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Hester 1
Jane 1
Leah 1
Lizzie 1
Marion 1
Martha 1
Meriam 1
Miraim 1
Miriam 1
Mirriam 1
Phoebe 1
Priscilla 1
Rachael 1
Sophia 1
Stella 1
Victoria 1
Welcome 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Israel 6
Moses 6
Isaac 5
Mark 4
Abraham 3
David 3
Henry 3
Jacob 3
John 3
Joseph 3
Michael 3
Aaron 2
Alfred 1
Asher 1
Barrett 1
Benjamin 1
Elias 1
Emanuel 1
Harry 1
Jeane 1
Judah 1
Lazarus 1
Lewis 1
Monty 1
Mordecai 1
Samuel 1
Simeon 1

FAQ

Mendoza surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mendoza surname in 1881?

In 1881, 134 people were recorded with the Mendoza surname. That placed it at #16,602 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mendoza surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 952 in 2016. That gives Mendoza a modern rank of #6,034.

What does the Mendoza surname mean?

A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from any of several places called Mendoza, derived from Basque mendi-otza meaning "cold mountain".

What does the Mendoza map show?

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