NameCensus.

UK surname

Mesquita

A Portuguese surname meaning "small mosque" or "Muslim place of worship".

In the 1881 census there were 2 people recorded with the Mesquita surname, ranking it #33,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 109, ranked #29,402, up from #33,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harrow, Westminster and Merthyr Tydfil.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mesquita is 109 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5350.0%.

1881 census count

2

Ranked #33,721

Modern count

109

2016, ranked #29,402

Peak year

2016

109 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mesquita had 2 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016, ranked #29,402.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Mesquita surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mesquita surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mesquita 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 8 #32,887
1881 historical 2 #33,721
1891 historical 4 #34,098
1911 historical 2 #34,020
1997 modern 31 #34,582
1998 modern 23 #35,603
1999 modern 34 #34,528
2000 modern 49 #33,187
2001 modern 53 #32,674
2002 modern 57 #32,661
2003 modern 50 #33,362
2004 modern 57 #32,968
2005 modern 76 #31,267
2006 modern 75 #31,733
2007 modern 82 #31,295
2008 modern 85 #31,247
2009 modern 91 #30,944
2010 modern 95 #31,000
2011 modern 87 #31,905
2012 modern 99 #30,442
2013 modern 103 #30,235
2014 modern 102 #30,714
2015 modern 102 #30,624
2016 modern 109 #29,402

Geography

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Where Mesquitas 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 Harrow, Westminster, Merthyr Tydfil, Lambeth and Slough. 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 Harrow 025 Harrow
2 Westminster 003 Westminster
3 Merthyr Tydfil 004 Merthyr Tydfil
4 Lambeth 031 Lambeth
5 Slough 002 Slough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mesquita

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

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

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Mesquita surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Mesquita 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 never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

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, Mesquita 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

Mesquita 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

Mesquita falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mesquita 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 Mesquita, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mesquita

The surname Mesquita originates from Portugal and has its roots in the 13th century. It is derived from the Portuguese word "mesquita," which means "mosque," indicating a connection to the Moorish occupation of the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages.

During this period, the name was likely associated with individuals who lived near or had some association with mosques or areas previously inhabited by the Moors. It could have also been a descriptive name given to individuals who converted from Islam to Christianity after the Reconquista.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Mesquita surname can be found in the "Livro Velho de Linhagens" (Old Book of Lineages), a Portuguese genealogical manuscript from the 13th century, which mentions a nobleman named João Rodrigues de Mesquita.

In the 15th century, the name Mesquita appeared in the "Livro de Arautos" (Book of Heralds), a record of Portuguese noble families and their coats of arms. This suggests that the Mesquita family had achieved a certain level of prominence by that time.

Notable individuals with the Mesquita surname include Manuel Mesquita Perestelo (c. 1460-1523), a Portuguese navigator and explorer who is believed to have been the first European to land on the island of Madeira. Another prominent figure was Jerónimo Mesquita (1566-1646), a Portuguese Jesuit missionary who worked in Japan during the Christian persecutions of the early 17th century.

In the 19th century, Joaquim Mesquita (1834-1905) was a Brazilian politician and journalist who played a significant role in the abolition of slavery in Brazil. António Mesquita Lino (1857-1917) was a Portuguese architect known for his contributions to the Revivalist and Romantic architectural styles.

One of the most famous individuals with the Mesquita surname in the 20th century was Mário Mesquita (1920-1983), a Brazilian journalist and writer who founded the influential newspaper "O Estado de S. Paulo" and was a vocal critic of the military dictatorship that ruled Brazil during the 1960s and 1970s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mesquita families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mesquita 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 2 Mesquitas recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.74x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2 8.74x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kirkdale in Lancashire leads with 2 Mesquitas recorded in 1881 and an index of 526.32x.

Place Total Index
Kirkdale 2 526.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eliza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Joseph 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 Mesquita households.

Occupation Count
Ship Steward 1

FAQ

Mesquita surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mesquita surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2 people were recorded with the Mesquita surname. That placed it at #33,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mesquita surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016. That gives Mesquita a modern rank of #29,402.

What does the Mesquita surname mean?

A Portuguese surname meaning "small mosque" or "Muslim place of worship".

What does the Mesquita map show?

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