NameCensus.

UK surname

Nero

An Italian surname derived from the Latin word "nero," meaning "black" or "dark-complexioned."

In the 1881 census there were 13 people recorded with the Nero surname, ranking it #31,761 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 112, ranked #28,844, up from #31,761 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Tameside and Central Bedfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nero is 123 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 761.5%.

1881 census count

13

Ranked #31,761

Modern count

112

2016, ranked #28,844

Peak year

2010

123 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nero had 13 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,761 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 112 in 2016, ranked #28,844.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 33 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Nero surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nero surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nero 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 2 #33,133
1861 historical 20 #31,364
1881 historical 13 #31,761
1891 historical 11 #33,268
1901 historical 28 #30,951
1911 historical 33 #29,703
1997 modern 64 #31,233
1998 modern 72 #30,775
1999 modern 79 #30,243
2000 modern 76 #30,578
2001 modern 75 #30,481
2002 modern 78 #30,601
2003 modern 77 #30,762
2004 modern 81 #30,569
2005 modern 85 #30,219
2006 modern 99 #28,453
2007 modern 102 #28,351
2008 modern 102 #28,664
2009 modern 115 #27,207
2010 modern 123 #26,728
2011 modern 116 #27,477
2012 modern 109 #28,689
2013 modern 113 #28,502
2014 modern 113 #28,779
2015 modern 113 #28,645
2016 modern 112 #28,844

Geography

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Where Neros 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 Bradford, Tameside, Central Bedfordshire and Sutton. 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 Bradford 059 Bradford
2 Tameside 017 Tameside
3 Central Bedfordshire 020 Central Bedfordshire
4 Sutton 001 Sutton
5 Bradford 058 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nero

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nero

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

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Nero surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Nero household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Nero is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Nero 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

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

Meaning and origin of Nero

The surname NERO is of Italian origin, deriving from the Latin word "niger" meaning "black." The name likely arose as a descriptive nickname for someone with dark features or dark hair. It first appeared in historical records during the Middle Ages in regions such as Tuscany and Lazio.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Petrus Niger, a medieval philosopher and scholar from Venice who lived around 1200 AD. The surname was also recorded in the Codice Diplomatico della Lombardia (Diplomatic Code of Lombardy) in the 13th century.

The name gained notoriety due to its association with the Roman emperor Nero (37-68 AD), who ruled from 54 to 68 AD. Although Nero was not his surname, his infamous reign and the tales of his cruelty and excesses have made the name synonymous with tyranny and depravity.

In the 14th century, the surname was found in the Florentine Catasto, a tax record, with mentions of individuals such as Giovanni di Nero and Simone di Nero. During the Renaissance period, the NERO surname was borne by several notable artists and intellectuals, including the painter Battista Neri (1541-1614) and the philosopher and mathematician Niccolo Tartaglia (1499-1557), whose birth name was Niccolò Fontana Nero.

Other historical figures with the NERO surname include the 16th-century Italian mathematician Pietro Neri (1515-1595) and the 17th-century Italian architect and sculptor Giovanni Battista Neri (1617-1686). In more recent times, the Italian film director and screenwriter Franco Nero (born 1941) has carried on the legacy of this surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nero families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nero 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 4 Neros recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.15x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 4 3.15x
Surrey 3 4.86x
Lancashire 2 1.33x
Norfolk 2 10.26x
Yorkshire 2 1.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edmonton in Middlesex leads with 4 Neros recorded in 1881 and an index of 392.16x.

Place Total Index
Edmonton 4 392.16x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 117.65x
Bradford 2 65.79x
Manchester 2 29.54x
Norwich St Benedict 2 2222.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Ann 1
Charlotte 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Eva 1
Gertrude 1
Givanni 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Giovanni 1
Joseph 1
William 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 Nero households.

FAQ

Nero surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nero surname in 1881?

In 1881, 13 people were recorded with the Nero surname. That placed it at #31,761 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nero surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 112 in 2016. That gives Nero a modern rank of #28,844.

What does the Nero surname mean?

An Italian surname derived from the Latin word "nero," meaning "black" or "dark-complexioned."

What does the Nero map show?

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