NameCensus.

UK surname

Nunes

A Portuguese toponymic surname referring to someone who lived near a hillock, knoll, or elevated land.

In the 1881 census there were 14 people recorded with the Nunes surname, ranking it #31,604 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,376, ranked #4,386, up from #31,604 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lambeth, Swindon and Brent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nunes is 1,376 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9728.6%.

1881 census count

14

Ranked #31,604

Modern count

1,376

2016, ranked #4,386

Peak year

2016

1,376 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nunes had 14 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,604 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,376 in 2016, ranked #4,386.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 38 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Nunes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nunes surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nunes 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 12 #31,134
1861 historical 38 #29,216
1881 historical 14 #31,604
1891 historical 33 #31,681
1901 historical 26 #31,152
1911 historical 35 #29,478
1997 modern 478 #9,627
1998 modern 541 #9,044
1999 modern 579 #8,642
2000 modern 571 #8,693
2001 modern 563 #8,654
2002 modern 620 #8,256
2003 modern 642 #7,895
2004 modern 714 #7,273
2005 modern 774 #6,783
2006 modern 871 #6,204
2007 modern 929 #5,943
2008 modern 1,020 #5,558
2009 modern 1,114 #5,265
2010 modern 1,186 #5,099
2011 modern 1,171 #5,087
2012 modern 1,241 #4,776
2013 modern 1,318 #4,599
2014 modern 1,334 #4,570
2015 modern 1,340 #4,511
2016 modern 1,376 #4,386

Geography

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Where Nunes' 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 Lambeth, Swindon, Brent, Ealing and Runnymede. 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 Lambeth 022 Lambeth
2 Swindon 015 Swindon
3 Brent 031 Brent
4 Ealing 033 Ealing
5 Runnymede 007 Runnymede

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nunes

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

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Nunes 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

Nunes 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

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

Meaning and origin of Nunes

The surname Nunes has its origins in Portugal, where it emerged during the medieval period. It is derived from the Latin name "Nunus" or "Nonnus," which was a common personal name in ancient Rome. This name is believed to have been derived from the Latin word "nonus," meaning "ninth."

The Nunes surname first appeared in historical records in the 12th century, particularly in the region of Alentejo in southern Portugal. During this time, the use of surnames became more widespread among the nobility and upper classes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Nunes surname is found in the "Livro Velho de Linhagens" (Old Book of Lineages), a Portuguese genealogical manuscript from the 13th century. It mentions several individuals with the surname Nunes, indicating their prominence in medieval Portuguese society.

The name Nunes is also associated with the town of Nunão in the district of Viseu, Portugal. It is possible that some individuals adopted the surname Nunes due to their connection with this locality.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Nunes surname. One of the earliest was Pedro Nunes (1492-1577), a renowned Portuguese mathematician, cosmographer, and navigator. He made significant contributions to the fields of navigation and cartography during the Age of Exploration.

Another prominent figure was Fernão Nunes (1610-1675), a Portuguese Jesuit priest and architect who designed several churches and buildings in Brazil during the colonial period.

In the realm of literature, Vasco Fernandes Nunes (1565-1625) was a Portuguese poet and author who wrote works on religion and philosophy.

Maria de Lourdes Modesto Nunes (1908-1991) was a prominent Portuguese painter and sculptor known for her avant-garde artistic style.

More recently, Álvaro Nunes Cabral (1923-2012) was a celebrated Portuguese lawyer, politician, and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and as a member of the European Parliament.

While these are just a few examples, the Nunes surname has a long and rich history, with individuals from various walks of life contributing to the cultural, intellectual, and political landscapes of Portugal and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nunes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nunes 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 8 Nunes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.86x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 8 5.86x
Surrey 3 4.51x
Cheshire 1 3.32x
Kent 1 2.15x
Sussex 1 4.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hammersmith London in Middlesex leads with 5 Nunes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 148.81x.

Place Total Index
Hammersmith London 5 148.81x
Penge 3 344.83x
Birkenhead 1 41.67x
Deptford St Paul 1 27.86x
Hove 1 99.01x
Islington London 1 7.56x
Kensington London 1 13.18x
Norwood 1 322.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Fanny 2
Mary 2
Augusta 1
Eleanor 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Francis 1
Henry 1
John 1
Pinnington 1
Raffael 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 Nunes households.

FAQ

Nunes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nunes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 14 people were recorded with the Nunes surname. That placed it at #31,604 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nunes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,376 in 2016. That gives Nunes a modern rank of #4,386.

What does the Nunes surname mean?

A Portuguese toponymic surname referring to someone who lived near a hillock, knoll, or elevated land.

What does the Nunes map show?

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