NameCensus.

UK surname

Ochoa

A Basque toponymic surname derived from the word "otso" meaning "wolf", likely referring to someone living near wolves.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Halton, Warwick and Ealing.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ochoa is 122 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

122

2016, ranked #27,255

Peak year

2016

122 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016, ranked #27,255.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Ochoa surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ochoa surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ochoa 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
1911 historical 2 #34,020
1997 modern 33 #34,377
1998 modern 34 #34,433
1999 modern 41 #33,866
2000 modern 40 #33,976
2001 modern 38 #34,004
2002 modern 46 #33,631
2003 modern 42 #34,040
2004 modern 52 #33,418
2005 modern 55 #33,349
2006 modern 58 #33,433
2007 modern 58 #33,731
2008 modern 59 #33,827
2009 modern 72 #33,021
2010 modern 80 #32,670
2011 modern 90 #31,564
2012 modern 103 #29,733
2013 modern 100 #30,773
2014 modern 111 #29,113
2015 modern 111 #28,986
2016 modern 122 #27,255

Geography

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Where Ochoas 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 Halton, Warwick, Ealing and Islington. 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 Halton 011 Halton
2 Warwick 014 Warwick
3 Warwick 006 Warwick
4 Ealing 039 Ealing
5 Islington 023 Islington

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ochoa

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

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

Ochoa 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

Ochoa 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 Ochoa is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Ochoa

The surname Ochoa has its origins in the Basque region of northern Spain and southwestern France. It is believed to have derived from the Basque word "otxoa," which means "little wolf." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a nickname or descriptive name for someone who exhibited wolf-like characteristics or lived in an area inhabited by wolves.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Ochoa can be traced back to the 11th century in the Basque Country. Notable individuals from this period include Fortún Ochoa, a nobleman and military leader who fought against the Moors in the Reconquista, and Sancho Ochoa, a clergyman who served as the Bishop of Pamplona in the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various historical records and documents from the Kingdom of Navarre. One such example is Juan Ochoa, a prominent merchant and landowner who was mentioned in the Fuero de Pamplona, a legal code established in the city of Pamplona.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the name Ochoa became more widely dispersed throughout Spain and its colonies in the Americas. This was likely due to the Basque involvement in maritime exploration and trade during this period. Juan Sebastián Elcano, the Spanish explorer and navigator who completed the first circumnavigation of the globe after Magellan's death, was born Juan Sebastián Ochoa in the Basque town of Guetaria in 1476.

Another notable individual with the surname Ochoa was Eugenio de Ochoa y Montel, a Spanish writer, translator, and literary critic born in Lekunberri, Navarre, in 1833. He is best known for his translations of works by Lord Byron and Sir Walter Scott into Spanish.

In the 20th century, the Mexican writer and diplomat Octavio Ochoa y Alvarez (1896-1975) gained recognition for his contributions to Mexican literature and his diplomatic service in various countries around the world.

Throughout its history, the surname Ochoa has maintained a strong presence in the Basque region, as well as in other parts of Spain and Spanish-speaking countries, particularly Mexico, where it has become a relatively common surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Ochoa surname: questions and answers

How common is the Ochoa surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016. That gives Ochoa a modern rank of #27,255.

What does the Ochoa surname mean?

A Basque toponymic surname derived from the word "otso" meaning "wolf", likely referring to someone living near wolves.

What does the Ochoa map show?

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