NameCensus.

UK surname

Otero

A Spanish surname derived from a place name referring to a high, rocky hill or plateau.

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Otero surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 183, ranked #20,813, up from #34,027 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Otero is 183 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18200.0%.

1881 census count

1

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

183

2016, ranked #20,813

Peak year

2016

183 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Otero had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 183 in 2016, ranked #20,813.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Otero surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Otero surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Otero 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
1881 historical 1 #34,027
1901 historical 2 #34,263
1911 historical 8 #32,903
1997 modern 120 #24,158
1998 modern 138 #22,814
1999 modern 151 #21,740
2000 modern 133 #23,462
2001 modern 127 #23,781
2002 modern 131 #23,793
2003 modern 129 #23,783
2004 modern 124 #24,559
2005 modern 125 #24,398
2006 modern 124 #24,750
2007 modern 131 #24,282
2008 modern 144 #23,037
2009 modern 152 #22,716
2010 modern 160 #22,487
2011 modern 159 #22,382
2012 modern 164 #21,883
2013 modern 168 #21,914
2014 modern 171 #21,812
2015 modern 177 #21,220
2016 modern 183 #20,813

Geography

Back to top

Where Oteros 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 Westminster, Slough, Guildford, Gedling and North Devon. 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 Westminster 005 Westminster
2 Slough 006 Slough
3 Guildford 006 Guildford
4 Gedling 009 Gedling
5 North Devon 010 North Devon

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Otero

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Otero

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

Otero 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

Otero falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Otero

The surname Otero originated in Spain and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Spanish word "otero," which means a small hill or knoll. This suggests that the name likely originated from a person who lived near or on a small hill.

The earliest recorded instances of the Otero surname appear in medieval Spanish documents and manuscripts. For example, it is mentioned in the Becerro de las Behetrías de Castilla, a 14th-century manuscript that recorded information about landowners and their properties.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Otero was Pedro Otero, a Spanish nobleman who lived in the 13th century and was recorded as owning land in the region of Galicia.

Another notable figure with the Otero surname was Álvaro Otero de Prado, a Spanish military commander who served under King Ferdinand II of Aragon in the 15th century. He played a significant role in the Reconquista, the centuries-long campaign to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors.

In the 16th century, Hernando de Otero was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expeditions to Mexico. He played a crucial role in the conquest of the Aztec Empire and was later granted land and titles by the Spanish Crown.

During the 17th century, Diego Otero y Sotomayor was a prominent Spanish nobleman and military leader who served as the Governor of Chile from 1629 to 1632. He was known for his efforts to strengthen Spanish control over the region and his conflicts with the indigenous Mapuche people.

In the 19th century, Manuel Otero was a Cuban poet and writer who was part of the Romantic literary movement in Latin America. He is best known for his collection of poems titled "Rimas Americanas," which celebrated the natural beauty and cultural heritage of the Americas.

The Otero surname can also be found in various place names throughout Spain, such as Otero de Herrero, Otero de Bodas, and Otero de Sanabria, among others. These place names often reflect the presence of small hills or knolls in the area, further reinforcing the geographic connection of the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Otero families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Otero 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. Cheshire leads with 1 Oteros recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.95x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 1 46.95x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birkenhead in Cheshire leads with 1 Oteros recorded in 1881 and an index of 588.24x.

Place Total Index
Birkenhead 1 588.24x

Top male names

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

Name Count
Fernando 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 Otero households.

Occupation Count
Palero 1

FAQ

Otero surname: questions and answers

How common was the Otero surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1 people were recorded with the Otero surname. That placed it at #34,027 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Otero surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 183 in 2016. That gives Otero a modern rank of #20,813.

What does the Otero surname mean?

A Spanish surname derived from a place name referring to a high, rocky hill or plateau.

What does the Otero map show?

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