NameCensus.

UK surname

Pontes

A Portuguese surname derived from the Latin word "pontes" meaning bridges.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pontes is 142 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

142

2016, ranked #24,625

Peak year

2016

142 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 142 in 2016, ranked #24,625.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Pontes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pontes surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pontes 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
1891 historical 7 #33,665
1901 historical 9 #33,154
1997 modern 18 #36,053
1998 modern 23 #35,603
1999 modern 25 #35,413
2000 modern 27 #35,188
2001 modern 31 #34,648
2002 modern 31 #34,866
2003 modern 32 #34,862
2004 modern 43 #34,149
2005 modern 56 #33,264
2006 modern 69 #32,343
2007 modern 67 #32,871
2008 modern 81 #31,713
2009 modern 91 #30,944
2010 modern 102 #29,930
2011 modern 100 #30,058
2012 modern 119 #27,100
2013 modern 128 #26,336
2014 modern 135 #25,581
2015 modern 139 #24,956
2016 modern 142 #24,625

Geography

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Where Pontes' 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 Ealing, Hackney, Hounslow, Fraserburgh Harbour and Broadsea and Barking and Dagenham. 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 Ealing 012 Ealing
2 Hackney 008 Hackney
3 Hounslow 020 Hounslow
4 Fraserburgh Harbour and Broadsea Aberdeenshire
5 Barking and Dagenham 020 Barking and Dagenham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pontes

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

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

Pontes 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

Pontes falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pontes

The surname Pontes originates from Portugal, tracing its roots back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Latin word "pontes," meaning "bridges." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived near bridges or worked as bridge builders or toll collectors.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Pontes surname can be found in the Livro Velho de Linhagens, a Portuguese genealogical manuscript compiled in the 13th century. This document mentions individuals bearing the name Pontes, indicating their presence in the region during that era.

During the 14th century, the name Pontes appeared in various official records and documents in Portugal, such as tax rolls and property deeds. One notable figure from this period was João Pontes, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in the city of Porto in the late 1300s.

As the centuries passed, the Pontes surname spread across Portugal and its territories. In the 16th century, a Gaspar Pontes was listed as a navigator and explorer who accompanied Portuguese expeditions to the Americas and the East Indies.

In the 17th century, the Pontes family established itself as a respected lineage in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. One member, Manuel Pontes (1602-1678), served as a magistrate and judge in the local courts.

The 19th century saw the rise of several notable individuals bearing the Pontes surname. João Baptista da Silva Pontes (1796-1855) was a prominent Portuguese lawyer and politician who served as Minister of Justice and Prime Minister of Portugal in the 1840s.

Another significant figure was José Maria Pontes (1825-1898), a renowned Portuguese writer and journalist who authored several works on history and literature. His contemporaries included António José Pontes (1830-1902), a respected engineer and architect responsible for designing several landmarks in Lisbon.

In more recent times, the Pontes surname has continued to be represented in various fields. Fernando Pontes (1923-2012) was a celebrated Portuguese artist known for his abstract expressionist paintings, while Henrique Pontes (born 1952) is a renowned architect whose works have been recognized with numerous international awards.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Pontes surname: questions and answers

How common is the Pontes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 142 in 2016. That gives Pontes a modern rank of #24,625.

What does the Pontes surname mean?

A Portuguese surname derived from the Latin word "pontes" meaning bridges.

What does the Pontes map show?

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