NameCensus.

UK surname

Portas

A surname derived from the Latin word for "door," referring to an occupation or location associated with doors or gateways.

In the 1881 census there were 99 people recorded with the Portas surname, ranking it #19,877 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 306, ranked #14,543, up from #19,877 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Killingholme, Lincoln St Botolph and Hull Holy Trinity. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Lindsey, North Somerset and North Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Portas is 332 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 209.1%.

1881 census count

99

Ranked #19,877

Modern count

306

2016, ranked #14,543

Peak year

1999

332 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Portas had 99 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,877 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 306 in 2016, ranked #14,543.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 241 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Portas surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Portas surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Portas 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 137 #13,812
1861 historical 75 #24,238
1881 historical 99 #19,877
1891 historical 170 #16,816
1901 historical 230 #13,851
1911 historical 241 #13,229
1997 modern 308 #13,297
1998 modern 320 #13,299
1999 modern 332 #13,075
2000 modern 319 #13,391
2001 modern 315 #13,291
2002 modern 325 #13,275
2003 modern 307 #13,614
2004 modern 306 #13,720
2005 modern 304 #13,724
2006 modern 304 #13,797
2007 modern 307 #13,822
2008 modern 304 #14,000
2009 modern 296 #14,557
2010 modern 315 #14,223
2011 modern 327 #13,754
2012 modern 317 #13,960
2013 modern 320 #14,104
2014 modern 318 #14,246
2015 modern 312 #14,347
2016 modern 306 #14,543

Geography

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Where Portas' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Killingholme, Lincoln St Botolph, Hull Holy Trinity, Ludford Magna, Ludford Parve and Revesby, Mareham-le-Fen. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Lindsey, North Somerset, North Lincolnshire, Chesterfield and Redcar and Cleveland. 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 Killingholme Lincolnshire
2 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
3 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Ludford Magna, Ludford Parve Lincolnshire
5 Revesby, Mareham-le-Fen Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Lindsey 007 East Lindsey
2 North Somerset 013 North Somerset
3 North Lincolnshire 002 North Lincolnshire
4 Chesterfield 012 Chesterfield
5 Redcar and Cleveland 011 Redcar and Cleveland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Portas

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Portas

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Portas surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Portas household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Portas is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Portas is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Portas 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 Portas is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Portas

The surname Portas is of Portuguese origin, with roots dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Portuguese word "porta," meaning "door" or "gate." The name was likely given to someone who lived near a prominent gate or entrance of a town or village.

In the early days, the surname was spelled in various forms, such as Portas, Portes, and Portis. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the 1385 manuscript "Livro de Linhagens," which chronicles the genealogy of Portuguese noble families.

The Portas family played a significant role in the history of Portugal, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such figure was João Portas, a 15th-century explorer who accompanied Vasco da Gama on his famous voyage to India in 1498.

Another prominent Portas was Rodrigo Portas, a 16th-century architect who designed several notable buildings in Lisbon, including the Church of São Roque, which is considered a masterpiece of Mannerist architecture.

In the 17th century, the Portas family established themselves in the Azores, an archipelago located in the Atlantic Ocean. One of the most famous members of the family from this period was Manuel Portas, a merchant and ship owner who played a crucial role in the development of the Azorean economy.

Moving forward to the 19th century, António Portas was a renowned Portuguese poet and journalist who advocated for social reform and workers' rights. His works, such as "O Operário," shed light on the struggles of the working class during the Industrial Revolution.

In more recent history, Paulo Portas, a politician and former Minister of Defense, was a prominent figure in Portuguese politics. He served as the leader of the conservative Democratic and Social Center – People's Party (CDS-PP) from 1998 to 2022.

While the surname Portas has its roots in Portugal, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and diaspora. The name can now be found in countries such as Brazil, the United States, and Canada, among others.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Portas families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Portas 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. Lincolnshire leads with 80 Portas' recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.82x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 80 51.82x
Yorkshire 13 1.36x
Middlesex 5 0.52x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.77x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. South Willingham in Lincolnshire leads with 14 Portas' recorded in 1881 and an index of 12727.27x.

Place Total Index
South Willingham 14 12727.27x
Holy Trinity 9 39.11x
North Somercotes 7 1750.00x
Aby 6 5000.00x
Aylesby 5 12500.00x
Barnsley 4 40.53x
Binbrooke 4 1052.63x
Dorrington 4 3076.92x
Enfield 4 63.09x
North Ormsby 4 6666.67x
Scopwick 4 3076.92x
Skegness 4 909.09x
Hannah Cum Hagnaby 3 7500.00x
Kirton In Lindsey 3 491.80x
Langton By Spilsby 3 4285.71x
Benniworth 2 1538.46x
Langton By Horncastle 2 2000.00x
Ranby 2 5000.00x
Wainfleet St Mary 2 869.57x
Barton St Peter 1 140.85x
Carlton Le Moorland 1 1000.00x
Digby 1 1000.00x
Gayton Le Wold 1 2000.00x
Hundleby 1 476.19x
Huttoft 1 500.00x
Keelby 1 416.67x
Mansfield 1 22.22x
Middle Rasen 1 344.83x
St George In East 1 15.22x
Strubby 1 1000.00x
Wildmore 1 500.00x
Willoughby 1 500.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Elizabeth 6
Charlotte 4
Alice 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Maria 2
Sarah 2
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Betsey 1
Clara 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Harriett 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Martha 1
Rose 1
Sarahan 1
Thirza 1
Thurza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 12
William 7
George 5
Henry 5
Joseph 4
Thomas 3
Charles 2
Edward 2
Andrew 1
Benjamin 1
Enoch 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Robert 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Portas surname: questions and answers

How common was the Portas surname in 1881?

In 1881, 99 people were recorded with the Portas surname. That placed it at #19,877 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Portas surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 306 in 2016. That gives Portas a modern rank of #14,543.

What does the Portas surname mean?

A surname derived from the Latin word for "door," referring to an occupation or location associated with doors or gateways.

What does the Portas map show?

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