NameCensus.

UK surname

Rafael

A surname of Spanish and Portuguese origin, derived from the Hebrew name "Raphael," meaning "God has healed."

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Rafael surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 127, ranked #26,566, up from #34,027 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rafael is 127 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12600.0%.

1881 census count

1

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

127

2016, ranked #26,566

Peak year

2016

127 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rafael had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 127 in 2016, ranked #26,566.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 10 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Rafael surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rafael surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rafael 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 10 #32,589
1881 historical 1 #34,027
1901 historical 1 #34,548
1911 historical 4 #33,595
1997 modern 25 #35,261
1998 modern 29 #34,948
1999 modern 36 #34,323
2000 modern 34 #34,517
2001 modern 27 #35,041
2002 modern 31 #34,866
2003 modern 32 #34,862
2004 modern 39 #34,477
2005 modern 44 #34,255
2006 modern 47 #34,335
2007 modern 56 #33,875
2008 modern 64 #33,402
2009 modern 68 #33,341
2010 modern 74 #33,167
2011 modern 74 #33,151
2012 modern 83 #32,611
2013 modern 103 #30,235
2014 modern 115 #28,439
2015 modern 114 #28,478
2016 modern 127 #26,566

Geography

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Where Rafaels 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 Wandsworth, Westminster, Newham and Southwark. 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 Wandsworth 035 Wandsworth
2 Westminster 009 Westminster
3 Newham 027 Newham
4 Southwark 012 Southwark
5 Southwark 020 Southwark

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rafael

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

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Rafael is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rafael 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

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

Meaning and origin of Rafael

The surname Rafael is of Spanish origin, derived from the Hebrew personal name "Raphael," which means "God has healed" or "God's healer." The name gained popularity in Spain during the Middle Ages, particularly after the reconquest of Iberia from the Moors.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Rafael can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Spain, such as Catalonia, Aragon, and Castile. It is believed that the surname was originally adopted by individuals who were either descendants of someone named Raphael or lived in an area associated with the name.

In the 14th century, the name Rafael appeared in several historical documents, including the Llibre del Repartiment, which recorded the distribution of land and property in the newly conquered territories of Valencia. One notable figure from this period was Rafael Valls, a Catalan poet and writer who lived between 1350 and 1420.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the surname Rafael spread across Spain and its colonies in the Americas. Several prominent individuals bore this surname, including Rafael Altamira (1866-1951), a renowned Spanish historian, jurist, and philosopher, and Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro (1846-1905), a Portuguese ceramist and caricaturist.

In the 17th century, the name Rafael gained further recognition with the birth of Rafael de Sanzio (1483-1520), the Italian Renaissance artist widely known as Raphael. His works, including masterpieces like The School of Athens and the Sistine Madonna, have had a lasting impact on the art world.

Other notable individuals with the surname Rafael include Rafael Sabatini (1875-1950), an Italian-British novelist known for his swashbuckling adventure stories like Captain Blood and Scaramouche, and Rafael Nadal (born 1986), the Spanish professional tennis player and one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.

Throughout its history, the surname Rafael has maintained its strong ties to its Spanish and Hebrew roots, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the regions where it originated and flourished.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rafael families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rafael 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. Devon leads with 1 Rafaels recorded in 1881 and an index of 49.75x.

County Total Index
Devon 1 49.75x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sidmouth in Devon leads with 1 Rafaels recorded in 1881 and an index of 10000.00x.

Place Total Index
Sidmouth 1 10000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Laura 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 Rafael households.

Occupation Count
General Servant 1

FAQ

Rafael surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rafael surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Rafael surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 127 in 2016. That gives Rafael a modern rank of #26,566.

What does the Rafael surname mean?

A surname of Spanish and Portuguese origin, derived from the Hebrew name "Raphael," meaning "God has healed."

What does the Rafael map show?

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