NameCensus.

UK surname

Ribeiro

A Portuguese toponymic surname indicating someone from a place abundant in riverbanks or shores.

In the 1881 census there were 4 people recorded with the Ribeiro surname, ranking it #33,288 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,428, ranked #4,285, up from #33,288 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swindon, Brent and Lambeth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ribeiro is 1,428 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35600.0%.

1881 census count

4

Ranked #33,288

Modern count

1,428

2016, ranked #4,285

Peak year

2016

1,428 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ribeiro had 4 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,288 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,428 in 2016, ranked #4,285.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 22 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Ribeiro surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ribeiro surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ribeiro 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 1 #34,435
1881 historical 4 #33,288
1891 historical 10 #33,355
1901 historical 18 #32,032
1911 historical 22 #31,030
1997 modern 301 #13,492
1998 modern 331 #13,018
1999 modern 357 #12,433
2000 modern 389 #11,645
2001 modern 382 #11,606
2002 modern 478 #9,963
2003 modern 502 #9,460
2004 modern 566 #8,685
2005 modern 668 #7,623
2006 modern 785 #6,727
2007 modern 874 #6,237
2008 modern 949 #5,885
2009 modern 1,045 #5,576
2010 modern 1,134 #5,295
2011 modern 1,115 #5,316
2012 modern 1,224 #4,833
2013 modern 1,270 #4,758
2014 modern 1,313 #4,631
2015 modern 1,344 #4,504
2016 modern 1,428 #4,285

Geography

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Where Ribeiros 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 Swindon, Brent and Lambeth. 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 Swindon 015 Swindon
2 Brent 031 Brent
3 Lambeth 011 Lambeth
4 Brent 032 Brent
5 Lambeth 008 Lambeth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ribeiro

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

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

Ribeiro 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

Ribeiro falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ribeiro is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Ribeiro

The surname Ribeiro originated in Portugal and Spain during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Portuguese and Spanish word "ribeiro," which means "small river" or "stream." The name likely referred to individuals who lived near a small river or stream.

One of the earliest known records of the surname Ribeiro dates back to the 12th century, when it appeared in Portuguese historical documents. The name was particularly common in the northern regions of Portugal, such as Minho and Douro Litoral.

In the 13th century, the surname Ribeiro was mentioned in the "Livro Velho de Linhagens" (Old Book of Lineages), a Portuguese manuscript that recorded the genealogies of noble families. This suggests that the name had gained prominence among the nobility during that time.

During the Age of Discovery, several notable individuals with the surname Ribeiro played significant roles in the exploration and colonization of the New World. One such figure was Diogo Ribeiro, a Portuguese cartographer who lived in the early 16th century and created important maps of the world's coastlines.

Another notable Ribeiro was Pedro Ribeiro Moreira, a Portuguese explorer who accompanied Ferdinand Magellan on his famous circumnavigation of the globe in the early 16th century. He was one of the 18 survivors of the voyage.

In the 17th century, Manuel Ribeiro da Silva was a prominent Portuguese architect who designed several churches and convents in Portugal, including the Igreja da Misericórdia in Évora.

The surname Ribeiro also has a strong connection to the regions of Galicia in Spain and the northern Portuguese region of Trás-os-Montes. In Galicia, the name is often spelled as "Riveiro," reflecting the regional linguistic variations.

Throughout history, the surname Ribeiro has been associated with various professions, including agriculture, literature, and the arts. Several notable writers and poets have carried this surname, including the 20th-century Portuguese poet José Ribeiro Couto and the Brazilian writer João Ubaldo Ribeiro.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ribeiro families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ribeiro 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. Middlesex leads with 4 Ribeiros recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.29x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 4 10.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whitechapel London in Middlesex leads with 4 Ribeiros recorded in 1881 and an index of 1052.63x.

Place Total Index
Whitechapel London 4 1052.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Milly 1
Rose 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Emanuel 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 Ribeiro households.

FAQ

Ribeiro surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ribeiro surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4 people were recorded with the Ribeiro surname. That placed it at #33,288 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ribeiro surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,428 in 2016. That gives Ribeiro a modern rank of #4,285.

What does the Ribeiro surname mean?

A Portuguese toponymic surname indicating someone from a place abundant in riverbanks or shores.

What does the Ribeiro map show?

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