NameCensus.

UK surname

Roberto

An Italian surname derived from the Germanic name Hrodebert, meaning "bright fame."

In the 1881 census there were 3 people recorded with the Roberto surname, ranking it #33,498 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 157, ranked #23,006, up from #33,498 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Hams, Leeds and Camden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roberto is 157 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5133.3%.

1881 census count

3

Ranked #33,498

Modern count

157

2016, ranked #23,006

Peak year

2016

157 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Roberto had 3 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,498 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016, ranked #23,006.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 80 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Roberto surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Roberto surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Roberto 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 1 #33,412
1861 historical 61 #26,170
1881 historical 3 #33,498
1891 historical 80 #26,785
1901 historical 32 #30,501
1911 historical 12 #32,302
1997 modern 63 #31,335
1998 modern 68 #31,181
1999 modern 71 #31,036
2000 modern 61 #32,039
2001 modern 63 #31,693
2002 modern 79 #30,499
2003 modern 86 #29,752
2004 modern 80 #30,679
2005 modern 85 #30,219
2006 modern 100 #28,283
2007 modern 111 #26,954
2008 modern 103 #28,519
2009 modern 108 #28,311
2010 modern 117 #27,557
2011 modern 114 #27,784
2012 modern 136 #24,830
2013 modern 143 #24,434
2014 modern 149 #23,969
2015 modern 147 #24,036
2016 modern 157 #23,006

Geography

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Where Robertos 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 South Hams, Leeds, Camden, Wirral and Westminster. 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 South Hams 012 South Hams
2 Leeds 023 Leeds
3 Camden 019 Camden
4 Wirral 016 Wirral
5 Westminster 018 Westminster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Roberto

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Roberto

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

Roberto 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

Roberto 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 Roberto 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Roberto

The surname ROBERTO is of Italian origin and derived from the given name Roberto, which itself comes from the Germanic name Robert, meaning "bright renown." The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the Middle Ages in various regions of Italy, particularly in the central and southern parts of the country.

In the 12th century, the name ROBERTO appeared in several historical records and documents, including the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval charters and deeds from the Campania region of southern Italy. This suggests that the surname was already well-established by this time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the ROBERTO surname was Niccolò Roberto, a nobleman and landowner who lived in the town of Alife, near Caserta, in the 13th century. Records from the period mention him as a prominent figure in the local community.

During the Renaissance, the ROBERTO surname became more widespread across Italy, particularly in cities like Florence, Rome, and Naples. Notable individuals with this surname include the painter Girolamo Roberto (1539-1592), whose works can be found in various churches and galleries in Italy.

In the 17th century, the ROBERTO family established themselves as influential landowners and merchants in the town of Salerno, near the Amalfi Coast. One member of the family, Antonio Roberto (1624-1691), was a successful merchant and served as a local magistrate.

The ROBERTO surname also has a connection to the island of Sicily, where it was particularly common in the city of Palermo. One of the most famous bearers of the name from this region was Giuseppe Roberto (1768-1839), a renowned architect and urban planner who designed several notable buildings and public spaces in Palermo.

Other notable individuals with the ROBERTO surname include the Italian writer and journalist Vincenzo Roberto (1818-1897), who was a prominent figure in the Risorgimento movement for Italian unification, and the painter Gian Domenico Roberto (1592-1662), whose works can be found in churches and museums throughout Italy.

While the ROBERTO surname has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Italian emigration in the 19th and 20th centuries. However, this detailed history focuses primarily on the origins and early bearers of the name within Italy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Roberto families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roberto 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 3 Robertos recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.27x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 3 10.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Andrew Holborn in Middlesex leads with 1 Robertos recorded in 1881 and an index of 1000.00x.

Place Total Index
St Andrew Holborn 1 1000.00x
St Martin In Fields 1 588.24x
St Pancras London 1 42.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ellen 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Francesco 1
Tom 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 Roberto households.

FAQ

Roberto surname: questions and answers

How common was the Roberto surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3 people were recorded with the Roberto surname. That placed it at #33,498 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Roberto surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016. That gives Roberto a modern rank of #23,006.

What does the Roberto surname mean?

An Italian surname derived from the Germanic name Hrodebert, meaning "bright fame."

What does the Roberto map show?

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