NameCensus.

UK surname

Rosa

A surname of Latin origin meaning "rose," referring to a person who grew or sold roses or lived near a rose garden.

In the 1881 census there were 70 people recorded with the Rosa surname, ranking it #23,670 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 709, ranked #7,637, up from #23,670 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth and Woking.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rosa is 709 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 912.9%.

1881 census count

70

Ranked #23,670

Modern count

709

2016, ranked #7,637

Peak year

2016

709 bearers

Map years

6

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rosa had 70 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,670 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 709 in 2016, ranked #7,637.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 146 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Rosa surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rosa surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Rosa 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 33 #27,390
1861 historical 146 #15,628
1881 historical 70 #23,670
1891 historical 135 #19,692
1901 historical 91 #23,921
1911 historical 112 #21,274
1997 modern 208 #17,219
1998 modern 243 #15,993
1999 modern 257 #15,506
2000 modern 245 #15,955
2001 modern 244 #15,753
2002 modern 281 #14,619
2003 modern 292 #14,065
2004 modern 323 #13,230
2005 modern 348 #12,410
2006 modern 391 #11,432
2007 modern 435 #10,613
2008 modern 481 #9,930
2009 modern 509 #9,712
2010 modern 551 #9,354
2011 modern 552 #9,243
2012 modern 629 #8,285
2013 modern 639 #8,319
2014 modern 670 #8,060
2015 modern 673 #7,965
2016 modern 709 #7,637

Geography

Back to top

Where Rosas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Edinburgh, Lambeth and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Woking, Windsor and Maidenhead and Wandsworth. 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 London parishes London 1
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kensington and Chelsea 012 Kensington and Chelsea
2 Lambeth 004 Lambeth
3 Woking 008 Woking
4 Windsor and Maidenhead 011 Windsor and Maidenhead
5 Wandsworth 010 Wandsworth

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Rosa

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Rosa

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

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Rosa surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Rosa 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 never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Rosa 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

Rosa 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

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

Meaning and origin of Rosa

The surname Rosa has its origins in Italy, where it first emerged in the medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word "rosa," meaning "rose," and may have initially been a descriptive name for someone who cultivated roses or lived near a rose garden.

In the early 13th century, records show individuals with the surname Rosa in the city of Florence. One of the earliest documented instances is a reference to a Guido Rosa, a merchant from Florence who lived around 1220.

The name also appears in historical documents from other parts of Italy, such as a 1325 record from Genoa mentioning a Niccolò Rosa, a wealthy trader. In Venice, a family called the Rosas held significant influence during the Renaissance, with members like Battista Rosa (1515-1594), a renowned architect and sculptor.

As the name spread across Italy, regional variations in spelling emerged, including Roso, Ruosa, and Roxa. In some areas, the name may have been influenced by place names containing the word "rosa," such as Rosa Camuna, a valley in the Alps.

Outside of Italy, the Rosa surname can be found in other European countries, likely due to migration and trade. In Spain, for example, there are records of a nobleman named Pedro de la Rosa (1516-1584) who served as a military leader during the reign of Philip II.

In the New World, the name was brought by Italian immigrants, and notable figures include Antonio Rosa (1786-1859), a Venezuelan military officer who fought in the Venezuelan War of Independence.

Other notable individuals with the Rosa surname throughout history include:

1. Salvator Rosa (1615-1673), an Italian Baroque painter, poet, and satirist from Naples. 2. Carl Rosa (1842-1889), a German-born British impresario and conductor who founded the Carl Rosa Opera Company. 3. Edward Rosa (1856-1926), an American lawyer and politician who served as the 32nd Mayor of Boston. 4. Giovanni Battista Rosa (1623-1653), an Italian architect and sculptor active in Rome during the Baroque period. 5. Juan Bautista de la Rosa (1670-1728), a Spanish painter known for his religious works in the Baroque style.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Rosa families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rosa 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 20 Rosas recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.93x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 20 2.93x
Midlothian 13 14.21x
Lancashire 10 1.23x
Sussex 10 8.69x
Yorkshire 6 0.89x
Warwickshire 4 2.32x
Surrey 2 0.60x
Cumberland 1 1.70x
Devon 1 0.70x
Dorset 1 2.23x
Durham 1 0.49x
Oxfordshire 1 2.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 8 Rosas recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.74x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 8 21.74x
St Pancras London 8 14.56x
Petworth 7 1014.49x
Brinsworth 6 1935.48x
Broughton In Salford 6 80.97x
Hackney London 6 15.67x
Edinburgh St Stephens 5 277.78x
Leamington Priors 4 94.34x
Everton 3 11.62x
Hammersmith London 2 11.89x
Ifield 2 416.67x
Lambeth 2 3.36x
Bradford 1 1111.11x
Dalston 1 222.22x
East Grinstead 1 61.35x
Hampstead London 1 9.41x
Headington 1 153.85x
Melcombe Regis 1 53.76x
Paddington London 1 3.98x
St Andrew Holborn 1 43.29x
St Marylebone London 1 2.74x
Stranton 1 14.62x
West Derby 1 4.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Sarah 3
Elizabeth 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Carrie 1
Christiana 1
Eliza 1
Elizabett 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Ganet 1
Guiseppo 1
Harriett 1
Jessie 1
Lina 1
Margerite 1
Maria 1
Patience 1
Phoebe 1
Rachael 1
Regina 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 4
Charles 2
Francisco 2
Frederick 2
Albert 1
Alexr. 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
David 1
Earl 1
Ernest 1
James 1
Marco 1
Morris 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Samuel 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 Rosa households.

FAQ

Rosa surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rosa surname in 1881?

In 1881, 70 people were recorded with the Rosa surname. That placed it at #23,670 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rosa surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 709 in 2016. That gives Rosa a modern rank of #7,637.

What does the Rosa surname mean?

A surname of Latin origin meaning "rose," referring to a person who grew or sold roses or lived near a rose garden.

What does the Rosa map show?

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