NameCensus.

UK surname

Rosario

A locational surname referring to someone from a place called Rosario, derived from the Latin "rosarium" meaning "rose garden."

In the 1881 census there were 2 people recorded with the Rosario surname, ranking it #33,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 496, ranked #10,038, up from #33,721 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rosario is 496 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24700.0%.

1881 census count

2

Ranked #33,721

Modern count

496

2016, ranked #10,038

Peak year

2016

496 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rosario had 2 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 496 in 2016, ranked #10,038.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Rosario surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rosario surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rosario 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
1881 historical 2 #33,721
1891 historical 5 #33,939
1901 historical 1 #34,548
1911 historical 2 #34,020
1997 modern 225 #16,352
1998 modern 242 #16,037
1999 modern 242 #16,146
2000 modern 252 #15,659
2001 modern 244 #15,753
2002 modern 269 #15,044
2003 modern 265 #15,025
2004 modern 279 #14,578
2005 modern 286 #14,242
2006 modern 310 #13,603
2007 modern 333 #13,062
2008 modern 359 #12,459
2009 modern 394 #11,859
2010 modern 424 #11,449
2011 modern 426 #11,267
2012 modern 432 #11,015
2013 modern 461 #10,634
2014 modern 473 #10,509
2015 modern 478 #10,343
2016 modern 496 #10,038

Geography

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Where Rosarios 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 Leicester, Swindon, Kensington and Chelsea, Redbridge and Brent. 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 Leicester 017 Leicester
2 Swindon 015 Swindon
3 Kensington and Chelsea 020 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Redbridge 019 Redbridge
5 Brent 019 Brent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rosario

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rosario

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

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Rosario surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Rosario household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Rosario is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rosario 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

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

Meaning and origin of Rosario

The surname Rosario originated in Italy during the medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word 'rosario', which means 'rosary' and refers to the Catholic devotion involving the recitation of prayers and the contemplation of sacred mysteries. The name was likely adopted by individuals or families who were particularly devoted to this religious practice.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Rosario can be found in the 13th century, when a certain Giovanni del Rosario was mentioned in a document from the city of Genoa. This suggests that the name was already in use by that time in the regions of northern Italy.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various records from the Italian city-states, such as Florence, Venice, and Naples. For example, a Niccolò Rosario was a prominent merchant in Florence during the reign of the Medici family.

As the surname spread across Europe, it underwent some variations in spelling, such as Rosario, Rosarii, and Rosari. These different forms were often used interchangeably and reflected regional linguistic differences.

One notable bearer of the Rosario surname was the Venetian explorer and navigator Giovanni Battista Rosario, who lived from 1492 to 1556. He participated in several voyages to the Americas and was among the first Europeans to explore the coasts of Brazil and the Caribbean.

Another significant figure was the Italian philosopher and theologian Giovanni Maria Rosario (1544-1621), who was a prominent figure during the Counter-Reformation and served as a papal advisor.

In the 17th century, the Rosario surname gained prominence in Spain, where it was often associated with nobility and landowners. One example is Don Pedro de Rosario y Castilla (1600-1673), a Spanish military commander who played a crucial role in the defense of the city of Cadiz against the English during the Anglo-Spanish War.

During the colonial era, the surname Rosario was carried across the Atlantic by Italian and Spanish emigrants, eventually spreading to various parts of the Americas, including Latin America and the Caribbean.

One notable figure from this period was the Cuban revolutionary leader and patriot José Martí Rosario (1853-1895), who played a crucial role in the fight for Cuban independence from Spain.

In more recent times, the surname Rosario has been borne by several renowned individuals, such as the American actress and singer Rosario Dawson, born in 1979, and the Puerto Rican boxer and former world champion Tito Rosario, born in 1972.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rosario families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rosario 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. Lancashire leads with 2 Rosarios recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.74x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2 8.74x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 2 Rosarios recorded in 1881 and an index of 143.88x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 2 143.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 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 Rosario households.

FAQ

Rosario surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rosario surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2 people were recorded with the Rosario surname. That placed it at #33,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rosario surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 496 in 2016. That gives Rosario a modern rank of #10,038.

What does the Rosario surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a place called Rosario, derived from the Latin "rosarium" meaning "rose garden."

What does the Rosario map show?

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