NameCensus.

UK surname

Santo

An Italian surname referring to a saint or a person considered holy.

In the 1881 census there were 42 people recorded with the Santo surname, ranking it #27,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 185, ranked #20,652, up from #27,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Maidstone, North Somerset and Knowsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Santo is 195 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 340.5%.

1881 census count

42

Ranked #27,721

Modern count

185

2016, ranked #20,652

Peak year

2014

195 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Santo had 42 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 185 in 2016, ranked #20,652.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 49 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Santo surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Santo surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Santo 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 37 #26,673
1861 historical 49 #27,768
1881 historical 42 #27,721
1891 historical 48 #30,447
1901 historical 43 #29,380
1911 historical 48 #28,006
1997 modern 100 #26,901
1998 modern 113 #25,731
1999 modern 113 #25,913
2000 modern 117 #25,324
2001 modern 103 #26,927
2002 modern 107 #26,849
2003 modern 119 #25,026
2004 modern 117 #25,448
2005 modern 117 #25,433
2006 modern 119 #25,413
2007 modern 125 #24,987
2008 modern 135 #24,123
2009 modern 152 #22,716
2010 modern 164 #22,109
2011 modern 167 #21,642
2012 modern 178 #20,758
2013 modern 193 #19,997
2014 modern 195 #20,036
2015 modern 189 #20,345
2016 modern 185 #20,652

Geography

Back to top

Where Santos 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 Maidstone, North Somerset, Knowsley and Stockport. 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 Maidstone 017 Maidstone
2 North Somerset 023 North Somerset
3 Knowsley 004 Knowsley
4 North Somerset 014 North Somerset
5 Stockport 036 Stockport

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Santo

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Santo

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

Santo 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

Santo falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Santo is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Santo

The surname "Santo" originates from Italy and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Italian word "santo," meaning "saint," and was likely initially bestowed as a descriptive nickname or occupational name for someone who lived near a church dedicated to a particular saint or who worked in a religious occupation.

During the Renaissance period, the name "Santo" appeared in various historical records and manuscripts across Italy, particularly in the regions of Tuscany, Lazio, and Campania. One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the Florentine tax records of 1427, where a certain Piero di Santo is mentioned.

In the late 15th century, a notable figure named Antonio Santo (1446-1518) gained recognition as a renowned humanist scholar and philosopher from the city of Padua. His works on classical literature and moral philosophy were widely influential during the Italian Renaissance.

In the 16th century, the name "Santo" was also associated with a prominent family from Naples, the Santos. This family produced several notable figures, including the poet and playwright Giambattista Santo (1530-1592), whose plays were performed throughout Italy during the late Renaissance.

Another historical figure bearing the surname "Santo" was the Venetian painter Jacopo Santo (1554-1628), known for his religious works and portraits commissioned by the Venetian nobility.

During the 17th century, the name "Santo" appeared in various places across Italy, including the town of Santo Stefano di Magra in Liguria, which derived its name from the nearby church dedicated to Saint Stephen.

In the 18th century, the composer and violinist Giovanni Battista Santo (1716-1789) from Padua made significant contributions to the development of the Venetian opera tradition, composing numerous operas and instrumental works.

Throughout history, the surname "Santo" has also been associated with various noble families and landowners, particularly in the regions of Tuscany and Lazio, where they held significant estates and properties.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Santo families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Santo 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. Cornwall leads with 26 Santos recorded in 1881 and an index of 56.07x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 26 56.07x
Aberdeenshire 5 13.18x
Warwickshire 5 4.84x
Hampshire 3 3.57x
Glamorgan 2 2.80x
Royal Navy 1 20.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lostwithel in Cornwall leads with 10 Santos recorded in 1881 and an index of 7692.31x.

Place Total Index
Lostwithel 10 7692.31x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 5 70.42x
Lapworth 5 5000.00x
Saltash 5 1388.89x
Lanivet 4 2857.14x
Bodmin 3 389.61x
Portsea 3 18.24x
Cardiff St Mary 2 50.89x
St Austell 2 126.58x
Mevagissey 1 322.58x
Roche 1 416.67x
Royal Navy 1 23.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Jane 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Bertha 1
Dora 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Grace 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 4
Anthony 3
Alfred 2
John 2
Charles 1
Foca 1
George 1
Philip 1
Reginald 1
Roccozella 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 Santo households.

FAQ

Santo surname: questions and answers

How common was the Santo surname in 1881?

In 1881, 42 people were recorded with the Santo surname. That placed it at #27,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Santo surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 185 in 2016. That gives Santo a modern rank of #20,652.

What does the Santo surname mean?

An Italian surname referring to a saint or a person considered holy.

What does the Santo map show?

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