NameCensus.

UK surname

Spiteri

A Maltese surname meaning "spice dealer".

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Spiteri surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 813, ranked #6,817, up from #34,027 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Westminster, North Dorset and The Vale of Glamorgan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Spiteri is 842 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 81200.0%.

1881 census count

1

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

813

2016, ranked #6,817

Peak year

2010

842 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Spiteri had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 813 in 2016, ranked #6,817.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Spiteri surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Spiteri surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Spiteri 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
1881 historical 1 #34,027
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1901 historical 2 #34,263
1911 historical 1 #34,332
1997 modern 638 #7,776
1998 modern 680 #7,648
1999 modern 680 #7,684
2000 modern 709 #7,420
2001 modern 698 #7,385
2002 modern 727 #7,285
2003 modern 725 #7,183
2004 modern 706 #7,344
2005 modern 707 #7,271
2006 modern 735 #7,099
2007 modern 765 #6,947
2008 modern 782 #6,883
2009 modern 803 #6,865
2010 modern 842 #6,743
2011 modern 807 #6,884
2012 modern 778 #7,018
2013 modern 788 #7,053
2014 modern 806 #6,958
2015 modern 808 #6,870
2016 modern 813 #6,817

Geography

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Where Spiteris 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 Westminster, North Dorset, The Vale of Glamorgan, Tower Hamlets and Newport. 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 Westminster 013 Westminster
2 North Dorset 004 North Dorset
3 The Vale of Glamorgan 012 Vale of Glamorgan
4 Tower Hamlets 012 Tower Hamlets
5 Newport 001 Newport

Forenames

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First names often paired with Spiteri

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

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Spiteri 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

Spiteri 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

Spiteri 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 Spiteri 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Spiteri

The surname Spiteri has its origins in Malta, an archipelago in the central Mediterranean Sea. The name is thought to have first emerged in the late medieval period, around the 15th or 16th century. It is derived from the Maltese word "spiteri," which refers to someone who works in or is associated with an "spiteri," the Maltese word for a hospital or apothecary.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Spiteri name can be found in the archives of the Order of St. John, the medieval Catholic military order that ruled over Malta from the 16th to the 18th century. These archives contain references to individuals with the surname Spiteri, often in relation to their roles as medical practitioners or workers in the Order's hospitals.

In the 17th century, a notable figure with the Spiteri surname was Pawlu Spiteri, a Maltese physician who served as the chief medical officer for the Order of St. John. He was born in 1620 and died in 1689, and his contributions to the medical field during his time were significant.

Another historical figure of note is Vincenzo Spiteri, a Maltese artist and architect who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was born in 1768 and died in 1823. Spiteri was responsible for the design and construction of several important buildings in Malta, including the Palazzo Falzon in Mdina, which is now a museum.

In the 19th century, the Spiteri surname gained prominence with the birth of Manwel Spiteri, a Maltese politician and journalist who played a crucial role in the island's struggle for independence from British rule. He was born in 1856 and died in 1922, and his writings and activism were instrumental in shaping the Maltese national consciousness during that time.

Another notable Spiteri was Ġuzè Spiteri, a Maltese artist and sculptor who lived from 1878 to 1953. His works, which often depicted scenes from Maltese daily life and folklore, are highly regarded and can be found in museums and galleries across Malta.

The surname Spiteri has also been associated with various place names in Malta, particularly in the areas around the historic cities of Mdina and Rabat, which were home to many families with this surname. Some examples of such place names include Spiteri Lane in Mdina and Spiteri Square in Rabat.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Spiteri families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Spiteri 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. Surrey leads with 1 Spiteris recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.28x.

County Total Index
Surrey 1 21.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Clapham in Surrey leads with 1 Spiteris recorded in 1881 and an index of 833.33x.

Place Total Index
Clapham 1 833.33x

FAQ

Spiteri surname: questions and answers

How common was the Spiteri surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1 people were recorded with the Spiteri surname. That placed it at #34,027 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Spiteri surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 813 in 2016. That gives Spiteri a modern rank of #6,817.

What does the Spiteri surname mean?

A Maltese surname meaning "spice dealer".

What does the Spiteri map show?

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