NameCensus.

UK surname

Valencia

A habitational surname referring to a person from the city of Valencia, Spain, or a place with a similar name.

In the 1881 census there were 6 people recorded with the Valencia surname, ranking it #32,926 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 302, ranked #14,660, up from #32,926 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnet, Harlow and Warwick.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Valencia is 302 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 4933.3%.

1881 census count

6

Ranked #32,926

Modern count

302

2016, ranked #14,660

Peak year

2016

302 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Valencia had 6 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,926 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 302 in 2016, ranked #14,660.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 53 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Valencia surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Valencia surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Valencia 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
1861 historical 7 #33,053
1881 historical 6 #32,926
1891 historical 23 #32,389
1901 historical 24 #31,365
1911 historical 53 #27,508
1997 modern 96 #27,490
1998 modern 99 #27,785
1999 modern 104 #27,164
2000 modern 97 #28,142
2001 modern 92 #28,528
2002 modern 109 #26,552
2003 modern 124 #24,378
2004 modern 134 #23,425
2005 modern 142 #22,577
2006 modern 162 #20,886
2007 modern 173 #20,243
2008 modern 178 #20,094
2009 modern 196 #19,274
2010 modern 225 #18,000
2011 modern 233 #17,426
2012 modern 243 #16,839
2013 modern 256 #16,506
2014 modern 286 #15,378
2015 modern 291 #15,078
2016 modern 302 #14,660

Geography

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Where Valencias 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 Barnet, Harlow, Warwick, Kensington and Chelsea and Lambeth. 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 Barnet 029 Barnet
2 Harlow 010 Harlow
3 Warwick 014 Warwick
4 Kensington and Chelsea 017 Kensington and Chelsea
5 Lambeth 007 Lambeth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Valencia

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Valencia

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

Valencia 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

Valencia 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 Valencia is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Valencia

The surname Valencia is of Spanish origin and dates back to the medieval period. It derives from the city of Valencia, located on the eastern coast of Spain. The city's name is thought to come from the Latin word "Valentia," meaning "strength" or "valor."

In the early Middle Ages, Valencia was under Moorish rule and was an important center of culture and learning. The city's name was rendered as "Balansiyya" in Arabic. After the Reconquista in the 13th century, when the region was reconquered by Christian forces, the name evolved into its modern Spanish form.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Valencia can be found in the 13th century, when a nobleman named Rodrigo de Valencia was mentioned in a charter from the Kingdom of Aragon. Other early spellings include Valençia and Valentia.

Over the centuries, the Valencia surname has been borne by several notable individuals. One of the most famous was Pedro de Valencia (1555-1620), a Spanish humanist, philosopher, and writer who served as a tutor to the sons of Philip III of Spain.

Another prominent figure was Gregorio Fernández de Valencia (c. 1576-1636), a Spanish sculptor and architect known for his intricate wooden carvings in the Baroque style. His works can be found in numerous churches across Spain.

In the 19th century, José Enrique Rodó (1871-1917), a Uruguayan philosopher and writer, adopted the surname Valencia as a literary pseudonym. His essay "Ariel" became a seminal work in the Latin American literary canon.

The surname also has connections to the New World. Francisco de Valencia (c. 1555-1629) was a Dominican friar and linguist who studied and documented various indigenous languages in Mexico and Central America.

Another notable figure was Pedro de Valencia y Covarrubias (1690-1768), a Spanish naval officer and explorer who commanded several expeditions along the Pacific coast of the Americas and the Mariana Islands.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Valencia families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Valencia 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 6 Valencias recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.27x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 6 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. Spitalfields London in Middlesex leads with 6 Valencias recorded in 1881 and an index of 1363.64x.

Place Total Index
Spitalfields London 6 1363.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Miriam 1
Rebecca 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Abraham 1
Emanuel 1
Jacob 1
Mordecia 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 Valencia households.

Occupation Count
Cigar Maker 1
Scholar 1

FAQ

Valencia surname: questions and answers

How common was the Valencia surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6 people were recorded with the Valencia surname. That placed it at #32,926 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Valencia surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 302 in 2016. That gives Valencia a modern rank of #14,660.

What does the Valencia surname mean?

A habitational surname referring to a person from the city of Valencia, Spain, or a place with a similar name.

What does the Valencia map show?

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