NameCensus.

UK surname

Vidal

A surname of Spanish origin, derived from the Latin word "vitalis," meaning "life-giving" or "of life."

In the 1881 census there were 47 people recorded with the Vidal surname, ranking it #27,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 625, ranked #8,440, up from #27,019 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Westminster, Ealing and Hackney.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Vidal is 625 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1229.8%.

1881 census count

47

Ranked #27,019

Modern count

625

2016, ranked #8,440

Peak year

2016

625 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Vidal had 47 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,019 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 625 in 2016, ranked #8,440.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 91 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Vidal surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Vidal surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Vidal 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 28 #28,274
1861 historical 40 #28,970
1881 historical 47 #27,019
1891 historical 58 #29,439
1901 historical 84 #24,759
1911 historical 91 #23,684
1997 modern 410 #10,800
1998 modern 433 #10,718
1999 modern 443 #10,577
2000 modern 451 #10,412
2001 modern 430 #10,619
2002 modern 457 #10,314
2003 modern 443 #10,413
2004 modern 454 #10,229
2005 modern 452 #10,173
2006 modern 484 #9,709
2007 modern 520 #9,284
2008 modern 523 #9,316
2009 modern 545 #9,238
2010 modern 570 #9,106
2011 modern 566 #9,070
2012 modern 581 #8,804
2013 modern 596 #8,795
2014 modern 606 #8,743
2015 modern 613 #8,592
2016 modern 625 #8,440

Geography

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Where Vidals 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, Ealing and Hackney. 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 004 Westminster
2 Ealing 029 Ealing
3 Hackney 020 Hackney
4 Westminster 009 Westminster
5 Hackney 010 Hackney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Vidal

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

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

Vidal 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

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

Meaning and origin of Vidal

The surname Vidal has its origins in Spain, where it was derived from the Latin word 'vitalis', meaning 'life' or 'lively'. It likely emerged as a surname during the medieval period in Spain, possibly as early as the 11th or 12th century.

The name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Catalonia and Valencia in eastern Spain. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval Catalan documents and records from these areas.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Ramon Vidal de Besalú, a Catalan troubadour who lived in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. He was renowned for his poetic works and is considered one of the most important figures in the development of Occitan literature.

Another notable figure with the surname was Miguel Vidal y Cuadras, a Spanish painter born in Barcelona in 1742. He was known for his religious and historical paintings, and his works can be found in various churches and museums throughout Spain.

In the 16th century, the name appears in records from the town of Vidal de Sabugo, located in the province of Ávila, suggesting a possible connection between the surname and this place name.

The Vidal surname also has a presence in France, particularly in the southern regions, where it may have been introduced through Spanish influence or migration. One prominent French bearer of the name was François Vidal, a 17th-century painter and engraver from Toulouse.

Over time, variations of the spelling emerged, such as Vidall, Vidalle, and Vidales, reflecting regional linguistic differences and influences. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remained tied to its Latin roots and Spanish heritage.

Other notable individuals with the Vidal surname include José Vidal-Beneyto, a Spanish sociologist and academic born in 1927, and Joaquín Vidal, a 19th-century Spanish painter known for his landscapes and genre scenes.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Vidal families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Vidal 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 8 Vidals recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.64x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 8 1.64x
Suffolk 7 11.79x
Buckinghamshire 6 20.35x
Devon 5 4.93x
Durham 5 3.45x
Sussex 4 4.87x
Channel Islands 3 20.76x
Kent 3 1.80x
Surrey 3 1.26x
Berkshire 2 5.46x
Glamorgan 1 1.18x
Gloucestershire 1 1.05x
Hampshire 1 1.00x
Lanarkshire 1 0.63x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sutton in Suffolk leads with 7 Vidals recorded in 1881 and an index of 7777.78x.

Place Total Index
Sutton 7 7777.78x
Eton 6 895.52x
Abbotsham 5 6250.00x
Kensington London 5 18.44x
Monkwearmouth Shore 4 141.34x
Brighton 3 18.08x
Folkestone 2 61.92x
Richmond 2 60.06x
Speen 2 333.33x
St Helier 2 42.55x
Barony 1 2.51x
Bristol St Paul In 1 39.22x
Chatham 1 21.83x
Chiddingly 1 666.67x
Forest 1 1000.00x
Hampstead London 1 13.18x
Kingston On Thames 1 17.51x
Llantrisant 1 46.73x
St Martin In Fields 1 34.25x
St Marylebone London 1 3.84x
St Michael Winchester 1 500.00x
Sunderland 1 39.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Adele 2
Annie 2
Emma 2
Henrietta 2
Mary 2
Agnes 1
Annetta 1
Annette 1
Arethea 1
Caroline 1
Concepcion 1
Elizabeth 1
Hilda 1
Julia 1
Lucy 1
Madeline 1
Nora 1
Suzette 1
Thersia 1
Violet 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Francis 2
John 2
(Sigr) 1
Adolph 1
Alan 1
Antonio 1
Cesar 1
Chas.R. 1
Donald 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Emilie 1
Henry 1
Hugh 1
Iltyd 1
Leon 1
Peter 1
Robert 1
William 1

FAQ

Vidal surname: questions and answers

How common was the Vidal surname in 1881?

In 1881, 47 people were recorded with the Vidal surname. That placed it at #27,019 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Vidal surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 625 in 2016. That gives Vidal a modern rank of #8,440.

What does the Vidal surname mean?

A surname of Spanish origin, derived from the Latin word "vitalis," meaning "life-giving" or "of life."

What does the Vidal map show?

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