NameCensus.

UK surname

Vieira

A Portuguese and Galician occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold candles or other wax products.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Vieira is 1,079 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

1,079

2016, ranked #5,412

Peak year

2016

1,079 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,079 in 2016, ranked #5,412.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 14 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Vieira surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Vieira surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Vieira 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
1891 historical 5 #33,939
1901 historical 14 #32,506
1911 historical 12 #32,302
1997 modern 308 #13,297
1998 modern 340 #12,784
1999 modern 374 #12,026
2000 modern 407 #11,252
2001 modern 407 #11,079
2002 modern 451 #10,429
2003 modern 456 #10,179
2004 modern 530 #9,117
2005 modern 572 #8,559
2006 modern 624 #8,046
2007 modern 685 #7,561
2008 modern 765 #6,992
2009 modern 801 #6,882
2010 modern 884 #6,492
2011 modern 855 #6,580
2012 modern 953 #5,961
2013 modern 986 #5,886
2014 modern 1,041 #5,673
2015 modern 1,065 #5,508
2016 modern 1,079 #5,412

Geography

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Where Vieiras 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 Lambeth, Brent and Kensington and Chelsea. 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 Lambeth 011 Lambeth
2 Brent 025 Brent
3 Brent 031 Brent
4 Kensington and Chelsea 002 Kensington and Chelsea
5 Kensington and Chelsea 004 Kensington and Chelsea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Vieira

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

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

Vieira 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

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

Meaning and origin of Vieira

The surname VIEIRA is of Portuguese origin, and its earliest known usage dates back to the 14th century. It is derived from the Portuguese word "vieira," which means scallop shell or pilgrim's badge. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who made or sold scallop shells, which were commonly worn by pilgrims traveling to the shrine of St. James in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

The VIEIRA surname is most commonly found in the northern regions of Portugal, particularly in the provinces of Minho and Douro Litoral. In the 15th century, the name was recorded in various historical documents, such as the "Livro Velho de Linhagens" (Old Book of Lineages), which chronicles the genealogies of Portuguese noble families.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the VIEIRA surname can be traced back to Afonso Vieira, a Portuguese nobleman who lived during the 14th century. Another notable figure was Gonçalo Vieira, a 15th-century navigator and explorer who participated in the Portuguese discoveries along the West African coast.

In the 16th century, the VIEIRA surname gained further prominence with the birth of António Vieira (1608-1697), a renowned Jesuit priest, diplomat, and writer. He is considered one of the greatest Portuguese writers and orators of the Baroque period and played a significant role in the development of the Portuguese language.

During the 17th century, the VIEIRA surname was associated with several notable individuals, including Manuel Vieira (1640-1696), a Portuguese painter and engraver known for his religious works, and Tomás Vieira (1670-1738), a Brazilian architect and sculptor who contributed to the development of the Baroque style in colonial Brazil.

In the 19th century, the VIEIRA surname gained further recognition with the birth of Wenceslau de Sousa Pereira Vieira (1853-1923), a Portuguese politician and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Portugal from 1911 to 1912.

Throughout history, the VIEIRA surname has been associated with various professions, including artists, writers, politicians, and religious figures. While the name has undergone minor spelling variations, such as Viera or Vieyra, its essence and connection to the scallop shell symbolism have remained intact.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Vieira surname: questions and answers

How common is the Vieira surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,079 in 2016. That gives Vieira a modern rank of #5,412.

What does the Vieira surname mean?

A Portuguese and Galician occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold candles or other wax products.

What does the Vieira map show?

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