NameCensus.

UK surname

Allford

A habitational name for someone from a place called Alford or Alferd.

In the 1881 census there were 212 people recorded with the Allford surname, ranking it #12,373 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 371, ranked #12,561, down from #12,373 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean, London parishes and Hucknall Torkard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, South Hams and Luton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Allford is 408 in 2008. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 75.0%.

1881 census count

212

Ranked #12,373

Modern count

371

2016, ranked #12,561

Peak year

2008

408 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Allford had 212 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,373 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 371 in 2016, ranked #12,561.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 335 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Allford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Allford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Allford 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 144 #13,277
1861 historical 231 #10,572
1881 historical 212 #12,373
1891 historical 272 #11,957
1901 historical 249 #13,172
1911 historical 335 #10,584
1997 modern 391 #11,196
1998 modern 390 #11,563
1999 modern 404 #11,361
2000 modern 397 #11,463
2001 modern 386 #11,509
2002 modern 400 #11,443
2003 modern 392 #11,425
2004 modern 392 #11,453
2005 modern 394 #11,308
2006 modern 400 #11,257
2007 modern 388 #11,630
2008 modern 408 #11,292
2009 modern 407 #11,556
2010 modern 405 #11,874
2011 modern 403 #11,806
2012 modern 375 #12,292
2013 modern 374 #12,521
2014 modern 378 #12,512
2015 modern 379 #12,385
2016 modern 371 #12,561

Geography

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Where Allfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean, London parishes, Hucknall Torkard, West Derby and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, South Hams, Luton, Mid Devon and Stratford-on-Avon. 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 Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean Monmouthshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Hucknall Torkard Nottinghamshire
4 West Derby Lancashire
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 010 Caerphilly
2 South Hams 003 South Hams
3 Luton 002 Luton
4 Mid Devon 011 Mid Devon
5 Stratford-on-Avon 015 Stratford-on-Avon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Allford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Allford

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Allford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Allford 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Allford is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Allford is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Allford falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Allford 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Allford

The surname ALLFORD is of English origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place name that once existed but has since been lost or amalgamated into a larger town or village.

One theory suggests that the name ALLFORD may have originated from a combination of the Old English words "ald" meaning "old" and "ford" meaning a shallow river crossing. This would indicate that the earliest bearers of the name may have resided near an ancient ford or river crossing.

Another possibility is that the name is a variation of the place name "Alford" found in various locations across England, including Lincolnshire, Somerset, and Surrey. These place names are thought to have derived from the Old English words "ald" meaning "old" and "ford" meaning a ford or river crossing, suggesting a connection to the previously mentioned theory.

While there are no definitive records of the surname ALLFORD appearing in historical documents such as the Domesday Book of 1086, it is likely that the name emerged during the late medieval period or the early modern era.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ALLFORD can be found in the parish records of St. Giles Cripplegate in London, where a John Allford was baptized in 1591. Another notable bearer of the name was Thomas Allford, a merchant and prominent citizen of Boston, Lincolnshire, who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

In the 17th century, a family by the name of ALLFORD resided in the village of Welford, Northamptonshire. William ALLFORD, born in 1632, was a member of this family and served as the rector of Welford from 1659 until his death in 1688.

During the 18th century, the name ALLFORD appeared in various parts of England, including Yorkshire and Gloucestershire. One notable individual was Joseph ALLFORD (1709-1789), a mathematician and astronomer who served as the master of the Beverley Grammar School in Yorkshire.

In the 19th century, the ALLFORD surname gained prominence in the field of literature with the writer and journalist James ALLFORD (1820-1887). Born in Devonshire, he was a prolific author and contributed to numerous publications throughout his career.

Over the centuries, the ALLFORD surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Alford, Aylford, and Aylforde, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings in earlier times. While the name may have originated from a specific location, it has since become widely dispersed throughout England and other parts of the English-speaking world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Allford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Allford 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 39 Allfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.91x.

County Total Index
Surrey 39 3.91x
Lancashire 24 0.99x
Gloucestershire 23 5.72x
Middlesex 22 1.07x
Hampshire 17 4.05x
Bedfordshire 9 8.49x
Cheshire 9 1.99x
Devon 9 2.11x
Wiltshire 7 3.86x
Derbyshire 6 1.87x
Monmouthshire 5 3.38x
Nottinghamshire 5 1.81x
Somerset 5 1.52x
Yorkshire 5 0.25x
Cornwall 4 1.72x
Herefordshire 4 4.76x
Shropshire 4 2.26x
Suffolk 3 1.20x
Pembrokeshire 2 3.07x
Warwickshire 2 0.39x
Dorset 1 0.74x
Essex 1 0.25x
Glamorgan 1 0.28x
Lanarkshire 1 0.15x
Staffordshire 1 0.14x
Sussex 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Everton in Lancashire leads with 20 Allfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.82x.

Place Total Index
Everton 20 25.82x
Camberwell 16 12.23x
Newland 16 473.37x
Bermondsey 12 19.68x
Hillingdon 9 137.83x
Houghton Regis 9 532.54x
Westbury On Severn East 7 77.09x
Hyde 6 44.98x
Rotherhithe 6 23.71x
Shirland 6 250.00x
Aldershot 5 35.54x
Bedwellty 5 19.12x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 9.69x
Hucknall Torkard 4 57.14x
Lambeth 4 2.24x
Shoreditch London 4 4.50x
Whippingham 4 125.79x
Berwick Bassett 3 3333.33x
Burbage 3 326.09x
Cheddar 3 180.72x
Islington London 3 1.51x
Kensington London 3 2.63x
Lowestoft 3 25.45x
Southampton St Mary 3 11.36x
St Erme 3 833.33x
Upottery 3 588.24x
Ansley 2 344.83x
Bredbury 2 76.34x
Brimfield 2 454.55x
Mile End New Town London 2 49.38x
Newchurch 2 10.06x
Spittal 2 689.66x
Tormoham 2 11.09x
Upper Bullingham 2 2857.14x
Wrockwardine 2 51.41x
Blandford Forum 1 37.74x
Bowdon 1 55.87x
Cannock 1 8.29x
Chisledon 1 121.95x
Cliddesden 1 434.78x
Dawley 1 15.53x
Exeter St David 1 27.47x
Fareham 1 19.80x
Govan 1 0.61x
Isleworth 1 10.98x
Lancaster 1 6.92x
Leyton Low 1 12.17x
Lidford 1 52.36x
Llanwonno 1 7.80x
Millbrook 1 9.46x
Newington 1 1.32x
Newton Abbot St Mary 1 27.93x
North Petherton 1 37.59x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 3.04x
Pointington 1 1250.00x
Portsea 1 1.22x
Salford 1 1.40x
Sculcoates 1 3.11x
Southampton St Michael 1 72.46x
St Clement 1 41.32x
Stanton Upon Hine Heath 1 212.77x
West Grinstead 1 96.15x
Worksop 1 12.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Elizabeth 11
Harriet 6
Sarah 6
Ann 5
Florence 5
Ellen 4
Emily 4
Alice 3
Eliza 3
Hannah 3
Jane 3
Margaret 3
Bertha 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Ada 1
Allice 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
Charlotte 1
Dora 1
Elizath. 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
F...sia 1
Fanny 1
Henrietta 1
Ida 1
Jemma 1
Julia 1
Lavina 1
Lavinia 1
Lizzie 1
Louise 1
Mabel 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Sussanah 1
Winnifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 18
James 12
John 11
Charles 8
George 6
Henry 6
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Amos 2
Arthur 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Walter 2
Bertram 1
Chas. 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Isaiah 1
Joe 1
Jos. 1
Lewis 1
Martin 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1
S. 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Allford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Allford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 212 people were recorded with the Allford surname. That placed it at #12,373 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Allford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 371 in 2016. That gives Allford a modern rank of #12,561.

What does the Allford surname mean?

A habitational name for someone from a place called Alford or Alferd.

What does the Allford map show?

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