NameCensus.

UK surname

Allfrey

An English surname derived from French meaning "elf counsel" or "advice from elves".

In the 1881 census there were 156 people recorded with the Allfrey surname, ranking it #15,114 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 174, ranked #21,466, down from #15,114 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Preston, London parishes and Keymer, North & South. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chichester, Maidstone and Horsham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Allfrey is 252 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.5%.

1881 census count

156

Ranked #15,114

Modern count

174

2016, ranked #21,466

Peak year

1911

252 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Allfrey had 156 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,114 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 174 in 2016, ranked #21,466.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 252 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Allfrey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Allfrey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Allfrey 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 57 #23,092
1861 historical 58 #26,585
1881 historical 156 #15,114
1891 historical 178 #16,264
1901 historical 237 #13,574
1911 historical 252 #12,834
1997 modern 173 #19,295
1998 modern 202 #17,991
1999 modern 201 #18,179
2000 modern 195 #18,494
2001 modern 189 #18,590
2002 modern 187 #19,083
2003 modern 172 #19,893
2004 modern 168 #20,300
2005 modern 170 #20,066
2006 modern 166 #20,534
2007 modern 161 #21,201
2008 modern 155 #21,956
2009 modern 158 #22,168
2010 modern 161 #22,385
2011 modern 156 #22,690
2012 modern 161 #22,157
2013 modern 168 #21,914
2014 modern 170 #21,914
2015 modern 170 #21,800
2016 modern 174 #21,466

Geography

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Where Allfreys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Preston, London parishes, Keymer, North & South, Patcham and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chichester, Maidstone, Horsham and Herefordshire. 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 Preston Sussex
2 London parishes London 3
3 Keymer, North & South Sussex
4 Patcham Sussex
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chichester 005 Chichester
2 Chichester 002 Chichester
3 Maidstone 016 Maidstone
4 Horsham 013 Horsham
5 Herefordshire 009 Herefordshire, County of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Allfrey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Allfrey

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Allfrey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Allfrey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Allfrey 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

Allfrey is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Allfrey

The surname Allfrey has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "ælf" meaning "elf" and "rǣd" meaning "counsel" or "advice." Allfrey is thought to have originally been a locational name referring to a place inhabited by elves or a place associated with elf-lore.

One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Aluredi." This entry likely refers to a place or landholding associated with an individual bearing the name Alured or Alfrid, a variation of the name Allfrey.

During the 13th century, the surname appeared in various spellings such as "Alfray," "Allfrey," and "Alfrey" in historical records from counties like Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire. These regions are believed to be where the name originated and was most prevalent in its early history.

One notable individual bearing the Allfrey surname was Sir John Allfrey (1412-1468), a member of the English gentry and a landowner from Berkshire. He served as a justice of the peace and was involved in local governance during the Wars of the Roses.

Another prominent figure was Richard Allfrey (1534-1603), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from London. He was a benefactor of Christ's Hospital, a renowned charitable school, and his name can be found inscribed on the school's buildings.

In the 17th century, Thomas Allfrey (1630-1689) was a respected clergyman and author who served as the rector of Battersea in Surrey. His published works include sermons and religious tracts that provide insight into the theological discourse of his time.

During the 18th century, the Allfrey name was associated with several notable military figures. Captain John Allfrey (1718-1782) was a British Army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War, while Lieutenant-Colonel William Allfrey (1755-1820) was a decorated veteran of the Napoleonic Wars.

In the 19th century, Sir Walter Allfrey (1828-1902) was a prominent British colonial administrator who served as the Governor of the Bahamas and the Lieutenant-Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands. His contributions to colonial governance and development were recognized through his knighthood.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Allfrey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Allfrey 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. Sussex leads with 79 Allfreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.79x.

County Total Index
Sussex 79 30.79x
Surrey 18 2.43x
Middlesex 14 0.92x
Buckinghamshire 9 9.78x
Kent 8 1.54x
Hertfordshire 7 6.67x
Warwickshire 7 1.82x
Berkshire 5 4.38x
Hampshire 3 0.96x
Devon 2 0.63x
Derbyshire 1 0.42x
Essex 1 0.33x
Gloucestershire 1 0.34x
Huntingdonshire 1 3.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Patcham in Sussex leads with 31 Allfreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6739.13x.

Place Total Index
Patcham 31 6739.13x
Brighton 21 40.57x
Keymer 12 662.98x
Alveston 7 1400.00x
North Mimms 7 1060.61x
Newport Pagnell 6 312.50x
Clayton 5 515.46x
St Marylebone London 5 6.15x
Wokefield 5 7142.86x
Henfield 4 404.04x
Hove 4 35.52x
Islington London 4 2.71x
Southwark St Saviour 4 51.15x
Guildford St Nicholas 3 229.01x
Lambeth 3 2.26x
Portsea 3 4.91x
Reigate Foreign 3 37.36x
Stoke Poges 3 267.86x
Beckenham 2 29.46x
Folkestone 2 19.86x
Hackney London 2 2.34x
Mortlake 2 60.61x
Rotherhithe 2 10.64x
St Mary Cray 2 202.02x
Twickenham 2 30.67x
Beckley 1 156.25x
Chelsea London 1 2.18x
Cirencester 1 24.75x
Exeter St Sidwell 1 13.79x
Harlow 1 77.52x
Hurstpierpoint 1 69.93x
Plumstead 1 5.78x
Plymouth Charles The 1 7.17x
Ripley 1 33.90x
Sevenoaks 1 23.75x
Sutton 1 18.66x
Warboys 1 114.94x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 8
Henry 7
George 6
John 5
Charles 4
Edward 4
James 4
Thomas 4
Frederick 3
Alfred 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
Philip 2
Alack 1
Alexander 1
Amos 1
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
Cyril 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Fredrick 1
Gerald 1
Gideon 1
Goodrich 1
Harold 1
Joseph 1
Mortimer 1
Mowbray 1
Nugent 1
Phillip 1

FAQ

Allfrey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Allfrey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 156 people were recorded with the Allfrey surname. That placed it at #15,114 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Allfrey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 174 in 2016. That gives Allfrey a modern rank of #21,466.

What does the Allfrey surname mean?

An English surname derived from French meaning "elf counsel" or "advice from elves".

What does the Allfrey map show?

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