NameCensus.

UK surname

Bamforth

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "bean field enclosure".

In the 1881 census there were 1,334 people recorded with the Bamforth surname, ranking it #3,077 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,194, ranked #4,988, down from #3,077 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ashton-under-Lyne, Sheffield and Huddersfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bamforth is 1,615 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.5%.

1881 census count

1,334

Ranked #3,077

Modern count

1,194

2016, ranked #4,988

Peak year

1911

1,615 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bamforth had 1,334 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,077 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,194 in 2016, ranked #4,988.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,615 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Bamforth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bamforth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bamforth 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 867 #3,141
1861 historical 1,018 #2,752
1881 historical 1,334 #3,077
1891 historical 1,313 #3,310
1901 historical 1,583 #3,259
1911 historical 1,615 #3,009
1997 modern 1,319 #4,345
1998 modern 1,370 #4,348
1999 modern 1,349 #4,445
2000 modern 1,323 #4,498
2001 modern 1,301 #4,476
2002 modern 1,341 #4,463
2003 modern 1,280 #4,542
2004 modern 1,272 #4,574
2005 modern 1,224 #4,675
2006 modern 1,209 #4,741
2007 modern 1,208 #4,787
2008 modern 1,203 #4,829
2009 modern 1,243 #4,797
2010 modern 1,259 #4,850
2011 modern 1,268 #4,758
2012 modern 1,217 #4,858
2013 modern 1,232 #4,887
2014 modern 1,229 #4,917
2015 modern 1,205 #4,952
2016 modern 1,194 #4,988

Geography

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Where Bamforths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ashton-under-Lyne, Sheffield, Huddersfield and Almondbury. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees. 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 Ashton-under-Lyne Lancashire
2 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Huddersfield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Almondbury Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 052 Kirklees
2 Kirklees 049 Kirklees
3 Kirklees 055 Kirklees
4 Kirklees 041 Kirklees
5 Kirklees 036 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bamforth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bamforth

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Bamforth surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bamforth household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Bamforth is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Bamforth is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bamforth falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bamforth 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bamforth

The surname Bamforth originated in England and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a habitational name derived from the place name Bamford, which means "bean ford" or "a ford where beans grow." The earliest recorded spelling of the name was Banford, found in the Domesday Book of 1086.

The Bamforth name is most closely associated with the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire in northern England. Historical records show that the name was particularly prevalent in the towns and villages around the Pennine hills, such as Rochdale, Oldham, and Huddersfield.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Bamforth surname was John de Bamforth, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire in 1246. Another early bearer of the name was William de Bamford, who was listed in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1317.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Bamforth family played a significant role in the wool and textile trades, which were major industries in the region at the time. Notable individuals from this period include Richard Bamforth (1565-1642), a wealthy wool merchant from Huddersfield, and Elizabeth Bamforth (1620-1684), who was known for her philanthropy and support of local churches.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Bamforth name became more widespread across England and even made its way to other parts of the world through emigration. One famous bearer of the name was James Bamforth (1790-1867), a successful industrialist and manufacturer from Rochdale who played a pivotal role in the development of the town's cotton industry.

Other notable individuals with the Bamforth surname include Sir Thomas Bamforth (1855-1934), a British businessman and philanthropist who donated significant funds to educational and charitable causes, and Violet Bamforth (1886-1959), a pioneering English aviator and one of the first women to obtain a pilot's license in the United Kingdom.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bamforth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bamforth 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. Yorkshire leads with 1,041 Bamforths recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.07x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,041 8.07x
Lancashire 110 0.71x
Cheshire 47 1.63x
Derbyshire 36 1.77x
Nottinghamshire 26 1.48x
Kent 24 0.54x
Middlesex 13 0.10x
Worcestershire 8 0.47x
Hertfordshire 5 0.56x
Shropshire 5 0.44x
Staffordshire 5 0.11x
Warwickshire 5 0.15x
Surrey 4 0.06x
Berkshire 2 0.20x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.18x
Devon 1 0.04x
Gloucestershire 1 0.04x
Lincolnshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Slaithwaite in Yorkshire leads with 343 Bamforths recorded in 1881 and an index of 2552.08x.

Place Total Index
Slaithwaite 343 2552.08x
Ashton Under Lyne 63 18.65x
Linthwaite 52 191.74x
Golcar 51 149.47x
Marsden In Huddersfield 50 1633.99x
Nether Hallam 43 24.63x
Brightside Bierlow 40 15.80x
Lingards 38 974.36x
Brampton Bierlow 33 199.76x
Marsden In Almondbury 33 281.09x
Elland Cum Greetland 28 48.17x
Lockwood 24 51.69x
Wath On Dearne 24 93.20x
Dukinfield 19 14.30x
Ecclesfield 16 16.91x
Ripley 16 63.49x
Saddleworth 16 16.07x
Leeds 15 2.06x
Meltham 15 74.74x
Woolwich 15 9.14x
Kimberworth 14 19.55x
East Retford 13 85.36x
Manchester 13 1.87x
Glossop Dale 12 12.57x
Featherstone 11 75.91x
Hunslet 11 5.47x
Longwood 11 52.88x
Huddersfield 10 5.32x
Ardwick 9 6.46x
Barnsley 9 6.76x
Sheffield 9 2.19x
Tanshelf 9 87.29x
Ecclesall Bierlow 8 3.05x
Monk Bretton 8 61.21x
Rawmarsh 8 17.55x
Whitley 8 439.56x
Baguley 7 213.41x
Bradfield 7 14.07x
Clayton 7 22.17x
Deptford St Nicholas 7 19.85x
Middleton In Oldham 7 15.11x
Ovenden 7 12.19x
Tankersley 7 72.77x
Tintwistle 7 45.57x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 6 4.99x
Hollingworth 6 50.63x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 6 18.43x
Mottram 6 46.08x
Poplar London 6 2.44x
Warley 6 16.09x
Aston 5 0.55x
Blyth 5 181.82x
Holbeck 5 5.85x
Honley 5 22.13x
Idle 5 8.36x
St Albans 5 27.19x
Upholland 5 25.25x
West Bromwich 5 1.99x
Whitchurch 5 22.90x
Worcester St Peter 5 15.53x
Barnby Moor 4 377.36x
Croydon 4 1.14x
Eckington 4 8.08x
Hammersmith London 4 1.25x
Handsworth 4 11.73x
Hoyland Nether 4 12.64x
Mexborough 4 15.62x
Sculcoates 4 1.96x
Wombwell 4 10.63x
Barton Upon Irwell 3 2.58x
Dalton In Huddersfield 3 10.38x
Lenton 3 7.26x
South Crosland 3 22.08x
Wortley In Bramley 3 2.94x
Gorton 2 1.38x
Holy Trinity 2 0.64x
Newington 2 5.63x
Pentrich 2 17.44x
Rawcliffe In Goole 2 27.21x
Withington 2 4.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 94
Sarah 75
Hannah 35
Elizabeth 34
Jane 24
Alice 23
Ann 20
Martha 18
Annie 17
Ellen 16
Betty 14
Edith 13
Eliza 13
Emma 13
Harriet 13
Caroline 11
Clara 11
Emily 10
Louisa 9
Frances 8
Ada 7
Charlotte 7
Elizth. 7
Fanny 7
Lucy 7
Maria 7
Florence 6
Grace 6
Lizzie 6
Selina 5
Anne 4
Ethel 4
Rose 4
Ruth 4
Agnes 3
Harriott 3
Lillian 3
Lydia 3
Margaret 3
Sally 3
Susanna 3
Susannah 3
Catherine 2
Elizath 2
Esther 2
Isabella 2
Laura 2
Lavinia 2
Miriam 2
Nancy 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 106
James 60
William 53
Joseph 39
George 34
Henry 20
Thomas 19
Fred 16
Herbert 14
Richard 13
Charles 12
Joe 12
Arthur 11
Harry 11
Joshua 11
Samuel 11
Tom 11
David 10
Edward 10
Edwin 9
Frederick 9
Alfred 8
Abraham 6
Ernest 6
Wm. 6
Albert 5
Ephraim 5
Frank 5
Thos. 5
Walter 5
Wright 5
Allen 4
Benjamin 4
Edmund 4
Sam 4
Earnest 3
Jas. 3
Matthew 3
Robert 3
Saml. 3
Amos 2
Ben 2
Eli 2
Leonard 2
Mark 2
Norman 2
Phillip 2
Reuben 2
Richd. 2
Sydney 2

FAQ

Bamforth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bamforth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,334 people were recorded with the Bamforth surname. That placed it at #3,077 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bamforth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,194 in 2016. That gives Bamforth a modern rank of #4,988.

What does the Bamforth surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "bean field enclosure".

What does the Bamforth map show?

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