NameCensus.

UK surname

Barfield

A locational surname referring to someone who lived on a barley field or worked as a barley farmer.

In the 1881 census there were 607 people recorded with the Barfield surname, ranking it #5,775 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 797, ranked #6,943, down from #5,775 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and Luffenham North. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blaby, Rutland and Mid Suffolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barfield is 872 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.3%.

1881 census count

607

Ranked #5,775

Modern count

797

2016, ranked #6,943

Peak year

1911

872 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barfield had 607 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,775 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 797 in 2016, ranked #6,943.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 872 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Barfield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barfield surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barfield 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 495 #5,049
1861 historical 662 #4,050
1881 historical 607 #5,775
1891 historical 760 #5,241
1901 historical 824 #5,486
1911 historical 872 #5,098
1997 modern 794 #6,573
1998 modern 817 #6,648
1999 modern 838 #6,558
2000 modern 824 #6,625
2001 modern 817 #6,534
2002 modern 865 #6,386
2003 modern 845 #6,374
2004 modern 849 #6,358
2005 modern 833 #6,398
2006 modern 810 #6,557
2007 modern 805 #6,648
2008 modern 816 #6,629
2009 modern 830 #6,688
2010 modern 824 #6,851
2011 modern 820 #6,804
2012 modern 826 #6,676
2013 modern 822 #6,793
2014 modern 823 #6,821
2015 modern 808 #6,870
2016 modern 797 #6,943

Geography

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Where Barfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch, Luffenham North and St James Clerkenwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blaby, Rutland, Mid Suffolk, Erewash and Gosport. 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 London parishes London 1
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 Luffenham North Rutland
4 London parishes London 3
5 St James Clerkenwell London (Central Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blaby 009 Blaby
2 Rutland 005 Rutland
3 Mid Suffolk 012 Mid Suffolk
4 Erewash 001 Erewash
5 Gosport 009 Gosport

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barfield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barfield

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Barfield, 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 Barfield surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Barfield 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, Barfield 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

Barfield is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Barfield falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Barfield 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 Barfield, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Barfield

The surname Barfield has its origins in England and can be traced back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words 'bær', meaning 'barley', and 'feld', meaning 'field', indicating that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a barley field or worked with barley cultivation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Barefeld'. This historic document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, recorded the names of landowners and their holdings across England.

During the 13th century, the name evolved into various spellings, such as 'Barfeld', 'Barfelde', and 'Barfeild', reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time. These variations can be found in various historical records, including parish registers and court rolls.

Barfield is also associated with several place names in England, such as Barfield in Hampshire and Barfield in Oxfordshire. These place names likely contributed to the development of the surname, as individuals were often identified by their place of origin or residence.

Among the notable individuals who bore the Barfield surname throughout history are:

1. Richard Barfield (c. 1510-1579), an English Protestant reformer and clergyman who played a significant role in the English Reformation. 2. Owen Barfield (1898-1997), a British philosopher, author, and member of the Inklings literary group, which included J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. 3. Samuel Barfield (1688-1766), an English clergyman and author who wrote extensively on theological subjects. 4. Thomas Barfield (1619-1677), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Charles II. 5. John Barfield (1776-1832), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy and participated in various battles during the Napoleonic Wars.

As the centuries passed, the Barfield surname continued to be found across various regions of England, reflecting the migration and settlement patterns of those who bore the name. While its origins can be traced back to the early medieval period, the surname has endured and remained a part of English heritage and history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Barfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barfield 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 112 Barfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.90x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 112 1.90x
Suffolk 82 11.41x
Rutland 77 177.71x
Leicestershire 38 5.81x
Essex 33 2.83x
Surrey 33 1.15x
Northamptonshire 32 5.77x
Derbyshire 23 2.49x
Kent 23 1.14x
Yorkshire 23 0.39x
Staffordshire 18 0.90x
Berkshire 17 3.84x
Lincolnshire 16 1.70x
Lancashire 13 0.19x
Norfolk 13 1.43x
Monmouthshire 10 2.34x
Sussex 7 0.70x
Warwickshire 7 0.47x
Huntingdonshire 6 5.12x
Wiltshire 6 1.15x
Hertfordshire 4 0.98x
Oxfordshire 4 1.10x
Somerset 3 0.32x
Cheshire 2 0.15x
Cornwall 1 0.15x
Glamorgan 1 0.10x
Midlothian 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Luffenham in Rutland leads with 18 Barfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 2068.97x.

Place Total Index
North Luffenham 18 2068.97x
Wing 16 2461.54x
Derby St Werburgh 15 28.12x
South Luffenham 15 2173.91x
Hackney London 14 4.23x
Kensington London 13 3.96x
Shoreditch London 13 5.08x
Bethnal Green London 12 4.68x
Thornham Parva 12 4444.44x
Ipswich St Mathew 10 49.65x
Walsall Foreign 10 9.72x
Hunston 9 3333.33x
Leicester St Margaret 9 5.64x
St Pancras London 9 1.89x
Uppingham 9 174.08x
Aberystruth 8 21.27x
Chelveston Cum Caldecott 8 941.18x
Eye 8 172.41x
Heanor 8 57.89x
Morton In Bourn 8 416.67x
Barham 7 736.84x
Beckenham 7 26.60x
Clerkenwell London 7 5.03x
East Grinstead 7 49.72x
Leicester St Mary 7 13.24x
Lewisham 7 6.52x
Little Oakley 7 1076.92x
Northampton Priory St 7 21.01x
Stoke Newington London 7 15.23x
Thurlaston 7 648.15x
Woodnewton 7 721.65x
Battersea 6 2.76x
Belgrave 6 40.62x
Bradford 6 4.24x
Bramford 6 222.22x
Brightside Bierlow 6 5.23x
Burton Upon Trent 6 12.87x
Copdock 6 923.08x
Lambeth 6 1.17x
St Botolph Aldgate London 6 49.38x
St Luke London 6 6.34x
Standish With Langtree 6 69.61x
Bury St Edmunds St James 5 26.04x
Colchester Holy Trinity 5 193.80x
Corby 5 316.46x
Fletton 5 133.33x
Great Burstead 5 117.92x
Hazelbeech 5 1612.90x
Kingston On Thames 5 7.24x
Lammas Cum Little Hautbois 5 1111.11x
Paddington London 5 2.30x
Reading St Mary 5 14.09x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 4.21x
St Katherine Coleman 5 892.86x
Tugby 5 714.29x
Wokingham 5 49.46x
Birmingham 4 0.81x
Bowling 4 6.91x
Dovercourt 4 97.56x
Heigham 4 8.21x
Higham 4 1111.11x
Milton In Gravesend 4 13.25x
Oakham Lordshold 4 88.11x
Reading St Giles 4 9.20x
St George Hanover Square 4 3.85x
Thornham Magna 4 689.66x
Thorpe Le Soken 4 412.37x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 3 22.24x
Camberwell 3 0.80x
East Barnet 3 37.17x
Gravesend 3 17.60x
Langham 3 731.71x
Oakham Deanshold 3 155.44x
Ridlington 3 638.30x
Stratton St Margaret 3 37.45x
Leeds 2 0.61x
Manton 2 317.46x
North Bierley 2 6.34x
Stonham Aspall 2 136.05x
Thorpe 2 162.60x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 42
Eliza 23
Sarah 21
Elizabeth 20
Ellen 15
Emma 13
Ann 11
Alice 8
Annie 8
Ada 7
Catherine 7
Harriet 7
Kate 7
Jane 6
Charlotte 5
Emily 5
Fanny 4
Florence 4
Margaret 4
Maria 4
Agnes 3
Caroline 3
Hannah 3
Harriett 3
Louisa 3
Martha 3
Matilda 3
Susan 3
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Anne 2
Bessie 2
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Lydia 2
Sophia 2
Susannah 2
Adelaide 1
Arabella 1
Avis 1
E. 1
Elizah 1
Elizth.A. 1
Isabella 1
June 1
Letetia 1
Lillian 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Tarma 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 41
John 39
Henry 24
George 19
Charles 18
Thomas 18
James 12
Samuel 11
Alfred 8
Arthur 8
Frederick 7
Joseph 6
Francis 5
Harry 5
Robert 5
Edward 4
Benjamin 3
Ernest 3
Herbert 3
Richard 3
Tom 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Daniel 2
Frank 2
Luke 2
Wm. 2
Ambrose 1
Archibald 1
Arther 1
Atkins 1
Benj. 1
Charley 1
Dan 1
Eli 1
Elijah 1
Elmer 1
Enoch 1
Erick 1
Fred 1
Fred.Wm. 1
Fredk. 1
H.D. 1
Harold 1
Howell 1
Isaiah 1
Jas. 1
Judah 1
Lawrence 1
Lionel 1

FAQ

Barfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 607 people were recorded with the Barfield surname. That placed it at #5,775 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 797 in 2016. That gives Barfield a modern rank of #6,943.

What does the Barfield surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived on a barley field or worked as a barley farmer.

What does the Barfield map show?

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