NameCensus.

UK surname

Barford

A habitational surname denoting someone from a place named Barford.

In the 1881 census there were 763 people recorded with the Barford surname, ranking it #4,837 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 717, ranked #7,575, down from #4,837 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gamlingay and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northampton, Maldon and St Edmundsbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barford is 957 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 6.0%.

1881 census count

763

Ranked #4,837

Modern count

717

2016, ranked #7,575

Peak year

1911

957 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barford had 763 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,837 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 717 in 2016, ranked #7,575.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 957 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Barford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barford 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 522 #4,805
1861 historical 739 #3,698
1881 historical 763 #4,837
1891 historical 899 #4,583
1901 historical 871 #5,258
1911 historical 957 #4,710
1997 modern 801 #6,532
1998 modern 808 #6,703
1999 modern 823 #6,649
2000 modern 834 #6,559
2001 modern 811 #6,576
2002 modern 816 #6,660
2003 modern 782 #6,779
2004 modern 791 #6,740
2005 modern 765 #6,847
2006 modern 749 #6,989
2007 modern 751 #7,054
2008 modern 742 #7,162
2009 modern 761 #7,169
2010 modern 784 #7,144
2011 modern 766 #7,183
2012 modern 741 #7,298
2013 modern 767 #7,209
2014 modern 762 #7,268
2015 modern 741 #7,377
2016 modern 717 #7,575

Geography

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Where Barfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gamlingay, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory and Haddon, East. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northampton, Maldon and St Edmundsbury. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Gamlingay Cambridgeshire
4 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
5 Haddon, East Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northampton 006 Northampton
2 Maldon 007 Maldon
3 Northampton 019 Northampton
4 St Edmundsbury 005 St Edmundsbury
5 Northampton 004 Northampton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barford

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

Barford 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

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

Meaning and origin of Barford

The surname Barford has its origins in the county of Warwickshire, England, and dates back to the late 12th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "bær" meaning "grove" or "meadow" and "ford" meaning "a shallow river crossing." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name lived near a ford across a river or stream surrounded by meadows.

One of the earliest records of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Warwickshire from 1195, where a Richard de Bereford is mentioned. The name also appears in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1268, listing a William de Barford.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the name Barford. However, it does mention several places with similar names, such as Berforde in Oxfordshire and Bercheford in Warwickshire, suggesting that the name was already in use at that time.

In the 13th century, the name is recorded as Bereford, Boreford, and Borford, reflecting the variations in spelling common during that era. The place name Barford is found in several counties across England, including Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, and Bedfordshire, indicating that the surname may have originated independently in different regions.

Notable individuals with the surname Barford include:

1. Sir John Barford (c. 1585 - 1645), an English politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1628. 2. Richard Barford (c. 1590 - 1664), an English clergyman and author who served as the Dean of Cork in Ireland. 3. Thomas Barford (1695 - 1766), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London. 4. William Barford (1786 - 1864), an English engineer and inventor who patented improvements to agricultural machinery. 5. Erasmus Barford (1812 - 1889), a British explorer and writer who documented his travels in Africa and Asia.

While the surname Barford is not among the most common in England, it has a long and varied history, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who have borne it over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Barford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barford 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. Bedfordshire leads with 115 Barfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.76x.

County Total Index
Bedfordshire 115 29.76x
Middlesex 109 1.46x
Northamptonshire 73 10.40x
Warwickshire 54 2.87x
Cambridgeshire 40 8.46x
Lancashire 33 0.37x
Suffolk 30 3.30x
Surrey 30 0.83x
Worcestershire 28 2.87x
Yorkshire 25 0.34x
Kent 23 0.90x
Berkshire 22 3.93x
Hertfordshire 22 4.28x
Lincolnshire 20 1.68x
Essex 19 1.29x
Staffordshire 18 0.71x
Huntingdonshire 16 10.80x
Hampshire 15 0.98x
Cheshire 13 0.79x
Oxfordshire 11 2.39x
Leicestershire 7 0.85x
Monmouthshire 5 0.93x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.89x
Durham 4 0.18x
Lanarkshire 4 0.17x
Shropshire 4 0.62x
Sussex 4 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.30x
Somerset 3 0.25x
Gloucestershire 2 0.14x
Norfolk 2 0.17x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.14x
Derbyshire 1 0.09x
Devon 1 0.06x
Herefordshire 1 0.33x
Midlothian 1 0.10x
Morayshire 1 0.86x
Royal Navy 1 1.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Luton in Bedfordshire leads with 105 Barfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 156.97x.

Place Total Index
Luton 105 156.97x
East Haddon 22 1145.83x
Gamlingay 18 365.85x
Stoke By Nayland 15 510.20x
Sandhurst 14 129.03x
Hackney London 13 3.11x
St Pancras London 13 2.16x
Camberwell 12 2.52x
Great Bolton 11 9.38x
Swaffham Bulbeck 11 578.95x
Abthorpe 10 847.46x
Birmingham 10 1.59x
Islington London 10 1.38x
Northampton St Sepulchre 10 28.00x
Peterborough 10 19.68x
Bow London 9 9.47x
Flamstead 9 189.87x
Tottenham 9 7.57x
Aston 8 1.54x
Astwell Falcott 8 5000.00x
Bray 8 48.60x
Dunchurch 8 311.28x
Kensington London 8 1.93x
Shelley 8 2580.65x
West Bromwich 8 5.55x
Chatham 7 9.99x
Edgbaston 7 12.00x
Great Lever 7 74.47x
Kings Norton 7 8.01x
Marple 7 61.89x
Ropley 7 312.50x
Sandy 7 102.79x
Shoreditch London 7 2.16x
Spittlegate 7 42.42x
Stourbridge 7 27.92x
Bradfield 6 21.05x
Eynesbury 6 174.93x
Fen Drayton 6 681.82x
Hemel Hempstead 6 25.88x
Manthorpe Cum Little 6 65.79x
Tenterden 6 66.82x
Toxteth Park 6 2.00x
Waresley 6 1016.95x
Worcester St John 6 51.55x
Copford 5 295.86x
Inkberrow 5 126.90x
Lambeth 5 0.77x
Leicester St Mary 5 7.48x
Neithrop 5 32.28x
Newport 5 19.43x
Rolvenden 5 151.52x
Bradford 4 2.23x
Bury 4 3.95x
Castle Thorpe 4 476.19x
Chilvers Coton 4 51.68x
Coventry Holy Trinity 4 7.12x
Egham 4 17.92x
Felixstow 4 181.00x
Glasgow 4 0.93x
Hampstead London 4 3.44x
Hampton In Arden 4 240.96x
Holbeck 4 8.16x
Kingston On Thames 4 4.58x
Northampton Priory St 4 9.50x
Southampton St Mary 4 4.16x
St Marylebone London 4 1.00x
West Ham 4 1.23x
Alveston 3 121.46x
Birkenhead 3 2.28x
Central Wingland 3 491.80x
Clerkenwell London 3 1.70x
Hartwell 3 234.38x
Hunslet 3 2.60x
Langtoft 3 201.34x
Littleport 3 33.22x
St George Hanover Square 3 2.28x
St Martin In Fields 3 6.71x
Tipton 3 3.89x
Westminster St James 3 3.91x
Wolverhampton 3 1.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 45
Thomas 33
William 29
George 26
James 22
Charles 17
Henry 13
Walter 11
Alfred 10
Samuel 10
Joseph 9
Arthur 8
Frederick 8
Edward 7
Valentine 7
Albert 6
Edwin 6
Harry 6
David 4
Ernest 4
Thos. 4
Willm. 4
Amos 3
Fredk. 3
Fredrick 3
Henery 3
Herbert 3
Isaac 3
Robert 3
Benjamin 2
Bernard 2
Chas. 2
Edgar 2
Ephraim 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Richard 2
Sidney 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Alexander 1
Andrew 1
Anthony 1
Bertie 1
Bowyor 1
Bransom 1
Frank 1
Jas.Henry 1
Jn. 1
Jo. 1

FAQ

Barford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 763 people were recorded with the Barford surname. That placed it at #4,837 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 717 in 2016. That gives Barford a modern rank of #7,575.

What does the Barford surname mean?

A habitational surname denoting someone from a place named Barford.

What does the Barford map show?

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