NameCensus.

UK surname

Bashford

An English locational surname deriving from a place name meaning "the ford at the bashwood or ringwood".

In the 1881 census there were 992 people recorded with the Bashford surname, ranking it #3,932 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,521, ranked #4,068, down from #3,932 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, London parishes and Nutfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Worthing, Croydon and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bashford is 1,743 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.3%.

1881 census count

992

Ranked #3,932

Modern count

1,521

2016, ranked #4,068

Peak year

1999

1,743 bearers

Map years

0

Key insights

  • Bashford had 992 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,932 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,521 in 2016, ranked #4,068.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,544 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Timeline

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Bashford 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 589 #4,340
1861 historical 596 #4,445
1881 historical 992 #3,932
1891 historical 1,193 #3,592
1901 historical 1,472 #3,471
1911 historical 1,544 #3,140
1997 modern 1,667 #3,565
1998 modern 1,695 #3,638
1999 modern 1,743 #3,580
2000 modern 1,715 #3,614
2001 modern 1,669 #3,632
2002 modern 1,714 #3,630
2003 modern 1,644 #3,676
2004 modern 1,624 #3,723
2005 modern 1,566 #3,807
2006 modern 1,547 #3,842
2007 modern 1,555 #3,853
2008 modern 1,593 #3,809
2009 modern 1,645 #3,795
2010 modern 1,656 #3,847
2011 modern 1,648 #3,821
2012 modern 1,593 #3,863
2013 modern 1,579 #3,959
2014 modern 1,576 #3,992
2015 modern 1,535 #4,044
2016 modern 1,521 #4,068

Geography

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Where Bashfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, London parishes, Nutfield, Oldswinford and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Worthing, Croydon, Dudley, Reigate and Banstead and Tandridge. 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 Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst Sussex
2 London parishes London 3
3 Nutfield Surrey
4 Oldswinford Worcestershire
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Worthing 006 Worthing
2 Croydon 032 Croydon
3 Dudley 037 Dudley
4 Reigate and Banstead 013 Reigate and Banstead
5 Tandridge 007 Tandridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bashford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bashford

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Bashford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Bashford household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Bashford is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bashford is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bashford 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 Bashford is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bashford

The surname Bashford is of English origin, deriving from the Old English personal name 'Bæcca' combined with the word 'ford', meaning a shallow crossing or a river crossing. The name first emerged in the county of Buckinghamshire during the Anglo-Saxon period.

It is believed that the earliest recorded instance of the Bashford name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Baechesford'. This suggests that the name was already well-established in certain regions of England by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the Middle Ages, the name was often spelled in various ways, including 'Bacheford', 'Bakesford', and 'Bachfort'. These variations reflect the changing spelling conventions of the time and the influence of local dialects.

One notable figure bearing the Bashford name was Sir Robert Bashford (c. 1460-1522), a wealthy merchant and alderman in the City of London during the reign of Henry VIII. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1512 and was known for his philanthropic contributions to the city.

Another prominent individual was Edward Bashford (1617-1671), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. He was also a renowned scholar and author, publishing works on theology and philosophy.

In the 18th century, John Bashford (1742-1812) was a notable English engineer and inventor. He is credited with developing improvements to the design of water pumps, which were widely used in mining operations and other industries.

During the 19th century, the Bashford name gained further prominence with the exploits of Mary Bashford (1836-1904), a British missionary and teacher who dedicated her life to educating girls in India. She founded several schools and orphanages, and her work was instrumental in promoting women's education in the region.

Another notable figure from this period was James Bashford (1834-1919), an American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He served as a missionary in India and China and later became the President of Ohio Wesleyan University, leaving a lasting impact on the institution.

Over the centuries, the Bashford name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, clergymen, engineers, missionaries, and academics, reflecting the diverse contributions of those who bear this surname to the fabric of history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bashford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bashford 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 377 Bashfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.96x.

County Total Index
Surrey 377 7.96x
Sussex 128 7.81x
Kent 126 3.80x
Worcestershire 98 7.72x
Middlesex 57 0.59x
Warwickshire 48 1.96x
Yorkshire 33 0.34x
Hampshire 21 1.05x
Lancashire 19 0.16x
Shropshire 13 1.55x
Devon 11 0.54x
Lanarkshire 11 0.35x
Norfolk 10 0.67x
Staffordshire 8 0.24x
Ayrshire 7 0.96x
Cheshire 7 0.33x
Midlothian 6 0.46x
Channel Islands 5 1.74x
Cornwall 3 0.27x
Montgomeryshire 3 1.35x
Durham 1 0.03x
Hertfordshire 1 0.15x
Northamptonshire 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 1 0.86x
Somerset 1 0.06x
Suffolk 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Croydon in Surrey leads with 86 Bashfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.69x.

Place Total Index
Croydon 86 32.69x
Reigate Foreign 60 116.94x
Wollescote 52 508.31x
Nutfield 46 1284.92x
Brighton 38 11.49x
Lye 31 146.64x
Birmingham 23 2.81x
Lambeth 21 2.48x
Camberwell 20 3.22x
Aston 19 2.81x
Broadwater 19 50.52x
Bletchingley 18 291.26x
Tonbridge 16 13.37x
Ormesby 15 57.92x
Burstow 13 323.38x
Chiddingstone 13 299.54x
Streatham 13 18.02x
Chetwynd 12 442.80x
East Grinstead 12 51.70x
Horley 12 151.13x
Aldershot 11 16.47x
Hackney London 11 2.02x
Hove 11 15.29x
Sompting 11 484.58x
West Tarring 11 450.82x
Maidstone 10 10.12x
Salford 10 2.95x
Wickhampton 10 2040.82x
Frant 9 77.45x
Limpsfield 9 198.68x
Coulsdon 8 92.81x
Headcorn 8 160.97x
Stourbridge 8 24.48x
Caterham 7 33.41x
Govan 7 0.90x
Harborne 7 6.65x
Kings Norton 7 6.15x
Middlesbrough 7 5.58x
Sittingbourne 7 26.72x
St George Hanover Square 7 4.09x
Tooting Graveney 7 53.07x
Wandsworth 7 7.48x
Warrington 7 5.12x
Clapham 6 4.93x
Duddingston 6 22.94x
East Sutton 6 465.12x
Islington London 6 0.64x
Oxted 6 105.08x
Beckenham 5 11.53x
Crowhurst 5 352.11x
East Wickham 5 127.23x
Kensington London 5 0.92x
Newington 5 1.39x
Plumstead 5 4.52x
St Saviour 5 31.39x
Sundridge 5 90.42x
Tormoham 5 5.84x
Altrincham 4 10.66x
Axminster 4 42.15x
Balsall 4 104.44x
Chelsea London 4 1.36x
Chipstead 4 186.92x
Fulham London 4 2.84x
Hampstead London 4 2.64x
Hastings St Mary 4 9.80x
Lewisham 4 2.26x
Mint 4 1081.08x
Portslade 4 39.92x
St Pancras London 4 0.51x
Woolwich 4 3.26x
Brightside Bierlow 3 1.59x
Carshalton 3 16.55x
Folkestone 3 4.66x
Hythe St Leonard 3 25.58x
Idle 3 6.71x
Lancing 3 66.67x
Pool 3 17.85x
Rochester St Margaret 3 8.57x
Sutton Stoneferry 3 10.88x
Westminster St Margaret 3 6.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 67
John 49
George 45
James 39
Thomas 34
Henry 25
Charles 17
Alfred 16
Joseph 16
Edward 15
Arthur 11
Richard 11
Benjamin 10
Albert 9
Robert 7
Walter 7
Samuel 6
Ernest 5
Frederick 5
Herbert 5
Abraham 4
Harry 3
Thos. 3
Alexander 2
Edmund 2
Edwd. 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Fred. 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Jas. 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Ambrose 1
Bertram 1
Boaz 1
Caleb 1
Cecil 1
Ed. 1
Evaner 1
Ezekiel 1
F. 1
Felix 1
Harral 1
Herbt.Edwin 1
Howard 1
J. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Bashford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bashford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 992 people were recorded with the Bashford surname. That placed it at #3,932 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bashford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,521 in 2016. That gives Bashford a modern rank of #4,068.

What does the Bashford surname mean?

An English locational surname deriving from a place name meaning "the ford at the bashwood or ringwood".

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.