NameCensus.

UK surname

Bassford

A locational surname derived from a place named Basford, meaning either "homestead by woods" or "homestead of a man named Bassa".

In the 1881 census there were 183 people recorded with the Bassford surname, ranking it #13,596 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 290, ranked #15,099, down from #13,596 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tamworth, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Loughborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Warwickshire, Charnwood and Broxtowe.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bassford is 317 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.5%.

1881 census count

183

Ranked #13,596

Modern count

290

2016, ranked #15,099

Peak year

1997

317 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bassford had 183 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,596 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 290 in 2016, ranked #15,099.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 267 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Bassford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bassford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bassford 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 109 #16,212
1861 historical 125 #17,678
1881 historical 183 #13,596
1891 historical 246 #12,912
1901 historical 261 #12,775
1911 historical 267 #12,360
1997 modern 317 #13,053
1998 modern 307 #13,690
1999 modern 295 #14,108
2000 modern 292 #14,165
2001 modern 293 #13,933
2002 modern 291 #14,275
2003 modern 284 #14,331
2004 modern 296 #14,005
2005 modern 283 #14,343
2006 modern 280 #14,535
2007 modern 275 #14,888
2008 modern 278 #14,901
2009 modern 280 #15,141
2010 modern 288 #15,162
2011 modern 296 #14,729
2012 modern 288 #14,934
2013 modern 288 #15,192
2014 modern 297 #14,943
2015 modern 293 #15,005
2016 modern 290 #15,099

Geography

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Where Bassfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tamworth, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Loughborough, Aldridge and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Warwickshire, Charnwood and Broxtowe. 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 Tamworth Staffordshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Loughborough Leicestershire
4 Aldridge Staffordshire
5 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Warwickshire 003 North Warwickshire
2 Charnwood 002 Charnwood
3 North Warwickshire 001 North Warwickshire
4 Charnwood 001 Charnwood
5 Broxtowe 007 Broxtowe

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bassford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bassford

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Bassford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Bassford household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bassford 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

Bassford is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bassford falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bassford

The surname Bassford has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from a place name incorporating the Old English words "bass" meaning "flat" or "low-lying," and "ford," referring to a shallow river crossing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named Basforde in Derbyshire, suggesting the name's long-standing presence in the region.

During the 13th century, variations such as Basford and Bassford emerged in historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, which lists a John de Basford. This indicates the surname's evolution from a place name to a hereditary family name.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Basseford, as seen in the Pipe Rolls of Warwickshire from 1332, mentioning a Hugo de Basseford. This diversity of spellings was common during that era due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

Notable individuals bearing the Bassford surname throughout history include:

1. Richard Bassford (c. 1560-1631), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Derbyshire in the early 17th century. 2. William Bassford (1670-1743), a prominent merchant and ship owner from Bristol, England, who played a significant role in the city's maritime trade during the 18th century. 3. Anne Bassford (1725-1805), an English writer and poet, known for her collection of poems titled "Poetical Musings" published in 1792. 4. John Bassford (1781-1864), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a successful merchant in Liverpool. 5. Emily Bassford (1838-1916), an American educator and advocate for women's rights, who founded the Bassford Seminary for Girls in New York City in the late 19th century.

While the Bassford surname may not be among the most common in modern times, its history can be traced back to medieval England, with connections to various regions and notable individuals who contributed to various fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bassford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bassford 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. Leicestershire leads with 97 Bassfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 49.01x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 97 49.01x
Staffordshire 17 2.82x
Northamptonshire 15 8.93x
Worcestershire 14 6.01x
Nottinghamshire 12 4.99x
Lancashire 11 0.52x
Middlesex 6 0.34x
Yorkshire 5 0.28x
Warwickshire 3 0.67x
Huntingdonshire 2 5.64x
Essex 1 0.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Loughborough in Leicestershire leads with 50 Bassfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 556.79x.

Place Total Index
Loughborough 50 556.79x
Hinckley 15 319.83x
Leicester St Margaret 14 29.01x
Oldbury 13 113.34x
Nottingham St Mary 10 16.07x
Belgrave 9 201.34x
Fazeley 9 818.18x
Northampton St Sepulchre 7 81.97x
West Bromwich 7 20.30x
Toxteth Park 6 8.37x
Leicester St Mary 5 31.27x
Bromley London 4 10.19x
Kettering 4 58.91x
West Derby 4 6.45x
Wymeswold 4 701.75x
Bradford 3 7.01x
Polesworth 3 140.19x
Basford 2 18.03x
Northampton Priory St 2 19.86x
Northampton St Giles 2 31.25x
Saddleworth 2 14.66x
Broughton 1 555.56x
Chelsea London 1 1.86x
Huntingdon St Benedict 1 227.27x
Kensington London 1 1.01x
Newton In Makerfield 1 15.41x
Redditch 1 21.14x
Wednesbury 1 6.64x
West Ham 1 1.29x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Bassford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bassford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 183 people were recorded with the Bassford surname. That placed it at #13,596 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bassford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 290 in 2016. That gives Bassford a modern rank of #15,099.

What does the Bassford surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place named Basford, meaning either "homestead by woods" or "homestead of a man named Bassa".

What does the Bassford map show?

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