NameCensus.

UK surname

Berresford

A locational surname derived from a place in Derbyshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 563 people recorded with the Berresford surname, ranking it #6,155 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 319, ranked #14,121, down from #6,155 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Duffield, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Chesterfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East, Blackburn with Darwen and Chesterfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Berresford is 825 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 43.3%.

1881 census count

563

Ranked #6,155

Modern count

319

2016, ranked #14,121

Peak year

1901

825 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Berresford had 563 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,155 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 319 in 2016, ranked #14,121.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 825 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Berresford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Berresford surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Berresford 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 466 #5,325
1861 historical 368 #6,935
1881 historical 563 #6,155
1891 historical 626 #6,177
1901 historical 825 #5,484
1911 historical 471 #8,201
1997 modern 337 #12,522
1998 modern 359 #12,321
1999 modern 381 #11,873
2000 modern 350 #12,564
2001 modern 349 #12,392
2002 modern 355 #12,471
2003 modern 357 #12,233
2004 modern 348 #12,495
2005 modern 327 #13,011
2006 modern 328 #13,073
2007 modern 332 #13,087
2008 modern 326 #13,374
2009 modern 336 #13,345
2010 modern 350 #13,251
2011 modern 332 #13,608
2012 modern 329 #13,593
2013 modern 327 #13,868
2014 modern 319 #14,216
2015 modern 312 #14,347
2016 modern 319 #14,121

Geography

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Where Berresfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Duffield, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Chesterfield, Sheffield and Heanor. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire East, Blackburn with Darwen, Chesterfield, High Peak and Derbyshire Dales. 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 Duffield Derbyshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Chesterfield Derbyshire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Heanor Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 050 Cheshire East
2 Blackburn with Darwen 014 Blackburn with Darwen
3 Chesterfield 004 Chesterfield
4 High Peak 013 High Peak
5 Derbyshire Dales 001 Derbyshire Dales

Forenames

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First names often paired with Berresford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Berresford

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Berresford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Berresford household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Berresford 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

Berresford 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

Berresford falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Berresford

The surname BERRESFORD originated in England, specifically in the county of Staffordshire. It dates back to the 11th century and is derived from the Old English words "bere," meaning barley, and "ford," meaning a shallow place where a river can be crossed. This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a ford or shallow crossing where barley was cultivated.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BERRESFORD appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name was likely associated with a specific location or estate in Staffordshire at that time.

In the 13th century, there are records of a Richard de Beresford who held lands in Staffordshire. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time, as it was initially influenced by the Norman French language after the Norman Conquest.

During the 14th century, the BERRESFORD family established themselves as landowners and prominent figures in Staffordshire. One notable person was Sir Thomas Berresford (1314-1349), a knight who served as a military commander during the Hundred Years' War with France.

In the 16th century, William Berresford (1536-1587) was a prominent English lawyer and judge who served as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable BERRESFORD was Lord Marcus Beresford (1763-1859), a British Army officer and politician who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and later served as a Member of Parliament.

The BERRESFORD name has also been associated with various place names in Staffordshire, such as Beresford Dale and Beresford Brook, reflecting the family's historical connections to the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Berresford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Berresford 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. Derbyshire leads with 196 Berresfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.72x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 196 22.72x
Staffordshire 85 4.57x
Lancashire 70 1.07x
Yorkshire 66 1.21x
Nottinghamshire 55 7.40x
Durham 15 0.91x
Warwickshire 15 1.08x
Shropshire 11 2.31x
Cheshire 10 0.82x
Middlesex 10 0.18x
Leicestershire 7 1.15x
Norfolk 6 0.71x
Huntingdonshire 5 4.57x
Worcestershire 4 0.56x
Lincolnshire 3 0.34x
Northamptonshire 2 0.39x
Kent 1 0.05x
Northumberland 1 0.12x
Royal Navy 1 1.52x
Surrey 1 0.04x
Sussex 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Belper in Derbyshire leads with 32 Berresfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 191.27x.

Place Total Index
Belper 32 191.27x
Stoke Upon Trent 29 14.70x
Brampton 26 215.59x
Sheffield 25 14.38x
Codnor Loscoe 22 322.11x
Manchester 17 5.78x
Bestwood Park 15 1145.04x
Chesterfield 15 46.37x
Hulme 13 9.52x
Nottingham St Mary 13 6.77x
Aston 12 3.14x
Brightside Bierlow 12 11.20x
Burntwood Edial 12 101.01x
Long Eaton 12 105.36x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 10 19.65x
Litchurch 10 28.80x
Selston 10 120.48x
Ecclesall Bierlow 9 8.10x
Monk Hesleden 9 196.94x
Audley Talk O Th Hill 8 238.81x
Caverswall 8 82.73x
Derby St Alkmund 8 30.94x
Newcastle Under Lyme 8 24.30x
Staveley 8 52.22x
Ardwick 7 11.87x
Denton 6 41.41x
Greasley 6 35.80x
Holt 6 206.90x
Sheepshed 6 71.68x
Walsall Foreign 6 6.24x
Withington 6 28.48x
Wormhill 6 331.49x
Alfreton 5 19.08x
Boningale 5 1351.35x
Carlton 5 58.96x
Eckington 5 23.86x
Fletton 5 142.86x
Gorton 5 8.13x
Leeds 5 1.62x
Newton In Makerfield 5 24.96x
Normanton 5 68.59x
Sedgley 5 7.24x
St Botolph Aldgate London 5 44.05x
Youlgreave 5 200.00x
Albrighton 4 173.91x
Bredbury 4 56.82x
Cotton 4 325.20x
Dronfield 4 36.17x
Matlock 4 34.51x
Middlestone 4 121.58x
Snenton 4 13.70x
St Pancras London 4 0.90x
Stockport 4 6.39x
Ashton Under Lyne 3 2.10x
Crich 3 53.29x
Derby St Peter 3 10.92x
Elton 3 309.28x
Evesham St Lawrence 3 78.53x
Gedney 3 83.33x
Heanor 3 23.26x
Kimberworth 3 9.90x
Smalley 3 194.81x
Bury 2 2.68x
Coleshill 2 44.84x
Fairfield 2 34.66x
Kniveton 2 392.16x
North Wingfield 2 51.81x
Northampton Priory St 2 6.43x
Shipley 2 145.99x
Tong 2 208.33x
Trentham 2 12.64x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 0.96x
Findern 1 131.58x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 1.41x
Leek Frith 1 64.52x
Monyash 1 133.33x
Preston 1 0.57x
Royal Navy 1 1.78x
Stretford 1 2.78x
Westgate 1 1.97x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 38
Sarah 35
Elizabeth 29
Ann 12
Martha 12
Annie 11
Ellen 10
Eliza 9
Emma 9
Hannah 9
Jane 8
Margaret 7
Anne 6
Alice 5
Charlotte 4
Fanny 4
Harriett 4
Louisa 4
Maria 4
Ada 3
Edith 3
Elizth. 3
Harriet 3
Lucy 3
Rose 3
Clara 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Isibella 2
Jemima 2
Kate 2
Lydia 2
Maragret 2
Marian 2
Rhoda 2
Angelina 1
Bertha 1
Betty 1
Catherine 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Eugenia 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Julia 1
Laurar 1
Lauria 1
Lily 1
Lousi 1
Wilson 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 46
John 28
George 20
James 19
Thomas 19
Joseph 13
Samuel 12
Henry 11
Charles 7
Albert 6
Arthur 6
Edward 5
Edwin 5
Richard 5
Frederick 4
Isaac 4
Alfred 3
Harry 3
Robert 3
Tom 3
Enoch 2
Fredk. 2
Herbert 2
Walter 2
Benjamin 1
Elisha 1
Elliott 1
Ernest 1
Evans 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
Frith 1
G. 1
Geo. 1
Geor.Henry 1
Geore 1
Gersham 1
Gilbert 1
Harold 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Jos. 1
Josh. 1
Josiah 1
Noah 1
Oscar 1
Sam 1
Sam'l. 1
Saml. 1

FAQ

Berresford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Berresford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 563 people were recorded with the Berresford surname. That placed it at #6,155 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Berresford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 319 in 2016. That gives Berresford a modern rank of #14,121.

What does the Berresford surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place in Derbyshire, England.

What does the Berresford map show?

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