NameCensus.

UK surname

Burfield

A surname originating from a Germanic place name referring to a field by a fortified area or settlement.

In the 1881 census there were 360 people recorded with the Burfield surname, ranking it #8,596 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 369, ranked #12,617, down from #8,596 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Laughton, Tunbridge, Bidborough and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Burnley and Southwark.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burfield is 538 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.5%.

1881 census count

360

Ranked #8,596

Modern count

369

2016, ranked #12,617

Peak year

1911

538 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burfield had 360 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,596 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 369 in 2016, ranked #12,617.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 538 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Burfield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Burfield surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Burfield 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 388 #6,190
1861 historical 320 #7,960
1881 historical 360 #8,596
1891 historical 428 #8,377
1901 historical 481 #8,291
1911 historical 538 #7,408
1997 modern 426 #10,490
1998 modern 426 #10,843
1999 modern 450 #10,451
2000 modern 441 #10,611
2001 modern 423 #10,757
2002 modern 421 #11,026
2003 modern 409 #11,088
2004 modern 399 #11,297
2005 modern 390 #11,397
2006 modern 384 #11,579
2007 modern 383 #11,751
2008 modern 379 #11,960
2009 modern 389 #11,980
2010 modern 397 #12,068
2011 modern 383 #12,244
2012 modern 360 #12,673
2013 modern 364 #12,790
2014 modern 368 #12,770
2015 modern 368 #12,661
2016 modern 369 #12,617

Geography

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Where Burfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Laughton, Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes, St George the Martyr and Rushden. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Burnley, Southwark, Allerdale and Wealden. 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 Laughton Sussex
2 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
3 London parishes London 3
4 St George the Martyr London (South Districts)
5 Rushden Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 018 Doncaster
2 Burnley 004 Burnley
3 Southwark 004 Southwark
4 Allerdale 001 Allerdale
5 Wealden 013 Wealden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Burfield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Burfield

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Burfield surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Burfield household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Burfield 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

Burfield 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

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

Meaning and origin of Burfield

The surname Burfield is of English origin, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have emerged as a locational name, derived from a place called "Burfield" or a similar spelling variation. This place name is thought to be a combination of the Old English words "burh," meaning a fortified town or manor, and "feld," referring to a field or open land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Burfield can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the 13th century, where a certain "Robert de Burfeld" is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use and associated with a specific geographical location during that time.

In the 14th century, records show a "John Burfeld" residing in the county of Gloucestershire, indicating the spread of the name across different regions of England. The Burfield surname also appears in various parish records and tax rolls from the 15th and 16th centuries, further solidifying its presence in English history.

One notable individual bearing the Burfield surname was Thomas Burfield (1577-1636), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Provost of Eton College from 1624 until his death. Another prominent figure was Sir Henry Burfield (1620-1688), a wealthy merchant and landowner who held the position of Lord Mayor of London in 1676.

During the 17th century, the Burfield name gained recognition through the exploits of Captain John Burfield (1633-1682), a renowned English naval officer who played a significant role in several battles against the Dutch during the Anglo-Dutch Wars.

In the 18th century, the Burfield family established itself in various parts of England, with members such as William Burfield (1701-1774), a successful businessman and landowner in Buckinghamshire, and Reverend Edward Burfield (1732-1801), a respected clergyman in Gloucestershire.

Moving into the 19th century, notable individuals with the Burfield surname included Charles Burfield (1820-1892), a prominent lawyer and judge in South Australia, and Emily Burfield (1858-1941), a British author and educator who wrote several books on history and literature.

Throughout its history, the Burfield surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Burfeild, Burfyld, and Burfild, reflecting the fluidity of name spellings in earlier times. While the name may have originated from a specific location, it eventually spread across different regions of England, carried by families and individuals who contributed to the rich tapestry of English history and society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Burfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burfield 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. Sussex leads with 117 Burfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.76x.

County Total Index
Sussex 117 19.76x
Middlesex 72 2.05x
Surrey 41 2.40x
Kent 35 2.92x
Essex 13 1.88x
Yorkshire 13 0.37x
Berkshire 12 4.55x
Durham 12 1.15x
Northamptonshire 8 2.42x
Buckinghamshire 6 2.83x
Monmouthshire 6 2.36x
Glamorgan 4 0.65x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.85x
Hampshire 3 0.42x
Warwickshire 3 0.34x
Gloucestershire 2 0.29x
Leicestershire 2 0.51x
Suffolk 2 0.47x
Derbyshire 1 0.18x
Lanarkshire 1 0.09x
Lancashire 1 0.02x
Lincolnshire 1 0.18x
Somerset 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Laughton in Sussex leads with 22 Burfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 2528.74x.

Place Total Index
Laughton 22 2528.74x
Brighton 20 16.74x
Southwark St George Martyr 16 22.64x
Hailsham 15 418.99x
Mile End Old Town London 11 14.72x
Clerkenwell London 10 12.06x
Newhaven 10 207.90x
Lewisham 9 14.09x
Shoreditch London 9 5.91x
St Marylebone London 9 4.80x
Bethnal Green London 8 5.24x
Rushden 8 181.00x
Tonbridge 8 18.51x
Colchester Holy Trinity 7 454.55x
Norton 7 182.29x
Poplar London 7 10.56x
Stanmer 7 4375.00x
Eastbourne 6 22.03x
Hastings St Clement 6 107.72x
Hastings St Mary In The 6 47.51x
Hungerford 6 168.07x
Mortlake 6 78.64x
Preston 6 58.03x
Wilmington 6 359.28x
Bermondsey 5 4.78x
Clifton In York 5 68.68x
Earls Colne 5 261.78x
Hougham 5 70.22x
Hunslet 5 9.21x
St Pancras London 5 1.77x
Llanover 4 46.14x
Radford 4 16.64x
St Lawrence 4 48.54x
Steyning 4 199.01x
Warlingham 4 287.77x
Ivinghoe 3 180.72x
Leamington Priors 3 13.77x
Roath 3 10.80x
Speen 3 69.61x
Westminster St John 3 7.02x
Blewbury 2 222.22x
Chatham 2 6.07x
Cheltenham 2 3.76x
Christchurch 2 12.81x
East Hoathly 2 194.17x
Ewell 2 55.40x
Hackney London 2 1.02x
Hellingly 2 101.01x
Kensington London 2 1.02x
Lambeth 2 0.65x
Leicester St Margaret 2 2.11x
Lewes All Sts 2 84.75x
Lewes St John Southover 2 50.25x
Lewes St Michael 2 169.49x
Newington 2 1.54x
St George In East London 2 6.06x
Westoe 2 3.38x
Wortley In Bramley 2 7.26x
Aylesbury 1 10.63x
Bierton With Broughton 1 102.04x
Bildeston 1 106.38x
Bishopwearmouth 1 1.12x
Broadwater 1 7.36x
Cardiff St Mary 1 2.97x
Christchurch 1 12.74x
Coxhoe 1 33.78x
Hammersmith London 1 1.16x
Hastings St Leonards 1 11.49x
Islington London 1 0.29x
Kingston On Thames 1 2.43x
Lowestoft 1 4.95x
Mayfield 1 28.57x
Putney 1 6.25x
Southwark Christchurch 1 6.08x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.62x
St Sepulchre London 1 19.46x
St Woollos 1 3.53x
Westerham 1 36.23x
Weston Super Mare 1 7.01x
Weybridge 1 27.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Sarah 20
Elizabeth 17
Alice 13
Eliza 10
Emma 9
Annie 7
Frances 7
Ellen 6
Ann 5
Caroline 5
Emily 5
Kate 4
Martha 4
Ada 3
Charlotte 3
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Louisa 3
Maud 3
Susan 3
Bessie 2
Edith 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Jessie 2
Lucy 2
Ruth 2
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Beatrice 1
Blanche 1
Catherine 1
Claudia 1
Constance 1
Elisabeth 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Hannah 1
Hetty 1
I.H. 1
Jenny 1
Jessey 1
Liddy 1
Lily 1
Lottie 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Thersa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 18
James 13
John 11
Henry 8
Robert 8
Thomas 8
Benjamin 7
George 6
Joseph 6
Arthur 4
Charles 4
Edward 4
Alfred 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Horace 3
Agustus 2
Albert 2
Caleb 2
Ebenezer 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Aaron 1
David 1
E.C. 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
G. 1
J.J. 1
Michael 1
Nathaniel 1
Percy 1
Reginald 1
Rowland 1
Sidney 1
Spayton 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Tiz 1
Trayton 1
Walter 1
Willie 1
Willm. 1
Wilm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Burfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 360 people were recorded with the Burfield surname. That placed it at #8,596 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 369 in 2016. That gives Burfield a modern rank of #12,617.

What does the Burfield surname mean?

A surname originating from a Germanic place name referring to a field by a fortified area or settlement.

What does the Burfield map show?

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