NameCensus.

UK surname

Byfield

An English locational surname referring to someone from Byfield village in Northamptonshire.

In the 1881 census there were 473 people recorded with the Byfield surname, ranking it #7,057 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 951, ranked #6,039, up from #7,057 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and St Mary Islington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harrogate, Islington and Hackney.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Byfield is 991 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 101.1%.

1881 census count

473

Ranked #7,057

Modern count

951

2016, ranked #6,039

Peak year

2010

991 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Byfield had 473 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,057 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 951 in 2016, ranked #6,039.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 625 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Byfield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Byfield surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Byfield 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 300 #7,650
1861 historical 290 #8,686
1881 historical 473 #7,057
1891 historical 463 #7,902
1901 historical 580 #7,253
1911 historical 625 #6,631
1997 modern 841 #6,295
1998 modern 868 #6,334
1999 modern 888 #6,273
2000 modern 880 #6,272
2001 modern 853 #6,318
2002 modern 911 #6,147
2003 modern 912 #6,019
2004 modern 891 #6,148
2005 modern 878 #6,134
2006 modern 917 #5,952
2007 modern 936 #5,912
2008 modern 946 #5,901
2009 modern 963 #5,946
2010 modern 991 #5,914
2011 modern 984 #5,894
2012 modern 959 #5,932
2013 modern 988 #5,882
2014 modern 974 #5,989
2015 modern 962 #6,005
2016 modern 951 #6,039

Geography

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Where Byfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, St Mary Islington and Great Bradford , Winkfield with Rowley, Westwood, Great and Little Chalfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harrogate, Islington, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham and Lewisham. 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 3
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
4 Great Bradford , Winkfield with Rowley, Westwood, Great and Little Chalfield Wiltshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harrogate 001 Harrogate
2 Islington 018 Islington
3 Hackney 020 Hackney
4 Hammersmith and Fulham 003 Hammersmith and Fulham
5 Lewisham 020 Lewisham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Byfield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Byfield

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Byfield surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Byfield 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Byfield is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Byfield is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Byfield falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Byfield

The surname Byfield is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the place name Byfield, which is a village located in Northamptonshire, England. The name Byfield is believed to have originated from the Old English words "by" meaning a farmstead or village, and "feld" meaning an open field or pasture.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Byfield can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from the year 1195, where a person named Robert de Byfeld is mentioned. This suggests that the surname was already in use by the late 12th century.

In the famous Domesday Book, a record of landholders in England compiled in 1086, the village of Byfield is listed as "Bifelde." This provides evidence that the place name, from which the surname derived, existed in the 11th century.

Notable individuals with the surname Byfield throughout history include Richard Byfield (1598-1664), an English Puritan minister and author who wrote several religious works. Another person of note is Adoniram Byfield (1615-1660), an English Congregationalist minister and writer who was involved in the English Civil War.

In the 17th century, Nathaniel Byfield (1653-1738) was an English Congregationalist minister and author who wrote extensively on theology and religious subjects. His works were widely read and influential during his time.

John Byfield (1753-1817) was an English clergyman and mathematician who served as the Regius Professor of Greek at the University of Cambridge from 1796 until his death.

Additionally, Robert Byfield (1628-1704) was an English Puritan clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including a commentary on the Book of Revelation.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who carried the surname Byfield throughout history, showcasing its English roots and the various fields in which people with this surname have made contributions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Byfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Byfield 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. Middlesex leads with 134 Byfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.90x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 134 2.90x
Warwickshire 57 4.90x
Surrey 54 2.40x
Staffordshire 42 2.70x
Wiltshire 24 5.88x
Lancashire 16 0.29x
Essex 15 1.65x
Glamorgan 14 1.74x
Kent 13 0.83x
Midlothian 12 1.94x
Bedfordshire 11 4.60x
Somerset 11 1.48x
Durham 8 0.58x
Hampshire 8 0.85x
Berkshire 7 2.02x
Devon 7 0.73x
Yorkshire 7 0.15x
Hertfordshire 5 1.57x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.80x
Huntingdonshire 4 4.37x
Monmouthshire 4 1.20x
Cheshire 3 0.29x
Gloucestershire 3 0.33x
Northamptonshire 3 0.69x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.72x
Derbyshire 2 0.28x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.34x
Lanarkshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 42 Byfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.11x.

Place Total Index
Aston 42 13.11x
Islington London 41 9.17x
St Pancras London 31 8.35x
Newington 22 12.91x
Bradford On Avon 16 122.51x
Birmingham 15 3.87x
Harborne 13 26.04x
West Bromwich 13 14.58x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 10 4.02x
Lambeth 10 2.49x
West Bergholt 10 588.24x
Croydon 9 7.21x
Luton 9 21.76x
Cardiff St Andrews 7 769.23x
Cardiff St Mary 7 15.82x
Hackney London 7 2.71x
Monkwearmouth Shore 7 26.13x
Shoreditch London 7 3.50x
St Marylebone London 7 2.84x
Stoke Damerel 7 10.41x
Audley Talk O Th Hill 6 213.52x
Battersea 6 3.53x
Buckland 6 526.32x
Cannock 6 22.08x
Clerkenwell London 6 5.51x
Limehouse London 6 11.85x
Wombwell 6 45.01x
Chipping Barnet 5 89.93x
Deptford St Paul 5 4.12x
Greasley 5 35.64x
Harrow On The Hill 5 54.23x
Poulton With Fearnhead 5 427.35x
Bethnal Green London 4 2.00x
Everton 4 2.29x
Hammersmith London 4 3.52x
South Weald 4 51.28x
St George Bloomsbury 4 15.11x
Trevethin 4 12.70x
Walcot 4 10.11x
Westbury 4 42.02x
Bow London 3 5.11x
Camberwell 3 1.02x
Irchester 3 111.52x
Mile End Old Town London 3 3.06x
St Mary Extra 3 39.42x
Woolwich 3 5.16x
Bedford St Peter 2 32.21x
Boylestone 2 571.43x
Bradwell 2 50.89x
Dalkeith 2 16.41x
Holdenhurst 2 8.06x
Huntingdon St John 2 75.47x
Latchford 2 29.54x
Rodborough 2 45.77x
Sedgley 2 3.46x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 2.15x
St James Bath 2 512.82x
Twerton 2 26.11x
Warrington 2 3.08x
West Derby 2 1.25x
Bath St James 1 12.90x
Bowdon 1 24.75x
Chelsea London 1 0.72x
Chislehurst 1 11.85x
Devizes St James 1 18.45x
Dunkerton 1 62.11x
Farnborough 1 10.07x
Folksworth 1 312.50x
Foston Scropton 1 120.48x
Kensington London 1 0.39x
Lyncombe Widcombe 1 5.14x
Manchester 1 0.41x
Mitcham 1 7.04x
Ogley Hay 1 30.96x
Plumstead 1 1.91x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 5.01x
St Martin In Fields 1 3.62x
Tottenham 1 1.36x
Wakefield 1 2.85x
Withington 1 5.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 28
Thomas 24
Henry 20
John 16
George 15
James 14
Charles 9
Joseph 9
Alfred 6
Arthur 6
Edward 6
Frederick 6
Herbert 6
Samuel 5
Frank 3
Walter 3
Ernest 2
Geo. 2
Jeremiah 2
Richard 2
Wm. 2
Aaron 1
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Amos 1
Arther 1
Awthur 1
Benjamin 1
Bertram 1
Charls 1
Daniel 1
Edwd. 1
Edwn 1
Enoch 1
Enock 1
Fredc.W. 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Louis 1
Percy 1
Ralph 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Saml. 1
Saml.Geo. 1
Stanley 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Byfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Byfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 473 people were recorded with the Byfield surname. That placed it at #7,057 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Byfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 951 in 2016. That gives Byfield a modern rank of #6,039.

What does the Byfield surname mean?

An English locational surname referring to someone from Byfield village in Northamptonshire.

What does the Byfield map show?

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