NameCensus.

UK surname

Byford

A locational surname denoting a person from Byford, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,351 people recorded with the Byford surname, ranking it #3,034 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,598, ranked #3,884, down from #3,034 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tendring, Rochford and Babergh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Byford is 1,839 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.3%.

1881 census count

1,351

Ranked #3,034

Modern count

1,598

2016, ranked #3,884

Peak year

1911

1,839 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Byford had 1,351 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,034 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,598 in 2016, ranked #3,884.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,839 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Byford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Byford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Byford 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 869 #3,135
1861 historical 899 #3,080
1881 historical 1,351 #3,034
1891 historical 1,493 #2,951
1901 historical 1,691 #3,053
1911 historical 1,839 #2,683
1997 modern 1,765 #3,387
1998 modern 1,799 #3,448
1999 modern 1,831 #3,425
2000 modern 1,815 #3,437
2001 modern 1,768 #3,441
2002 modern 1,760 #3,541
2003 modern 1,722 #3,540
2004 modern 1,695 #3,590
2005 modern 1,645 #3,650
2006 modern 1,648 #3,643
2007 modern 1,625 #3,723
2008 modern 1,615 #3,765
2009 modern 1,664 #3,758
2010 modern 1,699 #3,765
2011 modern 1,654 #3,811
2012 modern 1,622 #3,798
2013 modern 1,635 #3,844
2014 modern 1,647 #3,838
2015 modern 1,620 #3,859
2016 modern 1,598 #3,884

Geography

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Where Byfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew, Lambeth and Ixworth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tendring, Rochford, Babergh and St Edmundsbury. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew Suffolk
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Ixworth Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tendring 007 Tendring
2 Rochford 008 Rochford
3 Babergh 002 Babergh
4 Babergh 007 Babergh
5 St Edmundsbury 008 St Edmundsbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Byford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Byford

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Byford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Byford 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Byford is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Byford 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

Byford falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Byford

The surname Byford is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English words "by" meaning "a settlement" and "ford" meaning "a shallow river crossing." It originated in the County of Essex, England, during the medieval period, likely referring to someone who lived near a ford or river crossing in a small settlement.

The earliest recorded mention of the name Byford can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landholdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared as "Byford" in Essex, indicating the presence of a settlement or village with that name during the 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show a Richard de Byford who was a prominent landowner in the village of Byford, Essex. This suggests that the surname was already well-established and associated with the local area at that time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Byford was John Byford, born around 1450 in Byford, Essex. He was a farmer and landowner in the region.

Another notable figure was William Byford, born in 1506 in Byford, Essex. He was a successful merchant and trader who played a role in the English wool trade with the Netherlands during the 16th century.

In the late 16th century, the surname Byford was also found in the nearby county of Suffolk, indicating that members of the family had migrated to other parts of East Anglia. One such individual was Robert Byford, born in 1572 in Ipswich, Suffolk, who was a respected lawyer and legal advisor to the local gentry.

During the 17th century, the surname Byford spread further across England, with records showing individuals bearing the name in counties such as Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. One notable figure was Samuel Byford, born in 1625 in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, who was a prominent Puritan minister and author of several religious texts.

Another significant figure in the history of the Byford surname was Sir Thomas Byford, born in 1678 in York, Yorkshire. He was a successful merchant and businessman who served as the Lord Mayor of York in the early 18th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Byford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Byford 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. Essex leads with 544 Byfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.88x.

County Total Index
Essex 544 20.88x
Middlesex 230 1.74x
Suffolk 190 11.82x
Surrey 141 2.19x
Kent 61 1.35x
Yorkshire 30 0.23x
Lancashire 25 0.16x
Hertfordshire 22 2.42x
Sussex 18 0.81x
Cheshire 17 0.58x
Staffordshire 16 0.36x
Warwickshire 10 0.30x
Norfolk 9 0.44x
Denbighshire 7 1.40x
Hampshire 6 0.22x
Oxfordshire 4 0.49x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.36x
Devon 3 0.11x
Gloucestershire 3 0.12x
Glamorgan 2 0.09x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.11x
Royal Navy 2 1.27x
Anglesey 1 0.43x
Berkshire 1 0.10x
Dorset 1 0.12x
Flintshire 1 0.28x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Lincolnshire 1 0.05x
Shropshire 1 0.09x
Wiltshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Ham in Essex leads with 53 Byfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.21x.

Place Total Index
West Ham 53 9.21x
Halstead 35 115.17x
Islington London 35 2.74x
Lambeth 31 2.69x
Ixworth 27 594.71x
Long Melford 26 174.03x
Chelmsford 24 53.69x
Glemsford 24 212.58x
St Marylebone London 24 3.41x
Bermondsey 23 5.85x
Camberwell 21 2.49x
Clare 21 272.73x
Sudbury St Peter 21 238.37x
Braintree 20 85.51x
Great Maplestead 18 1011.24x
Great Saling 18 1146.50x
High Laver 18 837.21x
Newington 18 3.69x
Bardfield Saling 17 1259.26x
Foxearth 17 944.44x
Hackney London 17 2.30x
Shoreditch London 17 2.97x
Bethnal Green London 14 2.44x
Clerkenwell London 14 4.49x
Chatham 13 10.49x
Rayleigh 13 216.67x
Sandbach 13 52.31x
Shalford 13 393.94x
Ballingdon Cum Brundon 12 363.64x
Castleford 12 25.19x
Titteworth 12 175.44x
Ipswich St Mary Key 11 263.79x
Bocking 10 63.82x
Little Baddow 10 406.50x
Plumstead 10 6.66x
South Weald 10 44.82x
Stebbing 10 198.02x
Tilbury 10 980.39x
Willesden 10 8.04x
Brighton 9 2.00x
Croydon 9 2.52x
Great Yarmouth 9 5.35x
Manningtree 9 212.26x
Sheering 9 367.35x
Sible Hedingham 9 103.33x
St Pancras London 9 0.85x
Stisted 9 267.06x
Bradfield 8 216.22x
Elmstead 8 190.93x
Grays Thurrock 8 33.03x
Horringer 8 267.56x
Hove 8 8.19x
Maldon St Marys 8 128.21x
Matching 8 296.30x
Poslingford 8 496.89x
Witham 8 59.61x
Battersea 7 1.44x
Belchamp Walter 7 250.90x
Borley 7 736.84x
Bradwell 7 156.95x
Enfield 7 8.08x
Leamington Priors 7 8.55x
Leeds 7 0.95x
Paddington London 7 1.44x
Paglesham 7 301.72x
St George Hanover Square 7 3.01x
St George In East London 7 5.64x
Thaxted 7 80.92x
Wethersfield 7 106.54x
Wickhambrook 7 115.89x
Writtle 7 65.73x
Belchamp Otten 6 397.35x
Canterbury Holy Cross 6 138.25x
Chipping Barnet 6 173.41x
Gillingham 6 6.46x
Ovington 6 1000.00x
Ruthin 6 117.42x
Tottenham 6 2.85x
Toxteth Park 6 1.13x
West Derby 6 1.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 66
Elizabeth 51
Sarah 48
Eliza 42
Emma 40
Emily 27
Alice 26
Hannah 19
Ann 16
Ellen 16
Jane 16
Florence 14
Harriet 14
Agnes 12
Amelia 12
Louisa 12
Caroline 11
Susan 11
Kate 10
Clara 9
Annie 8
Edith 8
Frances 8
Martha 8
Catherine 7
Minnie 7
Ada 6
Jessie 6
Julia 6
Susanah 6
Susannah 6
Margaret 5
Maria 5
Anna 4
Charlotte 4
Ethel 4
Grace 4
Lucy 4
Matilda 4
Anne 3
Betsy 3
Christiana 3
Elizth. 3
Fanny 3
Laura 3
Lizzie 3
Rachel 3
Rebecca 3
Rosina 3
Sophia 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 82
George 49
John 47
Charles 42
Thomas 42
Alfred 37
Henry 29
James 25
Harry 21
Arthur 17
Robert 17
Edward 16
Frederick 15
Samuel 15
Walter 13
Herbert 11
Albert 10
Joseph 8
Frank 7
Ernest 6
Daniel 5
David 5
Francis 5
Benjamin 4
Richard 4
Abel 3
Abraham 3
Edgar 3
Fredk. 3
Josiah 3
Sidney 3
Thos. 3
Wm. 3
Barnard 2
Bertie 2
Chas. 2
Cornelius 2
Edwin 2
Elias 2
Fred 2
Fredc. 2
Frederic 2
Fredric 2
Fredrick 2
Hy. 2
Jas. 2
Jesse 2
Jessie 2
Sam 2
Stephen 2

FAQ

Byford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Byford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,351 people were recorded with the Byford surname. That placed it at #3,034 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Byford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,598 in 2016. That gives Byford a modern rank of #3,884.

What does the Byford surname mean?

A locational surname denoting a person from Byford, England.

What does the Byford map show?

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