NameCensus.

UK surname

Camfield

A surname derived from an English place name, possibly denoting someone from Camville or Campville.

In the 1881 census there were 297 people recorded with the Camfield surname, ranking it #9,792 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 446, ranked #10,871, down from #9,792 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Mary Stoke Newington, Tunbridge, Bidborough and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wakefield, Chelmsford and Aylesbury Vale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Camfield is 467 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.2%.

1881 census count

297

Ranked #9,792

Modern count

446

2016, ranked #10,871

Peak year

1998

467 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Camfield had 297 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,792 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 446 in 2016, ranked #10,871.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 416 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Camfield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Camfield surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Camfield 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 271 #8,257
1861 historical 232 #10,535
1881 historical 297 #9,792
1891 historical 315 #10,669
1901 historical 377 #9,876
1911 historical 416 #9,028
1997 modern 454 #10,004
1998 modern 467 #10,120
1999 modern 457 #10,342
2000 modern 451 #10,412
2001 modern 434 #10,539
2002 modern 437 #10,693
2003 modern 425 #10,765
2004 modern 425 #10,779
2005 modern 420 #10,781
2006 modern 419 #10,837
2007 modern 434 #10,639
2008 modern 435 #10,735
2009 modern 450 #10,669
2010 modern 464 #10,633
2011 modern 449 #10,807
2012 modern 445 #10,753
2013 modern 451 #10,814
2014 modern 453 #10,830
2015 modern 448 #10,854
2016 modern 446 #10,871

Geography

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Where Camfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Mary Stoke Newington, Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes, Rotherfield and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wakefield, Chelmsford, Aylesbury Vale, Waltham Forest and Brighton and Hove. 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 St Mary Stoke Newington London (North Districts)
2 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
3 London parishes London 3
4 Rotherfield Sussex
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wakefield 011 Wakefield
2 Chelmsford 020 Chelmsford
3 Aylesbury Vale 021 Aylesbury Vale
4 Waltham Forest 012 Waltham Forest
5 Brighton and Hove 001 Brighton and Hove

Forenames

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First names often paired with Camfield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Camfield

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Camfield surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Camfield household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Camfield 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

Camfield is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Camfield 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 Camfield is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Camfield, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Camfield

The surname CAMFIELD is of English origin, specifically from the West Midlands region. It is derived from the Old English words "cam" meaning crooked or bent, and "feld" meaning field, likely describing someone who lived near a crooked or bent field. The earliest recorded spelling of the surname dates back to the 13th century, appearing as "de Camfelde" in the Hundred Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275.

CAMFIELD is believed to have originated as a locational surname, referring to someone who hailed from a place called Camfield or a similarly named location. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Camfelde" in Staffordshire.

In the 15th century, the surname was recorded as "Campfelde" in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1428. This spelling variation hints at the flexibility of the name's spelling during that time period.

Notable individuals with the surname CAMFIELD throughout history include:

1. John Camfield (c.1580-1657), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Rochester and the Rector of St. Dunstan's Church in Canterbury.

2. Thomas Camfield (1668-1735), a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Woodstock from 1708 to 1713.

3. William Camfield (1805-1876), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Jude in Hampstead.

4. Benjamin Camfield (1836-1908), an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the Massachusetts Senate in the late 19th century.

5. Eleanor Camfield (1893-1980), a British author and playwright known for her children's books and plays, including "The Jolly Old Man" and "The House of Adventure".

Over the centuries, variations in the spelling of CAMFIELD have emerged, including Campfield, Campfyld, and Camfyld, reflecting the influence of local dialects and pronunciation patterns.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Camfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Camfield 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 69 Camfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.37x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 69 2.37x
Sussex 53 10.78x
Kent 43 4.32x
Surrey 28 1.97x
Hampshire 23 3.85x
Hertfordshire 23 11.44x
Yorkshire 19 0.66x
Lancashire 14 0.40x
Aberdeenshire 9 3.33x
Wiltshire 5 1.94x
Durham 2 0.23x
Glamorgan 2 0.39x
Gloucestershire 2 0.35x
Royal Navy 2 5.75x
Shropshire 2 0.79x
Warwickshire 2 0.27x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tonbridge in Kent leads with 25 Camfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 69.66x.

Place Total Index
Tonbridge 25 69.66x
Brighton 24 24.19x
Portsea 12 10.24x
Knebworth 11 4230.77x
Stoke Newington London 11 48.42x
Bethnal Green London 10 7.89x
Richmond 10 221.24x
Islington London 9 3.18x
Peterhead 9 63.03x
Fletching 8 363.64x
Hendon 8 76.26x
Hove 7 32.44x
Rotherfield 7 161.66x
Southwark St John 7 78.48x
Stevenage 7 224.36x
Aldershot 6 29.96x
Batley 6 21.84x
Bury 6 15.17x
Prescot 6 95.85x
South Mimms 6 150.00x
Withyam 6 285.71x
Lambeth 5 1.97x
Maidstone 5 16.87x
Merton 5 200.80x
Salisbury St Edmund 5 120.77x
Tottenham 5 10.76x
Westminster St John 5 14.08x
Eltham 4 68.61x
Ramsgate 4 24.63x
Streatham 4 18.48x
Hornsey 3 8.13x
Knottingley 3 59.06x
Newington 3 2.78x
Southampton All Sts 3 29.24x
Watford 3 19.24x
Bishops Cleeve 2 137.93x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 3.64x
Edgbaston 2 8.77x
Friern Barnet 2 31.15x
Hackney London 2 1.22x
Royal Navy 2 6.73x
Shrewsbury St Alkmond 2 142.86x
Southampton St Mary 2 5.32x
St George Hanover Square 2 3.89x
St Marylebone London 2 1.28x
Stockton On Tees 2 4.78x
Wimbledon 2 12.53x
Ystradyfodwg 2 4.49x
Beckenham 1 7.69x
Bermondsey 1 1.15x
Charlton Next Woolwich 1 9.63x
Cowden 1 153.85x
Enfield 1 5.22x
Hatfield 1 24.51x
Lee 1 6.92x
Lewisham 1 1.88x
Mile End Old Town London 1 1.61x
Nottingham St Mary 1 0.98x
Shoreditch London 1 0.79x
Southwick 1 38.46x
Welwyn 1 57.47x
West Moulsey 1 151.52x
Whitechapel London 1 3.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Ellen 11
Sarah 10
Eliza 9
Jane 9
Elizabeth 8
Annie 7
Louisa 7
Martha 5
Alice 4
Harriett 4
Maria 4
Edith 3
Emily 3
Lydia 3
Ada 2
Amy 2
Minnie 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Susannah 2
Adelaide 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Charlote 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Drusella 1
Eilise 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Frances 1
Georgina 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Laura 1
Levina 1
Lily 1
M.A. 1
Marion 1
Matilda 1
Mirrovia 1
Priscilla 1
Rhoda 1
Robertina 1
Rosa 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 19
William 18
George 13
Henry 11
Charles 8
Albert 7
Alfred 6
Edward 5
Frederick 5
James 5
Thomas 5
Ernest 3
Harry 3
Robert 3
Abner 2
Benjamin 2
Herbert 2
Stephen 2
Wm. 2
Arthur 1
Chas.W. 1
David 1
Edmund 1
Ephraim 1
Francis 1
Geo. 1
Isaaic 1
Jno. 1
Jno.R. 1
Job 1
Joseph 1
Joshua 1
Julius 1
Leonard 1
Peater 1
Peter 1
Sydney 1
Tom 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Camfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Camfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 297 people were recorded with the Camfield surname. That placed it at #9,792 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Camfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 446 in 2016. That gives Camfield a modern rank of #10,871.

What does the Camfield surname mean?

A surname derived from an English place name, possibly denoting someone from Camville or Campville.

What does the Camfield map show?

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