UK surname
A surname derived from a place name referring to an enclosed field or pasture.
In the 1881 census there were 42 people recorded with the Carfield surname, ranking it #27,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6, ranked #38,110, down from #27,721 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, St Mellons and Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carfield is 193 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 85.7%.
1881 census count
42
Ranked #27,721
Modern count
6
2016, ranked #38,110
Peak year
1861
193 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Carfield surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Carfield surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 30 | #27,891 |
| 1861 | historical | 193 | #12,371 |
| 1881 | historical | 42 | #27,721 |
| 1891 | historical | 102 | #23,719 |
| 1901 | historical | 41 | #29,602 |
| 1911 | historical | 75 | #25,322 |
| 1997 | modern | 4 | #38,094 |
| 1998 | modern | 5 | #37,861 |
| 1999 | modern | 5 | #37,872 |
| 2000 | modern | 7 | #37,430 |
| 2001 | modern | 7 | #37,293 |
| 2002 | modern | 8 | #37,206 |
| 2003 | modern | 10 | #36,964 |
| 2004 | modern | 9 | #37,213 |
| 2005 | modern | 8 | #37,422 |
| 2006 | modern | 8 | #37,481 |
| 2007 | modern | 7 | #37,687 |
| 2008 | modern | 8 | #37,597 |
| 2009 | modern | 7 | #37,816 |
| 2010 | modern | 7 | #37,904 |
| 2011 | modern | 6 | #38,016 |
| 2012 | modern | 6 | #38,008 |
| 2013 | modern | 6 | #38,049 |
| 2014 | modern | 6 | #38,077 |
| 2015 | modern | 6 | #38,076 |
| 2016 | modern | 6 | #38,110 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, St Mellons, Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock, St Dunstan Stepney and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, | Gloucestershire |
| 2 | St Mellons | Glamorganshire |
| 3 | Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock | Shropshire |
| 4 | St Dunstan Stepney | London (East Districts) |
| 5 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Carfield surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Carfield, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Carfield surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Carfield household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Carfield is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Carfield is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Carfield, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname CARFIELD is of English origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "cær" meaning "cart" and "feld" meaning "field," suggesting it was initially used as a descriptive name for someone who lived near a field used for loading or unloading carts.
The earliest recorded use of the name CARFIELD can be traced back to the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195, where a person named Radulfus de Cartefeld is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use and possibly derived from a place name in that region.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are references to several places with similar names, such as Cartefelda, Cartfeld, and Cartfelt, which may have contributed to the formation of the CARFIELD surname.
One of the earliest known individuals with the CARFIELD surname was Sir John Carfield (c. 1320 - 1395), a prominent English landowner and knight who served during the reign of King Edward III. He is recorded as holding lands in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.
Another notable bearer of the CARFIELD name was William Carfield (c. 1490 - 1555), a scholar and clergyman who served as the Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London during the reign of Queen Mary I.
In the 17th century, there was a John Carfield (1610 - 1680), an English merchant and landowner who made his fortune in the wool trade and owned extensive estates in Bedfordshire.
During the 18th century, the CARFIELD surname appeared in various records across different counties in England, including Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, and Warwickshire. One notable figure from this period was Richard Carfield (1735 - 1805), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London.
Another prominent CARFIELD was Sir Thomas Carfield (1790 - 1865), a British naval officer who served with distinction during the Napoleonic Wars and later became an influential member of parliament.
Throughout its history, the CARFIELD surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Carfeild, Carfyld, and Carfylde, reflecting the evolving language and local dialects of different regions in England.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carfield surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 12 Carfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.00x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 12 | 3.00x |
| Lancashire | 5 | 1.05x |
| Shropshire | 5 | 14.47x |
| Staffordshire | 4 | 2.96x |
| Sussex | 3 | 4.45x |
| Worcestershire | 3 | 5.74x |
| Gloucestershire | 2 | 2.55x |
| Somerset | 2 | 3.11x |
| Cheshire | 1 | 1.13x |
| Derbyshire | 1 | 1.60x |
| Montgomeryshire | 1 | 10.92x |
| Northumberland | 1 | 1.68x |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 0.99x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 7 Carfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.06x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Islington London | 7 | 18.06x |
| West Derby | 4 | 28.82x |
| Guestling | 3 | 2727.27x |
| Halford | 3 | 10000.00x |
| Charlton Kings | 2 | 370.37x |
| Great Malvern | 2 | 183.49x |
| Hammersmith London | 2 | 20.30x |
| Munslow | 2 | 2500.00x |
| St Pancras London | 2 | 6.21x |
| Wells St Cuthbert Out | 2 | 384.62x |
| Willenhall | 2 | 79.05x |
| Audlem | 1 | 476.19x |
| Birmingham | 1 | 2.98x |
| Derby St Werburgh | 1 | 27.62x |
| Elswick | 1 | 21.05x |
| Kidderminster Foreign | 1 | 135.14x |
| Kingswinford | 1 | 20.41x |
| Meifod | 1 | 454.55x |
| Pilkington | 1 | 55.56x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 4.68x |
| Tettenhall | 1 | 120.48x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Carfield surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Carfield surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Carfield households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 3 |
| School | 3 |
| None | 2 |
| (Dom Serv) | 1 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Blacksmith | 1 |
| Builders Labourer | 1 |
| Charwoman | 1 |
| Daughter | 1 |
| Domestic & Plain Sewer | 1 |
| Domestic Servant Housemaid | 1 |
| Farmer Of 390 Acres Emp 7 Men | 1 |
| Farmers Wife | 1 |
| General Porter | 1 |
| General Porter Wife | 1 |
| General Servant | 1 |
| Housekeeper | 1 |
| Labourer At Paper Mills | 1 |
| Landry Woman | 1 |
| Plasterer Unemployed | 1 |
| School Mistress | 1 |
| Silversmith Porter | 1 |
| Surveyor | 1 |
| Teacher (J R) | 1 |
| Telegraphists Wife | 1 |
| Unemployed | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 42 people were recorded with the Carfield surname. That placed it at #27,721 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 6 in 2016. That gives Carfield a modern rank of #38,110.
A surname derived from a place name referring to an enclosed field or pasture.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Carfield bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.