NameCensus.

UK surname

Catford

In the 1881 census there were 129 people recorded with the Catford surname, ranking it #17,013 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 137, ranked #25,254, down from #17,013 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Worthing, Tandridge and Wychavon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Catford is 162 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.2%.

1881 census count

129

Ranked #17,013

Modern count

137

2016, ranked #25,254

Peak year

1911

162 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Catford had 129 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,013 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 137 in 2016, ranked #25,254.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 162 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Catford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Catford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Catford 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 95 #17,707
1861 historical 72 #24,643
1881 historical 129 #17,013
1891 historical 155 #17,920
1901 historical 160 #17,387
1911 historical 162 #17,003
1997 modern 136 #22,398
1998 modern 139 #22,720
1999 modern 142 #22,607
2000 modern 143 #22,457
2001 modern 143 #22,133
2002 modern 136 #23,296
2003 modern 135 #23,155
2004 modern 138 #22,997
2005 modern 142 #22,577
2006 modern 143 #22,619
2007 modern 145 #22,693
2008 modern 147 #22,720
2009 modern 148 #23,141
2010 modern 145 #24,031
2011 modern 144 #23,962
2012 modern 142 #24,148
2013 modern 150 #23,653
2014 modern 142 #24,734
2015 modern 136 #25,352
2016 modern 137 #25,254

Geography

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Where Catfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton, London parishes, Dulverton, Brompton Regis and Ilfracombe. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Worthing, Tandridge, Wychavon, Richmond upon Thames and Basingstoke and Deane. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 Dulverton, Brompton Regis Devon
5 Ilfracombe Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Worthing 013 Worthing
2 Tandridge 008 Tandridge
3 Wychavon 009 Wychavon
4 Richmond upon Thames 005 Richmond upon Thames
5 Basingstoke and Deane 020 Basingstoke and Deane

Forenames

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First names often paired with Catford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Catford

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Catford, 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 Catford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Catford 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

Professional Periphery

Within London, Catford is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Catford 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

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

1881 census detail

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Catford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Catford 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. Devon leads with 44 Catfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.93x.

County Total Index
Devon 44 16.93x
Gloucestershire 23 9.39x
Somerset 19 9.45x
Middlesex 16 1.28x
Surrey 9 1.48x
Kent 7 1.64x
Lancashire 5 0.34x
Dorset 3 3.66x
Essex 1 0.41x
Wiltshire 1 0.91x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Damerel in Devon leads with 10 Catfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.98x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Damerel 10 54.98x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 9 39.03x
St Pancras London 9 8.96x
Chard 8 329.22x
Ilfracombe 8 298.51x
Tiverton 8 178.57x
Bristol St George 7 61.78x
Bristol St James St Paul 7 85.68x
Axminster 5 409.84x
Barnstaple 5 122.55x
Birchington 5 833.33x
Chadderton 5 69.06x
Lambeth 5 4.59x
Dulverton 4 677.97x
Honiton 3 208.33x
Newington 3 6.50x
Brompton Regis 2 909.09x
Lewisham 2 8.80x
Melcombe Regis 2 58.82x
Staplegrove 2 833.33x
Bampton 1 125.00x
Camberwell 1 1.25x
Colebrooke 1 333.33x
Exeter Heavitree 1 51.55x
Hatherleigh 1 153.85x
Islington London 1 0.83x
Kensington London 1 1.44x
Marlborough St Peter St 1 175.44x
Portland 1 22.68x
Saffron Walden 1 38.46x
St Ann Blackfriars London 1 434.78x
St Anne Soho London 1 14.03x
St Bride London 1 136.99x
St George Bloomsbury 1 13.97x
St George Hanover Square 1 4.55x
Taunton St Mary 1 27.10x
Wellington 1 36.63x
West Anstey 1 1000.00x
Yeovil 1 24.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 6
William 6
Henry 5
George 4
Alfred 3
Edwin 3
Thomas 3
Arthur 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
Albert 1
Cecil 1
Charles 1
Earnest 1
Edw.O. 1
Edward 1
Fred 1
Harry 1
Hiram 1
I. 1
James 1
Johnson 1
Maxwell 1
Obidiah 1
Robert 1
Robt.J. 1
Ronald 1
Walter 1
Willie 1
Wm.Ed. 1
Wm.Henry 1
Wm.P. 1
Wuilliam 1

FAQ

Catford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Catford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 129 people were recorded with the Catford surname. That placed it at #17,013 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Catford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 137 in 2016. That gives Catford a modern rank of #25,254.

What does the Catford map show?

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