NameCensus.

UK surname

Caulfield

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "cold field" or "cold unplowed land."

In the 1881 census there were 517 people recorded with the Caulfield surname, ranking it #6,593 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,245, ranked #2,892, up from #6,593 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Low Waters, Kingston upon Hull and Welwyn Hatfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Caulfield is 2,352 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 334.2%.

1881 census count

517

Ranked #6,593

Modern count

2,245

2016, ranked #2,892

Peak year

2010

2,352 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Caulfield had 517 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,593 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,245 in 2016, ranked #2,892.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 869 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Caulfield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Caulfield surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Caulfield 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 202 #10,323
1861 historical 344 #7,422
1881 historical 517 #6,593
1891 historical 742 #5,363
1901 historical 869 #5,268
1911 historical 776 #5,597
1997 modern 2,199 #2,825
1998 modern 2,289 #2,820
1999 modern 2,328 #2,797
2000 modern 2,298 #2,808
2001 modern 2,253 #2,801
2002 modern 2,305 #2,800
2003 modern 2,298 #2,757
2004 modern 2,278 #2,768
2005 modern 2,207 #2,829
2006 modern 2,208 #2,830
2007 modern 2,233 #2,815
2008 modern 2,244 #2,833
2009 modern 2,262 #2,878
2010 modern 2,352 #2,835
2011 modern 2,315 #2,842
2012 modern 2,283 #2,824
2013 modern 2,311 #2,842
2014 modern 2,305 #2,860
2015 modern 2,251 #2,895
2016 modern 2,245 #2,892

Geography

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Where Caulfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Low Waters, Kingston upon Hull, Welwyn Hatfield and Helensburgh North. 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 Gateshead Durham
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Low Waters South Lanarkshire
2 Kingston upon Hull 001 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 Kingston upon Hull 008 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 Welwyn Hatfield 007 Welwyn Hatfield
5 Helensburgh North Argyll and Bute

Forenames

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First names often paired with Caulfield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Caulfield

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Caulfield surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Caulfield household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Caulfield is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Caulfield is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Caulfield falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Caulfield

The surname Caulfield has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "cald" meaning "cold" and "feld" meaning "field", referring to a cold or exposed field. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was in 1273, when it appeared as Caldefeld in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk.

The name is believed to have originated in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, where there were several villages and hamlets with similar names, such as Cawldfeld and Caldfeld. These place names likely gave rise to the surname, as it was common for people to adopt surnames based on the places they lived or originated from.

One of the earliest recorded references to the surname Caulfield can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Caldefeld" in the county of Norfolk. This suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Notable individuals with the surname Caulfield include:

1. Sir Toby Caulfield (c. 1565 - 1627), an English soldier and statesman who served as Lord Deputy of Ireland. 2. William Caulfield (1624 - 1667), an English clergyman and writer who authored several religious works. 3. James Caulfield, 1st Earl of Charlemont (1728 - 1799), an Irish statesman and nobleman who played a significant role in Irish politics during the 18th century. 4. St. John Caulfield (1805 - 1900), an English-born Catholic priest who served as the first Bishop of Armidale in Australia. 5. Richard Caulfield (1823 - 1887), an Irish antiquarian and writer who published several works on Irish history and antiquities.

The surname Caulfield has been present in various historical records and documents over the centuries, reflecting its long-standing presence in England and later, in Ireland and other parts of the British Isles.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Caulfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Caulfield 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. Lancashire leads with 161 Caulfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.68x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 161 2.68x
Middlesex 74 1.46x
Renfrewshire 38 9.69x
Lanarkshire 32 1.95x
Cheshire 27 2.42x
Kent 23 1.33x
Surrey 22 0.89x
Durham 21 1.39x
Cumberland 14 3.21x
Ayrshire 13 3.43x
Berkshire 13 3.42x
Yorkshire 13 0.26x
Glamorgan 10 1.13x
Warwickshire 10 0.78x
Midlothian 6 0.88x
Staffordshire 6 0.35x
Hampshire 5 0.48x
Derbyshire 4 0.50x
Sussex 4 0.47x
Leicestershire 3 0.53x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.43x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.65x
Dunbartonshire 2 1.47x
Essex 2 0.20x
Gloucestershire 2 0.20x
Royal Navy 2 3.32x
Angus 1 0.21x
Argyllshire 1 0.71x
Berwickshire 1 1.63x
Dorset 1 0.30x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.62x
Ross-shire 1 0.72x
Stirlingshire 1 0.54x
West Lothian 1 1.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 23 Caulfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.30x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 23 6.30x
East Greenock 20 53.98x
Widnes 19 43.85x
Kensington London 14 4.97x
West Derby 13 7.40x
Chatham 12 25.25x
Glasgow 12 4.13x
Manchester 12 4.44x
Barony 11 2.65x
St Marylebone London 11 4.07x
Toxteth Park 11 5.41x
Bermondsey 9 5.97x
Birmingham 9 2.12x
Egremont 9 86.62x
Tranmere 9 21.91x
West Greenock 9 12.78x
Congleton 8 41.43x
Everton 8 4.18x
Riccarton 8 139.86x
Salford 8 4.53x
Chelsea London 7 4.59x
Gateshead 7 6.21x
Macclesfield 7 14.09x
Ormskirk 7 60.92x
Roath 7 17.48x
Eccleston In Prescot 6 19.89x
Govan 6 1.48x
Great Bolton 6 7.54x
Islington London 6 1.22x
Limehouse London 6 10.80x
Milton In Milton 6 81.74x
Sandhurst 6 81.52x
Shoreditch London 6 2.73x
Boldon 5 93.11x
Hulme 5 3.99x
Keighley 5 9.35x
Oldham 5 2.58x
Port Glasgow 5 26.36x
Rusholme 5 31.21x
Stoke Newington London 5 12.68x
Sunninghill 5 94.88x
Blackburn 4 2.50x
Castle Church 4 38.95x
Newington 4 2.14x
South Leith 4 5.24x
Urmston 4 102.56x
Wigton 4 61.16x
Birkenhead 3 3.37x
Brandon Byshottles 3 15.90x
Cathcart 3 14.13x
Cheetham 3 6.69x
Hamilton 3 6.57x
St Helens 3 39.79x
St Pancras London 3 0.74x
York St Peter Le 3 312.50x
Ystradyfodwg 3 3.88x
Brighton 2 1.16x
Bury 2 2.91x
Crossgate 2 30.35x
Denby 2 82.64x
Dumbarton 2 10.56x
Ealing 2 4.42x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 0.73x
Esh 2 18.25x
Hackney London 2 0.70x
Hastings St Leonards 2 15.94x
Ibstock 2 49.02x
Lambeth 2 0.45x
Maidstone 2 3.89x
Matlock 2 18.80x
Mortlake 2 18.20x
North Meols 2 3.40x
Radcliffe 2 6.91x
Royal Navy 2 3.88x
St George Hanover Square 2 2.24x
St George In East London 2 4.20x
Wandsworth 2 4.10x
Wavertree 2 10.40x
West Ham 2 0.91x
Whitechapel London 2 4.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 39
Ann 14
Elizabeth 14
Margaret 13
Sarah 9
Catherine 8
Annie 7
Bridget 6
Ellen 6
Susan 5
Esther 4
Agnes 3
Beatrice 3
Rose 3
Alice 2
Anne 2
Cecilia 2
Charlotte 2
Constance 2
Eliza 2
Elizth. 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Gertrude 2
Hannah 2
Isabella 2
Jane 2
Lizzie 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Amy 1
Avis 1
Blanche 1
Ca... 1
Edith 1
Elizth 1
Emily 1
Emphemie 1
Florence 1
Harriett 1
Helena 1
Henrietta 1
Honor 1
Julia 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Maid 1
Margret 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 30
John 30
Thomas 17
William 16
Patrick 14
Henry 12
George 10
Francis 8
Edward 7
Michael 6
Charles 4
Martin 4
Arthur 3
Albert 2
Ernest 2
Hugh 2
Joseph 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Simon 2
Walter 2
B. 1
Cha. 1
Daniel 1
F.P. 1
Florence 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Georg. 1
Gregory 1
J. 1
Jno. 1
Lawrence 1
Lional 1
Marcus 1
Marian 1
Mark 1
Matthew 1
Michail 1
Michal 1
Morley 1
Patk. 1
Peter 1
Reginald 1
Rueben 1
Sam 1
St.George 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Caulfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Caulfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 517 people were recorded with the Caulfield surname. That placed it at #6,593 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Caulfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,245 in 2016. That gives Caulfield a modern rank of #2,892.

What does the Caulfield surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "cold field" or "cold unplowed land."

What does the Caulfield map show?

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