NameCensus.

UK surname

Cayford

A locational surname derived from a place name in Gloucestershire or Devon, England.

In the 1881 census there were 159 people recorded with the Cayford surname, ranking it #14,935 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 163, ranked #22,407, down from #14,935 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Cheshunt St Mary, Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) and Upton Noble. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blaenau Gwent, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Sevenoaks.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cayford is 203 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.5%.

1881 census count

159

Ranked #14,935

Modern count

163

2016, ranked #22,407

Peak year

1911

203 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cayford had 159 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,935 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 163 in 2016, ranked #22,407.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 203 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Cayford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cayford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cayford 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 85 #18,940
1861 historical 131 #17,052
1881 historical 159 #14,935
1891 historical 151 #18,242
1901 historical 196 #15,329
1911 historical 203 #14,831
1997 modern 169 #19,578
1998 modern 180 #19,298
1999 modern 179 #19,539
2000 modern 175 #19,764
2001 modern 172 #19,696
2002 modern 174 #19,971
2003 modern 176 #19,623
2004 modern 167 #20,367
2005 modern 163 #20,627
2006 modern 160 #21,066
2007 modern 159 #21,387
2008 modern 166 #20,966
2009 modern 166 #21,469
2010 modern 177 #21,034
2011 modern 171 #21,337
2012 modern 159 #22,361
2013 modern 172 #21,575
2014 modern 169 #22,006
2015 modern 165 #22,241
2016 modern 163 #22,407

Geography

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Where Cayfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Cheshunt St Mary, Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Upton Noble, St Pancras and Hemington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blaenau Gwent, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Sevenoaks and Winchester. 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 Cheshunt St Mary Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
3 Upton Noble Somerset
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Hemington Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blaenau Gwent 005 Blaenau Gwent
2 Blaenau Gwent 008 Blaenau Gwent
3 Rhondda Cynon Taf 028 Rhondda Cynon Taf
4 Sevenoaks 002 Sevenoaks
5 Winchester 011 Winchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cayford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cayford

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cayford, 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 Cayford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Cayford 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Cayford is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cayford is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cayford falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cayford

The surname Cayford is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "caeg" and "ford," which together mean "a ford by a quay or wharf." This suggests that the name may have originated in an area near a river crossing or a wharf.

The earliest known recorded reference to the surname Cayford can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from the year 1327, where a John de Cayford was listed as a taxpayer. This indicates that the name was already in use by the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the surname appears in various parish records across England, with different spellings such as Cayfforde, Cayforde, and Cayford. One notable example is that of William Cayford, who was born in 1545 in Staffordshire and served as a member of the English Parliament in 1597.

The surname Cayford is also connected to several place names in England, such as Cayford Priory in Somerset, which was a monastic house founded in the 12th century. This suggests that the name may have originated in that region and later spread to other parts of the country.

In the 17th century, the name Cayford appears in records related to the English Civil War. John Cayford, born in 1620 in Oxfordshire, was a Royalist soldier who fought for King Charles I against the Parliamentarians.

Another notable figure with the surname Cayford was Thomas Cayford, born in 1725 in Wiltshire. He was a prominent architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the Georgian style, including St. Mary's Church in Devizes.

Other individuals with the surname Cayford include:

1. Henry Cayford (1685-1748), an English clergyman and author from Somerset. 2. Mary Cayford (1792-1867), a British writer and poet from Gloucestershire. 3. George Cayford (1826-1891), a businessman and landowner from Yorkshire. 4. William Cayford (1865-1938), an Australian politician and member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. 5. Edith Cayford (1887-1975), a British artist and sculptor known for her works depicting rural life.

While the surname Cayford is not among the most common in the English-speaking world, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and can be traced back to its origins in medieval England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cayford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cayford 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 56 Cayfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.61x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 56 3.61x
Somerset 48 19.23x
Surrey 12 1.59x
Hertfordshire 11 10.29x
Essex 9 2.94x
Staffordshire 7 1.34x
Wiltshire 5 3.65x
Yorkshire 5 0.33x
Brecknockshire 3 9.67x
Buckinghamshire 3 3.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Upton Noble in Somerset leads with 19 Cayfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 17272.73x.

Place Total Index
Upton Noble 19 17272.73x
Hampstead London 13 53.83x
Cheshunt 11 294.12x
Frome 10 167.50x
Willesden 10 68.40x
Hackney London 9 10.35x
Laverton 9 12857.14x
Croydon 7 16.69x
Hemington 7 2258.06x
Wolverhampton 7 17.39x
Bradford On Avon 5 113.90x
Leyton Low 5 80.39x
St George Hanover Square 5 18.29x
St Marylebone London 5 6.04x
St Pancras London 5 4.01x
Camberwell 4 4.04x
Colchester St James 4 322.58x
Paddington London 4 7.01x
Almondbury 3 40.38x
Iver 3 247.93x
Llanelly 3 80.86x
Huddersfield 2 8.93x
St George Bloomsbury 2 22.47x
Islington London 1 0.67x
Marksbury 1 833.33x
Poplar London 1 3.42x
St Giles In Fields London 1 13.14x
Sutton 1 18.28x
Walcot 1 7.52x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 1 49.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Thomas 6
William 6
Edward 5
John 5
Richard 5
Alfred 4
Charles 4
Frederick 4
Herbert 4
James 4
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Frank 3
Henry 3
Walter 3
Daniel 2
David 2
Samuel 2
Benjamin 1
Birt 1
Charley 1
Ebenezer 1
Ebinizer 1
F. 1
Fredick 1
Gilbert 1
Harold 1
Lewis 1
Robert 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Cayford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cayford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 159 people were recorded with the Cayford surname. That placed it at #14,935 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cayford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 163 in 2016. That gives Cayford a modern rank of #22,407.

What does the Cayford surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in Gloucestershire or Devon, England.

What does the Cayford map show?

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