UK surname
Derived from a place name referring to a ford or shallow river crossing used for commerce.
In the 1881 census there were 71 people recorded with the Commerford surname, ranking it #23,517 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 67, ranked #33,884, down from #23,517 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Winchester St Bartholomew and St Lawrence in Thanet. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Commerford is 107 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 5.6%.
1881 census count
71
Ranked #23,517
Modern count
67
2016, ranked #33,884
Peak year
1901
107 bearers
Map years
1
1901 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Commerford surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Commerford surname density by area, 1901 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 | 24 | #29,038 |
| 1861 | historical | 36 | #29,463 |
| 1881 | historical | 71 | #23,517 |
| 1891 | historical | 55 | #29,744 |
| 1901 | historical | 107 | #21,955 |
| 1911 | historical | 79 | #24,903 |
| 1997 | modern | 70 | #30,618 |
| 1998 | modern | 72 | #30,775 |
| 1999 | modern | 84 | #29,700 |
| 2000 | modern | 81 | #30,036 |
| 2001 | modern | 81 | #29,828 |
| 2002 | modern | 85 | #29,867 |
| 2003 | modern | 80 | #30,425 |
| 2004 | modern | 75 | #31,233 |
| 2005 | modern | 83 | #30,486 |
| 2006 | modern | 85 | #30,556 |
| 2007 | modern | 87 | #30,666 |
| 2008 | modern | 82 | #31,597 |
| 2009 | modern | 76 | #32,635 |
| 2010 | modern | 80 | #32,670 |
| 2011 | modern | 80 | #32,652 |
| 2012 | modern | 77 | #33,124 |
| 2013 | modern | 77 | #33,275 |
| 2014 | modern | 76 | #33,423 |
| 2015 | modern | 65 | #34,036 |
| 2016 | modern | 67 | #33,884 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Winchester St Bartholomew, St Lawrence in Thanet, Liverpool and Ramsgate. 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 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 2 | Winchester St Bartholomew | Hampshire |
| 3 | St Lawrence in Thanet | Kent |
| 4 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| 5 | Ramsgate | Kent |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Commerford surname in historical and recent records.
Historical female names
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Commerford, 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 Commerford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Commerford 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, Commerford 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 Commerford is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Commerford, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Commerford is of Anglo-Saxon origin, tracing its roots back to England in the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "cumor" meaning newcomer or stranger, and "ford" referring to a shallow river crossing or ford.
The earliest known recorded instance of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Cumerford". This suggests that the name was likely established in England prior to the Norman Conquest of 1066.
During the 13th century, variations of the name began to appear in historical records, such as "Comerford" and "Comerforde". These spellings indicate that the name was initially associated with specific locations or place names containing the word "ford".
One notable bearer of the name was Sir John Commerford, a knight who served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century. He was born around 1310 and participated in several campaigns against the French.
Another prominent individual with this surname was William Commerford, a merchant and landowner who lived in the 16th century. He was born in 1532 and is recorded as having owned substantial property in the county of Somerset.
In the 17th century, the name appears in the records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, suggesting that some Commerfords were among the early English settlers in New England.
A famous bearer of the name in more recent history was Charles Commerford (1786-1858), an English artist known for his landscape paintings. He was a member of the Royal Academy and his works can be found in several prestigious collections.
Throughout its history, the surname Commerford has maintained a strong presence in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Somerset, Devon, and Gloucestershire, where many families bearing this name have lived for generations.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Commerford 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. Kent leads with 13 Commerfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.50x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Kent | 13 | 5.50x |
| Hampshire | 12 | 8.46x |
| Middlesex | 11 | 1.59x |
| Cheshire | 10 | 6.54x |
| Lancashire | 8 | 0.97x |
| Surrey | 8 | 2.37x |
| Yorkshire | 6 | 0.87x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.73x |
| Pembrokeshire | 1 | 4.55x |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 0.57x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ramsgate in Kent leads with 13 Commerfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 336.79x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Ramsgate | 13 | 336.79x |
| Monks Coppenhall | 10 | 173.31x |
| St Bartholomew Hyde | 8 | 2352.94x |
| Leeds | 5 | 12.91x |
| St Pancras London | 4 | 7.18x |
| Guildford St Mary | 3 | 731.71x |
| Hackney London | 3 | 7.73x |
| Kensington London | 3 | 7.79x |
| Liverpool | 3 | 6.01x |
| Newington | 3 | 11.73x |
| Alverstoke | 2 | 38.91x |
| Habergham Eaves | 2 | 26.63x |
| Portsea | 2 | 7.19x |
| Southwark St George Martyr | 2 | 14.36x |
| Barton Upon Irwell | 1 | 16.18x |
| Burnley | 1 | 14.45x |
| Foleshill | 1 | 54.35x |
| Linthorpe | 1 | 24.45x |
| Milford Haven | 1 | 555.56x |
| St Bartholomew By | 1 | 2000.00x |
| Toxteth Park | 1 | 3.59x |
| West Ham | 1 | 3.31x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Commerford 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 Commerford 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 Commerford households.
FAQ
In 1881, 71 people were recorded with the Commerford surname. That placed it at #23,517 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 67 in 2016. That gives Commerford a modern rank of #33,884.
Derived from a place name referring to a ford or shallow river crossing used for commerce.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Commerford 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.