NameCensus.

UK surname

Danford

English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "dane ford," referring to a ford used by Danes.

In the 1881 census there were 131 people recorded with the Danford surname, ranking it #16,824 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 105, ranked #30,114, down from #16,824 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rotherham, Sefton and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Danford is 317 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 19.8%.

1881 census count

131

Ranked #16,824

Modern count

105

2016, ranked #30,114

Peak year

1861

317 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Danford had 131 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,824 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016, ranked #30,114.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 317 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Danford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Danford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Danford 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 213 #9,934
1861 historical 317 #8,031
1881 historical 131 #16,824
1891 historical 177 #16,330
1901 historical 130 #19,649
1911 historical 141 #18,571
1997 modern 118 #24,423
1998 modern 131 #23,495
1999 modern 134 #23,378
2000 modern 133 #23,462
2001 modern 131 #23,343
2002 modern 132 #23,680
2003 modern 128 #23,890
2004 modern 126 #24,335
2005 modern 125 #24,398
2006 modern 118 #25,556
2007 modern 113 #26,641
2008 modern 111 #27,225
2009 modern 110 #27,991
2010 modern 109 #28,831
2011 modern 100 #30,058
2012 modern 104 #29,543
2013 modern 107 #29,561
2014 modern 105 #30,204
2015 modern 105 #30,092
2016 modern 105 #30,114

Geography

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Where Danfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall, St John Hackney, Yoxford and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rotherham, Sefton, Sheffield and Barnsley. 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 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
2 Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall Yorkshire, West Riding
3 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
4 Yoxford Suffolk
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rotherham 009 Rotherham
2 Sefton 017 Sefton
3 Sheffield 045 Sheffield
4 Barnsley 014 Barnsley
5 Rotherham 010 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Danford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Danford

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Danford is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Danford is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Danford

The surname Danford is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "dene" meaning valley and "ford" meaning a shallow river crossing, suggesting that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a ford in a valley.

Historically, the name Danford has been found in various old records and manuscripts from the 13th century onwards. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a William de Deneford.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327, where a John Daneford was listed as a taxpayer. The name was also present in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1376, which recorded a transaction involving a Richard Danford.

One notable bearer of the Danford surname was Sir John Danford (c. 1540-1610), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Arundel during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another historical figure with this surname was Robert Danford (1625-1667), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "A Guide to Eternity" published in 1660.

In the 18th century, the name Danford can be found in various parish records, such as the baptism of Thomas Danford in 1723 at St. Mary's Church in Islington, London.

The 19th century saw several Danfords making their mark in different fields. One such individual was William Danford (1802-1876), a British architect known for designing numerous churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

Another notable bearer of the Danford surname was Sir Frederic John Danford (1839-1921), a British naval officer and explorer who led several expeditions to the Arctic regions and served as the Governor of New South Wales from 1899 to 1904.

While the surname Danford has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, due to migration and exploration in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Danford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Danford 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. Yorkshire leads with 35 Danfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.76x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 35 2.76x
Worcestershire 21 12.58x
Middlesex 20 1.57x
Surrey 12 1.93x
Gloucestershire 6 2.39x
Kent 6 1.38x
Northamptonshire 6 4.99x
Hertfordshire 4 4.54x
Somerset 4 1.94x
Suffolk 4 2.57x
Staffordshire 3 0.70x
Dorset 2 2.38x
Glamorgan 2 0.90x
Devon 1 0.38x
Hampshire 1 0.38x
Lancashire 1 0.07x
Shropshire 1 0.91x
Sussex 1 0.46x
Warwickshire 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kimberworth in Yorkshire leads with 14 Danfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 199.15x.

Place Total Index
Kimberworth 14 199.15x
Camberwell 12 14.70x
Worcester St John 10 502.51x
Chatham 6 50.04x
Scriven Cum Tentergate 6 1276.60x
Worcester All Sts 6 618.56x
Cirencester 5 147.49x
Northampton St Giles 5 109.17x
St Marylebone London 5 7.33x
Swinton In Rotherham 5 149.25x
Bethnal Green London 4 7.21x
Islington London 4 3.23x
Rawmarsh 4 89.49x
Wheathampstead 4 392.16x
Leigh 3 147.78x
Rotherham 3 42.02x
Bath St James 2 93.02x
Butleigh 2 588.24x
Clerkenwell London 2 6.63x
Hampstead London 2 10.05x
Poole St James 2 63.49x
Shoreditch London 2 3.61x
Stafford St Mary 2 32.73x
Swansea Town 2 10.96x
Yoxford 2 434.78x
Aldershot 1 11.40x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 23.09x
Birmingham 1 0.93x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 11.96x
Devonport 1 32.68x
Grays Inn Staple Inn 1 625.00x
Hove 1 10.58x
Hoyland Nether 1 32.15x
Kings Norton 1 6.68x
Knaresborough 1 50.25x
Metfield 1 384.62x
Oundle 1 74.63x
Stanton Lacy 1 105.26x
Wednesbury 1 9.28x
Wenhaston 1 263.16x
West Derby 1 2.25x
Worcester St Martin 1 44.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 6
Alice 3
Ann 3
Elizabeth 3
Jane 3
Maria 3
Mary 3
Ada 2
Antoinette 2
Caroline 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Elz. 2
Margaret 2
Sarah 2
Susan 2
Adelaide 1
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
C.E. 1
Clara 1
Eleanor 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Emmie 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Infant 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Margarate 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1
Rose 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 8
John 5
Robert 5
Frank 4
Charles 3
George 3
Henry 3
James 3
Christopher 2
Edward 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Joseph 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Bertram 1
E. 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Isral 1
J.H. 1
Miles 1
R. 1
Randal 1
Sydney 1
Warren 1
Wm. 1
Wright 1

FAQ

Danford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Danford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 131 people were recorded with the Danford surname. That placed it at #16,824 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Danford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016. That gives Danford a modern rank of #30,114.

What does the Danford surname mean?

English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "dane ford," referring to a ford used by Danes.

What does the Danford map show?

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