NameCensus.

UK surname

Drakeford

A surname derived from a place name referring to a ford or shallow river crossing frequented by drakes (male ducks).

In the 1881 census there were 287 people recorded with the Drakeford surname, ranking it #10,014 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 353, ranked #13,081, down from #10,014 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bedworth, Astbury and Burslem. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East and West Mainland, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Drakeford is 423 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.0%.

1881 census count

287

Ranked #10,014

Modern count

353

2016, ranked #13,081

Peak year

1911

423 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Drakeford had 287 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,014 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 353 in 2016, ranked #13,081.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 423 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Drakeford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Drakeford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Drakeford 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 240 #10,226
1881 historical 287 #10,014
1891 historical 333 #10,223
1901 historical 413 #9,266
1911 historical 423 #8,924
1997 modern 302 #13,459
1998 modern 338 #12,829
1999 modern 347 #12,696
2000 modern 344 #12,722
2001 modern 338 #12,669
2002 modern 345 #12,754
2003 modern 336 #12,786
2004 modern 350 #12,449
2005 modern 348 #12,410
2006 modern 334 #12,912
2007 modern 328 #13,196
2008 modern 335 #13,115
2009 modern 340 #13,244
2010 modern 354 #13,135
2011 modern 335 #13,528
2012 modern 338 #13,304
2013 modern 352 #13,130
2014 modern 362 #12,955
2015 modern 357 #12,979
2016 modern 353 #13,081

Geography

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Where Drakefords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bedworth, Astbury, Burslem, Foleshill and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East and West Mainland, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Sheffield and Kettering. 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 Bedworth Warwickshire
2 Astbury Cheshire
3 Burslem Staffordshire
4 Foleshill Warwickshire
5 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East and West Mainland Shetland Islands
2 Newcastle-under-Lyme 005 Newcastle-under-Lyme
3 Sheffield 054 Sheffield
4 Sheffield 033 Sheffield
5 Kettering 010 Kettering

Forenames

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First names often paired with Drakeford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Drakeford

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Drakeford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Drakeford household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Drakeford is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Drakeford is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Drakeford falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Drakeford is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Drakeford, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Drakeford

The surname Drakeford is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name referring to a ford or river crossing frequented by drakes (male ducks). The name could have been given to someone who lived near such a location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, which mentions a William de Drakerford. The prefix "de" in this spelling indicates the locational nature of the surname.

Another early reference can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which lists a Thomas de Drakeford. These rolls were tax records, suggesting that the Drakeford family had some means at the time.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various records with variations in spelling, such as Drakefoorde and Drakeforde. This was common during this period due to inconsistencies in written English.

One notable figure with the surname Drakeford was Sir John Drakeford (1599-1678), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Tregony, Cornwall, in the 1620s. He was also a supporter of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.

Another individual of note was Reverend Thomas Drakeford (1677-1741), an Anglican clergyman who served as the Rector of Spridlington, Lincolnshire, in the early 18th century.

In the 19th century, a prominent member of the Drakeford family was William Drakeford (1811-1892), a British architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Peter in Vauxhall.

The name Drakeford also has connections to the Welsh region, with records indicating a family residing in Pembrokeshire in the 17th century. One member of this branch was John Drakeford (1638-1701), a Welsh landowner and Justice of the Peace.

While less common today, the surname Drakeford has maintained a presence throughout England and Wales over the centuries, with individuals carrying on the legacy of this historic name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Drakeford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Drakeford 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. Warwickshire leads with 77 Drakefords recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.91x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 77 10.91x
Staffordshire 56 5.93x
Lancashire 34 1.02x
Surrey 22 1.61x
Yorkshire 20 0.72x
Middlesex 15 0.54x
Kent 12 1.26x
Cheshire 7 1.13x
Northamptonshire 7 2.66x
Nottinghamshire 7 1.86x
Derbyshire 6 1.37x
Pembrokeshire 6 6.74x
Leicestershire 5 1.61x
Denbighshire 3 2.84x
Hertfordshire 2 1.04x
Oxfordshire 2 1.16x
Worcestershire 2 0.55x
Bedfordshire 1 0.69x
Glamorgan 1 0.21x
Sussex 1 0.21x
Wiltshire 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 32 Drakefords recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.93x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 32 31.93x
Foleshill 20 269.18x
Burslem 16 59.11x
Bedworth 15 291.26x
Camberwell 14 7.83x
Lewisham 12 23.56x
Coventry Holy Trinity 11 52.18x
West Derby 11 11.32x
Sheffield 9 10.19x
Birmingham 7 2.97x
Worksop 7 62.56x
Aston 6 3.09x
Coleshill 6 265.49x
Congleton 6 56.18x
Coventry St Michael 6 26.46x
Everton 6 5.67x
Haverfordwest St Thomas 6 337.08x
Bow London 5 14.03x
Leicester St Mary 5 19.94x
Shirland 5 152.44x
Worsley 5 24.41x
Fulham London 4 9.85x
Northampton All Sts 4 44.74x
Penge 4 22.37x
Wavertree 4 37.63x
Holbeck 3 16.32x
Lambeth 3 1.23x
Lichfield St Mary 3 109.89x
Llandrillo Yn Rhos 3 192.31x
Northampton St Sepulchre 3 22.39x
Oldham 3 2.80x
Chilvers Coton 2 68.97x
Chiswick 2 13.07x
Nether Hallam 2 5.33x
Nuneaton 2 24.45x
Ribbesford 2 65.79x
Rickmansworth 2 37.66x
Swinton In Rotherham 2 27.25x
Toxteth Park 2 1.78x
Ulverston 2 20.66x
Battersea 1 0.97x
Beighton 1 50.25x
Chapel Allerton 1 24.10x
Chipping Norton 1 25.00x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 1.77x
Enville 1 135.14x
Hackney London 1 0.64x
Hampstead London 1 2.29x
Hastings All Sts 1 22.47x
Islington London 1 0.37x
Kinver 1 36.76x
Knaresborough 1 22.94x
Leek Lowe 1 7.96x
Luton 1 3.99x
Malmesbury St Paul 1 46.95x
Neath 1 10.08x
Neithrop 1 17.21x
Polesworth 1 29.85x
Rowley Regis 1 3.80x
Rugby 1 10.47x
Scarborough 1 3.97x
St Pancras London 1 0.44x
Tamworth 1 19.80x
Tytherington 1 333.33x
Withington 1 9.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Elizabeth 11
Sarah 11
Hannah 10
Emma 7
Ann 6
Alice 5
Anne 5
Martha 5
Frances 4
Annie 3
Catherine 3
Eliza 3
Ellen 3
Harriet 3
Clara 2
Florence 2
Jeannette 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Ruth 2
Anna 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Dorcas 1
Drusilla 1
Ellena 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
H. 1
Hart. 1
Helen 1
Hepzibah 1
James 1
Libra 1
Louisa 1
Lousia 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Mrs 1
Rebbeca 1
Rebecca 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 28
John 13
Thomas 12
Arthur 7
Edward 6
George 6
James 6
Charles 5
Joseph 5
Alfred 4
David 3
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Walter 3
D. 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Israel 2
Josiah 2
Thos. 2
Albert 1
Dyer 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Henez 1
Herbert 1
Herbt. 1
Lewis 1
Luther 1
P. 1
Peter 1
Phillip 1
Richard 1
T. 1
Tom 1
W. 1

FAQ

Drakeford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Drakeford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 287 people were recorded with the Drakeford surname. That placed it at #10,014 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Drakeford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 353 in 2016. That gives Drakeford a modern rank of #13,081.

What does the Drakeford surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name referring to a ford or shallow river crossing frequented by drakes (male ducks).

What does the Drakeford map show?

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