NameCensus.

UK surname

Driffield

In the 1881 census there were 249 people recorded with the Driffield surname, ranking it #11,103 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 228, ranked #17,936, down from #11,103 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Easingwold, Gainsborough, Paddocks and Stranton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leeds, Hambleton and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Driffield is 274 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 8.4%.

1881 census count

249

Ranked #11,103

Modern count

228

2016, ranked #17,936

Peak year

1911

274 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Driffield had 249 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,103 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 228 in 2016, ranked #17,936.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 274 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Driffield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Driffield surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Driffield 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 174 #11,590
1861 historical 240 #10,226
1881 historical 249 #11,103
1891 historical 234 #13,352
1901 historical 241 #13,417
1911 historical 274 #12,150
1997 modern 205 #17,370
1998 modern 224 #16,888
1999 modern 224 #16,984
2000 modern 228 #16,743
2001 modern 224 #16,716
2002 modern 226 #16,939
2003 modern 226 #16,766
2004 modern 229 #16,684
2005 modern 221 #17,028
2006 modern 226 #16,891
2007 modern 219 #17,425
2008 modern 218 #17,638
2009 modern 225 #17,631
2010 modern 227 #17,895
2011 modern 219 #18,145
2012 modern 202 #19,084
2013 modern 213 #18,743
2014 modern 223 #18,279
2015 modern 222 #18,225
2016 modern 228 #17,936

Geography

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Where Driffields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Easingwold, Gainsborough, Paddocks, Stranton, Haxby and St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leeds, Hambleton, Wakefield, York and Lancaster. 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 Easingwold Yorkshire, North Riding
2 Gainsborough, Paddocks Lincolnshire
3 Stranton Durham
4 Haxby Yorkshire, East Riding
5 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leeds 050 Leeds
2 Hambleton 009 Hambleton
3 Wakefield 024 Wakefield
4 York 019 York
5 Lancaster 016 Lancaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Driffield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Driffield

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Driffield surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Driffield household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Driffield is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Driffield 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

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

1881 census detail

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Driffield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Driffield 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 122 Driffields recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.09x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 122 5.09x
Lincolnshire 34 8.79x
Lancashire 24 0.84x
Middlesex 15 0.62x
Durham 14 1.95x
Cheshire 12 2.25x
Nottinghamshire 8 2.45x
Hampshire 4 0.81x
Northamptonshire 4 1.76x
Cambridgeshire 2 1.31x
Essex 2 0.42x
Herefordshire 2 2.02x
Surrey 2 0.17x
Devon 1 0.20x
Leicestershire 1 0.37x
Sussex 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Haxby in Yorkshire leads with 18 Driffields recorded in 1881 and an index of 3913.04x.

Place Total Index
Haxby 18 3913.04x
York St Mary 10 100.70x
Asselby 8 3636.36x
Leeds 8 5.91x
Stranton 8 33.02x
Audlem 7 555.56x
Headingley Cum Burley 7 45.37x
Bury 6 18.30x
Elland Cum Greetland 6 55.56x
Huntington 6 1224.49x
Scriven Cum Tentergate 6 674.16x
Crompton 5 61.12x
Hackney London 5 3.69x
Hatcliffe 5 2941.18x
Hook 5 94.88x
Neasham 5 1428.57x
Potter Newton 5 118.20x
Sculcoates 5 13.15x
Wollaton 5 847.46x
Alne 4 975.61x
Bethnal Green London 4 3.81x
Brafferton 4 2000.00x
Brightside Bierlow 4 8.51x
Easingwold 4 236.69x
Frodingham 4 289.86x
Gainsborough 4 43.86x
Husthwaite 4 1111.11x
North Meols 4 14.23x
Old 4 1333.33x
Southcoates 4 30.05x
Spilsby 4 325.20x
Tranmere 4 20.38x
North Kelsey 3 428.57x
Prescot 3 57.80x
York St Saviour 3 131.00x
Ashby Cum Fenby 2 909.09x
Bonby 2 588.24x
Corringham 2 322.58x
Goodworth Clatford 2 476.19x
Islington London 2 0.85x
West Stockwith 2 363.64x
Widnes 2 9.66x
Wisbech St Peter 2 26.04x
York Holy Trinity 2 96.62x
Aysgarth 1 322.58x
Bole 1 588.24x
Bromley London 1 1.88x
Broughton 1 92.59x
Cabourn 1 714.29x
Caistor 1 64.94x
Chadwell St Mary 1 204.08x
Clee With Weelsby 1 11.81x
Croydon 1 1.53x
Dalton In Huddersfield 1 18.62x
Dinedor 1 476.19x
Ealing 1 4.63x
East Keswick 1 270.27x
Exeter Allhallows On The 1 120.48x
Folkton 1 769.23x
Gate Fulford 1 17.86x
Great Crosby 1 12.77x
Great Driffield 1 20.33x
Hereford St Nicholas 1 74.07x
Houghton Le Spring 1 20.08x
Kingston On Thames 1 3.53x
Luddington 1 204.08x
Owston 1 90.91x
Rudgwick 1 107.53x
Sheffield 1 1.31x
Sheriff Hutton W 1 147.06x
South Weald 1 24.45x
Southampton St Mary 1 3.21x
St Swithin London Stone 1 1666.67x
Tattenhall 1 109.89x
Titchfield 1 26.74x
Twigmoor 1 2000.00x
West Derby 1 1.19x
Wigan 1 2.49x
Willesden 1 4.39x
Winterton 1 75.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Sarah 10
Elizabeth 9
Hannah 8
Jane 7
Ann 6
Eliza 6
Annie 5
Lucy 5
Margaret 5
Ellen 4
Alice 3
Caroline 3
Charlotte 3
Harriet 3
Martha 3
Alicia 2
Clara 2
Elizth. 2
Emily 2
Kate 2
Laura 2
Lilian 2
Louisa 2
Minnie 2
Sophia 2
Anna 1
Anne 1
Catharine 1
Catherine 1
Dorothy 1
Ella 1
Elorna 1
Francis 1
Georgiania 1
Habbigal 1
Harriett 1
Hester 1
Jemima 1
M.E. 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Muriel 1
Rebeccah 1
Rose 1
S.J. 1
Selina 1
Susan 1
Thomasin 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 22
John 12
Thomas 9
George 5
Charles 4
Edward 4
Henry 4
Robert 4
Fred 3
Harry 3
James 3
Samuel 3
Arthur 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Fredrick 2
Joseph 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Walter 2
Daniel 1
David 1
Eli 1
Elijah 1
Enoch 1
Frederick 1
Ged 1
H. 1
J.D. 1
J.N. 1
Lanceloth 1
Launcelot 1
Lavina 1
Leonard 1
Peter 1
Robt. 1
T.H. 1
Vero 1

FAQ

Driffield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Driffield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 249 people were recorded with the Driffield surname. That placed it at #11,103 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Driffield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 228 in 2016. That gives Driffield a modern rank of #17,936.

What does the Driffield map show?

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