NameCensus.

UK surname

Forde

An Irish toponymic surname derived from a ford or river crossing.

In the 1881 census there were 235 people recorded with the Forde surname, ranking it #11,573 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,205, ranked #2,121, up from #11,573 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Wimbledon and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, West Oxfordshire and Luton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Forde is 3,214 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1263.8%.

1881 census count

235

Ranked #11,573

Modern count

3,205

2016, ranked #2,121

Peak year

2014

3,214 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Forde had 235 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,573 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,205 in 2016, ranked #2,121.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 349 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Forde surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Forde surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Forde 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 147 #13,084
1861 historical 213 #11,419
1881 historical 235 #11,573
1891 historical 198 #15,033
1901 historical 242 #13,392
1911 historical 349 #10,282
1997 modern 2,771 #2,318
1998 modern 2,912 #2,314
1999 modern 2,944 #2,299
2000 modern 2,935 #2,295
2001 modern 2,865 #2,299
2002 modern 2,898 #2,323
2003 modern 2,851 #2,306
2004 modern 2,890 #2,279
2005 modern 2,897 #2,235
2006 modern 2,886 #2,246
2007 modern 2,969 #2,198
2008 modern 2,945 #2,235
2009 modern 3,096 #2,182
2010 modern 3,210 #2,152
2011 modern 3,124 #2,183
2012 modern 3,077 #2,172
2013 modern 3,148 #2,161
2014 modern 3,214 #2,146
2015 modern 3,207 #2,128
2016 modern 3,205 #2,121

Geography

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Where Fordes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Wimbledon, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kensington and Chelsea, West Oxfordshire, Luton, Gwynedd and Brent. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Wimbledon Surrey
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kensington and Chelsea 004 Kensington and Chelsea
2 West Oxfordshire 001 West Oxfordshire
3 Luton 008 Luton
4 Gwynedd 006 Gwynedd
5 Brent 031 Brent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Forde

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Forde

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Forde surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Forde household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Forde is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Forde is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Forde

The surname Forde is of English origin and is derived from the Old English word "ford," which means a shallow place where a river or stream can be crossed. It is believed to have originated as a topographic name for someone who lived near a ford or a crossing point over a river.

The name Forde can be traced back to the 11th century and is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was "de la Forde," which appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1187.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Forde was particularly prominent in the counties of Somerset, Dorset, and Devon in the southwest of England. There are several place names in these counties that incorporate the word "ford," such as Bradford (broad ford), Sampford (sandy ford), and Radford (red ford).

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Forde was Sir John Forde (c. 1470-1542), an English soldier and courtier during the reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII. He served as Lord Privy Seal and was appointed Governor of the Isle of Wight in 1536.

Another notable bearer of the name was Edward Forde (1765-1770), a British naval officer who played a significant role in the capture of Fort St. David and the French settlement of Pondicherry during the Seven Years' War in India.

In the literary world, the surname Forde is associated with Charles Forde (1897-1979), an Irish-born poet and playwright who was a member of the Irish literary renaissance movement in the early 20th century.

The name Forde has also been connected to the automotive industry through Henry Ford (1863-1947), the American industrialist and founder of the Ford Motor Company. Although his surname is spelled differently, it is believed to have originated from the same Old English root word "ford."

Another prominent figure with the surname Forde was Samuel Forde (1805-1828), an English cricketer who played for the Marylebone Cricket Club and is considered one of the earliest professional cricketers in the game's history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Forde families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Forde 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. Surrey leads with 40 Fordes recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.55x.

County Total Index
Surrey 40 3.55x
Lancashire 34 1.24x
Middlesex 29 1.25x
Cheshire 22 4.31x
Midlothian 12 3.88x
Suffolk 12 4.26x
Yorkshire 12 0.52x
Glamorgan 9 2.24x
Lanarkshire 9 1.20x
Devon 7 1.45x
Kent 6 0.76x
Northamptonshire 6 2.76x
Dorset 5 3.30x
Durham 5 0.73x
Monmouthshire 5 2.99x
Gloucestershire 4 0.88x
Royal Navy 4 14.52x
Sussex 4 1.03x
Worcestershire 4 1.33x
Somerset 2 0.54x
Huntingdonshire 1 2.18x
Oxfordshire 1 0.70x
Roxburghshire 1 2.39x
Shropshire 1 0.50x
Warwickshire 1 0.17x
Wiltshire 1 0.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Peasenhall in Suffolk leads with 12 Fordes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1764.71x.

Place Total Index
Peasenhall 12 1764.71x
Wimbledon 12 94.86x
Llantwit Vairdre 9 199.12x
St Botolph Aldgate London 8 168.07x
Walton On Hill 8 53.84x
Claughton With Grange 7 301.72x
Manchester 7 5.67x
Edinburgh Old Church 6 240.96x
Liverpool 6 3.60x
Penge 6 40.62x
St Andrew Holborn London 6 59.94x
Blantyre 5 64.27x
Bowling 5 22.04x
Colyton 5 270.27x
Dorking 5 66.14x
Monks Coppenhall 5 25.96x
Parkstone 5 282.49x
St Woollos 5 26.81x
Welton 5 1282.05x
Westoe 5 12.82x
Eltham 4 86.58x
Hulme 4 6.98x
Lambeth 4 1.98x
Leftwich 4 176.21x
Oldbury 4 26.94x
Royal Navy 4 16.99x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 8.60x
Barrow In Furness 3 8.04x
Birkenhead 3 7.37x
Coln St Aldwins 3 857.14x
Duddingston 3 48.23x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 2.41x
Hammersmith London 3 5.27x
Sheffield 3 4.11x
Ticehurst 3 126.05x
Bermondsey 2 2.91x
Castle Cary 2 123.46x
Glasgow 2 1.51x
Newington 2 2.34x
St George Hanover Square 2 4.91x
Stockport 2 7.62x
Aighton Bailey 1 75.76x
Barnes 1 21.01x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 4.59x
Bothwell 1 4.93x
Bradford 1 1.80x
Bristol St Augustine 1 13.66x
Camberwell 1 0.68x
Chapel Allerton 1 29.15x
Clapham 1 3.46x
Conington 1 434.78x
Eastham 1 147.06x
Eccleston In Prescot 1 7.26x
Farringdon 1 416.67x
Fisherton De La Mere 1 434.78x
Formby 1 32.15x
Hackney London 1 0.77x
Hascombe 1 294.12x
Headingley Cum Burley 1 6.78x
Hougham 1 21.32x
Hove 1 5.85x
Islington London 1 0.45x
Kelso 1 23.98x
Kettering 1 11.38x
Kings Nympton 1 200.00x
Kingston On Thames 1 3.70x
Kirkdale 1 2.17x
Leeds 1 0.77x
Mile End Old Town London 1 2.03x
Paddington London 1 1.18x
Rutherglen 1 9.12x
Shifnal 1 18.45x
Shoreditch London 1 1.00x
Spitalfields London 1 5.75x
St Marylebone London 1 0.81x
St Pancras London 1 0.54x
Standish With Langtree 1 29.59x
Teddington London 1 19.08x
Westminster St James 1 4.21x
Woolwich 1 3.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 17
Thomas 8
William 8
James 7
Alfred 4
Henry 4
Patrick 4
Michael 3
Samuel 3
Alexander 2
Charles 2
David 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Garret 2
Geo. 2
George 2
Jeremiah 2
Martin 2
Matthew 2
Richard 2
Timothy 2
Andrew 1
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Bartholemew 1
Belshosa 1
Chas. 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Emanuel 1
Emmanuel 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Gerald 1
Herbert 1
Joseph 1
Lionel 1
Louis 1
Mathew 1
Reginald 1
Robert 1
Saml. 1
Sidney 1
T.P. 1
Thoma 1
W. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Forde surname: questions and answers

How common was the Forde surname in 1881?

In 1881, 235 people were recorded with the Forde surname. That placed it at #11,573 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Forde surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,205 in 2016. That gives Forde a modern rank of #2,121.

What does the Forde surname mean?

An Irish toponymic surname derived from a ford or river crossing.

What does the Forde map show?

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