NameCensus.

UK surname

Forder

An English habitational name for someone living near a ford or shallow river crossing.

In the 1881 census there were 1,056 people recorded with the Forder surname, ranking it #3,731 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,240, ranked #4,811, down from #3,731 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Chedgrave, London parishes and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Norfolk, Breckland and Broadland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Forder is 1,372 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.4%.

1881 census count

1,056

Ranked #3,731

Modern count

1,240

2016, ranked #4,811

Peak year

1999

1,372 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Forder had 1,056 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,731 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,240 in 2016, ranked #4,811.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,287 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Forder surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Forder surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Forder 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 718 #3,643
1861 historical 581 #4,540
1881 historical 1,056 #3,731
1891 historical 1,112 #3,814
1901 historical 1,199 #4,108
1911 historical 1,287 #3,697
1997 modern 1,335 #4,306
1998 modern 1,357 #4,389
1999 modern 1,372 #4,385
2000 modern 1,363 #4,395
2001 modern 1,341 #4,363
2002 modern 1,368 #4,374
2003 modern 1,332 #4,393
2004 modern 1,302 #4,475
2005 modern 1,257 #4,576
2006 modern 1,273 #4,531
2007 modern 1,274 #4,559
2008 modern 1,266 #4,615
2009 modern 1,290 #4,640
2010 modern 1,289 #4,740
2011 modern 1,270 #4,749
2012 modern 1,218 #4,854
2013 modern 1,275 #4,737
2014 modern 1,273 #4,771
2015 modern 1,254 #4,789
2016 modern 1,240 #4,811

Geography

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Where Forders are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Chedgrave, London parishes, Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Norfolk, Breckland, Broadland and Bristol. 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 Chedgrave Norfolk
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Norfolk 008 South Norfolk
2 Breckland 014 Breckland
3 Broadland 014 Broadland
4 South Norfolk 006 South Norfolk
5 Bristol 008 Bristol, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Forder

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Forder

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Forder surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Forder 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Forder 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

Forder 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

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

Meaning and origin of Forder

The surname Forder is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and it is first recorded in England during the 13th century. The name is believed to be a locational surname, derived from a place name such as Ford or Forder, which referred to a shallow river crossing or a ford.

In medieval times, the name was commonly spelled as Fordar, Fordor, or Fordour. These variations suggest that the name may have evolved from the Old English word "ford," meaning a shallow part of a river where it could be crossed on foot or by horse.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Forder can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279, where it is listed as "Willelmus Fordar." This entry suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the late 13th century.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname Forder began to appear in various historical records across England. For instance, John Forder was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1369, while a certain Thomas Forder was recorded in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1443.

Notable historical figures with the surname Forder include Robert Forder, a prominent English merchant and politician who served as the Mayor of Norwich in 1536 and 1550. Another notable bearer of the name was William Forder (c. 1535–1582), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Middlesex from 1579 until his death.

In the 17th century, the surname Forder appears to have been particularly concentrated in the counties of Kent, Sussex, and Essex. One notable example is Samuel Forder (c. 1628–1695), an English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Maldon in Essex.

Other historical figures with the surname Forder include John Forder (c. 1684–1758), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in Bath, and George Forder (1767–1840), an English painter and engraver known for his landscapes and architectural drawings.

The surname Forder has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Forder Green in Surrey, Forder Farm in Devon, and Forder's Lane in Kent. These place names further reinforce the locational origin of the surname and its connection to fords or river crossings.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Forder families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Forder 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. Norfolk leads with 306 Forders recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.32x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 306 19.32x
Hampshire 180 8.53x
Middlesex 144 1.40x
Surrey 105 2.09x
Wiltshire 62 6.81x
Kent 35 1.00x
Hertfordshire 25 3.52x
Yorkshire 25 0.24x
Suffolk 20 1.59x
Sussex 20 1.15x
Staffordshire 18 0.52x
Northamptonshire 11 1.14x
Nottinghamshire 11 0.79x
Lancashire 10 0.08x
Dorset 9 1.33x
Buckinghamshire 8 1.28x
Cumberland 8 0.90x
Durham 8 0.26x
Lincolnshire 8 0.49x
Gloucestershire 5 0.25x
Leicestershire 5 0.44x
Northumberland 5 0.33x
Berkshire 4 0.52x
Cheshire 4 0.18x
Shropshire 4 0.45x
Oxfordshire 3 0.47x
Devon 2 0.09x
Essex 2 0.10x
Herefordshire 2 0.47x
Royal Navy 2 1.63x
Somerset 2 0.12x
Warwickshire 2 0.08x
Monmouthshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Yarmouth in Norfolk leads with 48 Forders recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.59x.

Place Total Index
Great Yarmouth 48 36.59x
Downton 32 268.46x
Lambeth 23 2.56x
Lakenham 20 88.89x
Hardley 19 2209.30x
Camberwell 17 2.58x
Stevenage 17 154.41x
Chelsea London 16 5.15x
Wolverhampton 15 5.61x
Heigham 14 16.47x
Langley 14 1284.40x
Portsea 14 3.38x
St Marylebone London 14 2.55x
Bermondsey 13 4.24x
Chedgrave 13 1000.00x
Hale 13 2452.83x
Plumstead 13 11.10x
Bethnal Green London 12 2.68x
Norton Subcourse 12 937.50x
Ashby St Mary 11 1549.30x
Clapham 11 8.54x
Paddington London 11 2.90x
Seething 11 797.10x
South Stoneham 11 24.02x
Southampton St Mary 11 8.29x
St Pancras London 11 1.33x
Toft Monks 11 785.71x
Loddon 10 245.70x
Teddington London 10 42.84x
West Tisted 10 1612.90x
Broughton 9 282.13x
East Retford 9 74.69x
Salisbury St Martin 9 94.94x
Warblington 9 107.53x
Britford 8 132.89x
Broadwater 8 20.08x
East Tisted 8 1212.12x
Harrington 8 74.70x
Holbeck 8 11.83x
Islington London 8 0.80x
Kensington London 8 1.40x
St Bartholomew Hyde 8 158.42x
Bow London 7 5.34x
Brooke 7 281.12x
Chawton 7 419.16x
Clee With Weelsby 7 19.41x
Eaton St Andrew 7 159.09x
Framingham Pigot 7 843.37x
Frimley 7 48.95x
Hempnall 7 225.08x
Kingston On Thames 7 5.81x
Putney 7 14.91x
Southwark St Saviour 7 13.22x
St Albans St Peter 7 29.22x
Yarmouth 7 250.90x
Bentley 6 241.94x
Cantley 6 625.00x
Claxton 6 810.81x
Ealing 6 6.52x
Freethorpe 6 425.53x
Haddiscoe 6 431.65x
Hartwell 6 338.98x
Raveningham 6 705.88x
St George Hanover Square 6 3.31x
St George In East London 6 6.19x
Stanwell 6 78.74x
Weeke 6 93.75x
Aldeby 5 220.26x
Alnwick 5 18.98x
Everton 5 1.28x
Farleigh Wallop 5 1351.35x
Fittleton 5 409.84x
Froxfield 5 204.92x
Gisleham 5 467.29x
Hackney London 5 0.87x
Lowestoft 5 8.44x
Melbourne 5 306.75x
West Derby 5 1.40x
Wolverton 5 38.79x
Bingley 4 6.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 63
Elizabeth 43
Ellen 24
Jane 23
Emma 22
Sarah 20
Alice 18
Eliza 18
Ann 12
Martha 12
Emily 11
Florence 11
Harriet 10
Edith 9
Maria 9
Kate 8
Annie 7
Fanny 7
Amelia 6
Anne 6
Caroline 6
Charlotte 6
Clara 6
Hannah 6
Lucy 6
Susan 6
Laura 5
Louisa 5
Lydia 5
Margaret 5
Rosa 5
Catherine 4
Matilda 4
Rose 4
Selina 4
Agnes 3
Amy 3
Anna 3
Bessie 3
Esther 3
Flora 3
Frances 3
Helen 3
Julia 3
Sophia 3
Margret 2
Maud 2
May 2
Olive 2
Phoebe 2

Top male names

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

FAQ

Forder surname: questions and answers

How common was the Forder surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,056 people were recorded with the Forder surname. That placed it at #3,731 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Forder surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,240 in 2016. That gives Forder a modern rank of #4,811.

What does the Forder surname mean?

An English habitational name for someone living near a ford or shallow river crossing.

What does the Forder map show?

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