NameCensus.

UK surname

Fordham

A locational surname referring to a place in Essex, England, meaning "ford by the homestead."

In the 1881 census there were 2,398 people recorded with the Fordham surname, ranking it #1,860 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,302, ranked #2,061, down from #1,860 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Willesden, London parishes and Soham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Cambridgeshire, Cambridge and Fenland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fordham is 3,642 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.7%.

1881 census count

2,398

Ranked #1,860

Modern count

3,302

2016, ranked #2,061

Peak year

1998

3,642 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fordham had 2,398 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,860 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,302 in 2016, ranked #2,061.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,395 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Fordham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fordham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fordham 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 1,409 #2,043
1861 historical 1,453 #1,951
1881 historical 2,398 #1,860
1891 historical 2,655 #1,794
1901 historical 3,063 #1,825
1911 historical 3,395 #1,542
1997 modern 3,504 #1,849
1998 modern 3,642 #1,852
1999 modern 3,638 #1,866
2000 modern 3,591 #1,892
2001 modern 3,507 #1,885
2002 modern 3,572 #1,899
2003 modern 3,502 #1,884
2004 modern 3,488 #1,898
2005 modern 3,418 #1,901
2006 modern 3,386 #1,919
2007 modern 3,376 #1,949
2008 modern 3,403 #1,950
2009 modern 3,489 #1,950
2010 modern 3,508 #1,984
2011 modern 3,455 #1,993
2012 modern 3,392 #1,983
2013 modern 3,385 #2,029
2014 modern 3,386 #2,041
2015 modern 3,324 #2,053
2016 modern 3,302 #2,061

Geography

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Where Fordhams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Willesden, London parishes, Soham and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Cambridgeshire, Cambridge and Fenland. 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 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Soham Cambridgeshire
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Cambridgeshire 006 East Cambridgeshire
2 Cambridge 001 Cambridge
3 Cambridge 003 Cambridge
4 Cambridge 011 Cambridge
5 Fenland 006 Fenland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fordham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fordham

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Fordham, 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 Fordham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Fordham 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Fordham 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

Fordham is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fordham falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fordham 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 Fordham, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Fordham

The surname Fordham originated in England during the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the town of Fordham in Cambridgeshire. The name is composed of the Old English words "ford" meaning a shallow place where a river can be crossed and "ham" meaning a homestead or village.

The earliest recorded instance of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Fordeham". This entry refers to the village of Fordham, indicating the name's origins as a place name before becoming a hereditary surname.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records with different spellings such as Fordeham, Fordam, and Fordham. One notable example is Robert de Fordham, who was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1285.

During the 14th century, the surname spread beyond Cambridgeshire, with records showing instances of the name in other parts of England. One example is John Fordham, a prominent merchant from London, who was born around 1350.

In the 15th century, the Fordham family established themselves as landowners and members of the gentry class. Sir John Fordham, born in 1425, was a Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire and served as the High Sheriff of the county.

Another notable figure was George Fordham, a scholar and clergyman born in 1552. He was appointed as the Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and played a significant role in the academic and religious life of the university.

In the 17th century, the Fordham family continued to hold influential positions. Nicholas Fordham, born in 1620, was a prominent lawyer and served as the Recorder of Bristol.

The 18th century saw the rise of John Fordham, a renowned architect born in 1728. He designed several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St Mary Woolnoth and the western wing of Somerset House.

In the 19th century, one of the most famous individuals with the surname Fordham was Edward Fordham Flower, born in 1805. He was a pioneering artist and a member of the Royal Academy, known for his landscape paintings of the English countryside.

Throughout its history, the surname Fordham has been associated with various professions, including law, academia, religion, architecture, and the arts, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who have carried this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fordham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fordham 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. Middlesex leads with 675 Fordhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.87x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 675 2.87x
Cambridgeshire 343 23.05x
Surrey 278 2.43x
Essex 247 5.33x
Suffolk 174 6.08x
Kent 147 1.83x
Hertfordshire 117 7.23x
Huntingdonshire 97 20.80x
Yorkshire 94 0.40x
Norfolk 45 1.25x
Durham 29 0.42x
Sussex 29 0.73x
Lancashire 15 0.05x
Hampshire 13 0.27x
Staffordshire 10 0.13x
Warwickshire 10 0.17x
Leicestershire 9 0.35x
Lincolnshire 9 0.24x
Northamptonshire 8 0.36x
Oxfordshire 8 0.55x
Buckinghamshire 7 0.49x
Derbyshire 6 0.16x
Royal Navy 6 2.14x
Pembrokeshire 5 0.67x
Glamorgan 4 0.10x
Monmouthshire 4 0.24x
Northumberland 3 0.09x
Bedfordshire 2 0.16x
Channel Islands 2 0.29x
Cheshire 2 0.04x
Devon 2 0.04x
Somerset 2 0.05x
Berkshire 1 0.06x
Cornwall 1 0.04x
Dorset 1 0.06x
Gloucestershire 1 0.02x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.03x
Shropshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 101 Fordhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.44x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 101 4.44x
Hackney London 79 6.00x
Bermondsey 58 8.29x
Mile End Old Town London 58 11.60x
Hadstock 54 1504.18x
Soham 47 146.78x
Chesterton 45 98.10x
Newington 41 4.73x
St Andrewthe Less 40 23.53x
Southwark St George Martyr 39 8.25x
Tottenham 37 9.89x
Bethnal Green London 36 3.53x
Camberwell 35 2.33x
Kensington London 34 2.60x
Shoreditch London 34 3.34x
Swaffham Bulbeck 33 551.84x
St Marylebone London 31 2.47x
St Pancras London 30 1.59x
Barrow 29 396.17x
Newmarket St Mary 28 127.50x
Clerkenwell London 25 4.51x
Hampstead London 24 6.56x
West Ham 24 2.34x
Rotherhithe 23 7.92x
Wood Ditton 23 184.89x
Hemingford Grey 22 308.12x
Lambeth 22 1.07x
Walthamstow 22 13.18x
Mistley 21 168.67x
Tewin 20 470.59x
Deptford St Paul 19 3.07x
Stanton 18 265.49x
Battersea 17 1.97x
Crayford 17 48.57x
Gillingham 17 10.29x
Burwell 14 78.52x
Hornsey 14 4.71x
Newmarket All Sts 14 127.50x
Plumstead 14 5.24x
Chatham 13 5.90x
Ipswich St Mathew 13 16.21x
Chelsea London 12 1.70x
Lewes St Ann 12 89.02x
Mile End New Town London 12 25.86x
Paddington London 12 1.39x
Rickinghall Superior 12 262.01x
St Ives 12 49.61x
St Luke London 12 3.19x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 11 68.11x
Quy 11 390.07x
St George Hanover Square 11 2.66x
St Martin In Fields 11 7.82x
Whittlesey St Mary St 11 21.17x
Abbots Ripton 10 315.46x
Barking 10 7.37x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 10 18.62x
Godmanchester 10 56.69x
South Lynn 10 24.53x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 10 9.25x
Bexley 9 12.70x
Bow London 9 3.01x
Broughton 9 381.36x
Clapham 9 3.06x
Fareham 9 15.55x
Faxfleet 9 450.00x
Hart 9 52.88x
Little Chesterford 9 523.26x
Little Thurrock 9 242.59x
Willesborough 9 41.76x
Bishop Stortford 8 14.79x
Bourn 8 122.51x
Erith 8 10.13x
Grays Thurrock 8 18.56x
Hendon 8 9.47x
Hilton 8 281.69x
Ipswich St Margaret 8 8.24x
Ixworth 8 99.13x
Orsett 8 66.17x
St Benedict Cambridge 8 95.35x
Thetford St Peter 8 84.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 126
Elizabeth 84
Sarah 62
Eliza 52
Emma 46
Emily 42
Ellen 41
Jane 35
Alice 33
Annie 31
Ann 29
Harriet 28
Susan 23
Louisa 21
Martha 21
Charlotte 20
Fanny 20
Florence 19
Maria 19
Caroline 17
Rebecca 17
Ada 15
Catherine 14
Hannah 14
Clara 13
Eleanor 12
Harriett 12
Julia 12
Kate 11
Sophia 11
Amelia 10
Jessie 10
Margaret 10
Lucy 9
Rose 9
Edith 8
Ethel 8
Matilda 8
Susannah 8
Anna 7
Frances 7
Lizzie 7
Beatrice 6
Esther 6
Lydia 6
Maud 6
Amy 5
Gertrude 5
Rachel 5
Rosa 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 164
John 107
George 99
James 79
Charles 71
Thomas 64
Henry 62
Frederick 40
Alfred 32
Arthur 32
Edward 25
Robert 22
Walter 21
Albert 19
Herbert 19
Joseph 17
Samuel 17
Harry 14
Richard 13
Ernest 11
Francis 9
Stephen 9
Wm. 9
Benjamin 8
David 8
Sidney 8
Abraham 7
Adam 7
Percy 7
Frederic 5
Fredk. 5
Chas. 4
Frank 4
Jas. 4
Jesse 4
Daniel 3
Dennis 3
Horace 3
Lewis 3
Morley 3
Nathan 3
Alfd. 2
Amos 2
Mark 2
Maurice 2
Philip 2
Ralph 2
Rd. 2
Robt. 2
Rupert 2

FAQ

Fordham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fordham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,398 people were recorded with the Fordham surname. That placed it at #1,860 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fordham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,302 in 2016. That gives Fordham a modern rank of #2,061.

What does the Fordham surname mean?

A locational surname referring to a place in Essex, England, meaning "ford by the homestead."

What does the Fordham map show?

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