NameCensus.

UK surname

Gilford

An English habitational name derived from a place near Ludlow, Shropshire.

In the 1881 census there were 207 people recorded with the Gilford surname, ranking it #12,555 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 368, ranked #12,649, down from #12,555 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Wigston, Magna and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newcastle-under-Lyme, Shropshire and St. Helens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gilford is 410 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 77.8%.

1881 census count

207

Ranked #12,555

Modern count

368

2016, ranked #12,649

Peak year

2010

410 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gilford had 207 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,555 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 368 in 2016, ranked #12,649.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 325 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Gilford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gilford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gilford 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 161 #12,288
1861 historical 308 #8,233
1881 historical 207 #12,555
1891 historical 234 #13,352
1901 historical 236 #13,616
1911 historical 325 #10,783
1997 modern 349 #12,197
1998 modern 391 #11,539
1999 modern 391 #11,640
2000 modern 406 #11,271
2001 modern 390 #11,420
2002 modern 409 #11,250
2003 modern 389 #11,490
2004 modern 386 #11,579
2005 modern 371 #11,842
2006 modern 381 #11,644
2007 modern 370 #12,073
2008 modern 373 #12,104
2009 modern 390 #11,950
2010 modern 410 #11,754
2011 modern 403 #11,806
2012 modern 377 #12,238
2013 modern 381 #12,360
2014 modern 386 #12,318
2015 modern 371 #12,567
2016 modern 368 #12,649

Geography

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Where Gilfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Wigston, Magna, London parishes, Burrough, Somerby and Madeley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newcastle-under-Lyme, Shropshire, St. Helens and Cheshire West and Chester. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Wigston, Magna Leicestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Burrough, Somerby Leicestershire
5 Madeley Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newcastle-under-Lyme 009 Newcastle-under-Lyme
2 Shropshire 005 Shropshire
3 St. Helens 019 St. Helens
4 Cheshire West and Chester 007 Cheshire West and Chester
5 St. Helens 020 St. Helens

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gilford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gilford

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Gilford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Gilford household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Gilford is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Gilford is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gilford falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gilford

The surname Gilford originated in England during the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from a place called Guildford, which is located in the county of Surrey. The name Guildford itself is thought to come from the Old English words "gylde" meaning "golden" and "ford" meaning a shallow crossing of a river.

Guildford was an important town during the Anglo-Saxon period, and the name Gilford is recorded in various historical documents from that time. One of the earliest known references to the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "Geldeford."

In the 13th century, a prominent member of the Gilford family was Sir John Gilford, who served as Sheriff of Surrey and Sussex in 1265. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Gilford, who fought in the Hundred Years' War and was knighted for his bravery on the battlefield.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Gilford surname appeared in various parish records and court documents across England. One example is William Gilford, who was born in 1585 in Oxfordshire and later became a successful merchant in London.

In the 18th century, a famous bearer of the name was Samuel Gilford, an English poet and playwright who was born in 1720 and died in 1796. His works include the play "The Orphan of China" and several volumes of poetry.

Another notable individual with the surname Gilford was Sir Henry Gilford, a British military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in 1776 and later became a Lieutenant-General in the British Army, serving with distinction in several campaigns against the French.

Throughout history, the Gilford surname has been associated with various place names and locations across England, including Guildford in Surrey, as well as areas in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and other counties. The name has also been spelled in various ways, such as Guilford, Gylford, and Guildford, reflecting the evolution of the English language over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gilford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gilford 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. Leicestershire leads with 24 Gilfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.67x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 24 10.67x
Surrey 22 2.23x
Northamptonshire 15 7.86x
Staffordshire 15 2.19x
Durham 14 2.32x
Shropshire 13 7.42x
Gloucestershire 12 3.02x
Lancashire 10 0.42x
Middlesex 10 0.49x
Northumberland 9 2.98x
Herefordshire 8 9.62x
Kent 8 1.16x
Lanarkshire 8 1.22x
Monmouthshire 8 5.45x
Glamorgan 7 1.98x
Cheshire 5 1.12x
Somerset 4 1.22x
Midlothian 3 1.10x
Wiltshire 3 1.67x
Bedfordshire 2 1.90x
Hampshire 2 0.48x
Sussex 2 0.58x
Derbyshire 1 0.31x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.37x
Royal Navy 1 4.14x
Rutland 1 6.71x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Esh in Durham leads with 12 Gilfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 273.35x.

Place Total Index
Esh 12 273.35x
Rothwell 11 572.92x
Reigate Foreign 9 84.11x
Westbury On Severn East 9 100.00x
Bodenham 8 1311.48x
Govan 8 4.93x
Graig 8 1212.12x
Madeley 8 467.84x
Somerby 8 2162.16x
Camberwell 7 5.40x
Barton Upon Irwell 6 33.11x
Heaton 6 600.00x
Islington London 6 3.05x
Wigston Magna 6 201.34x
Bermondsey 5 8.28x
Stoke Upon Tern 5 769.23x
Cheswardine 4 533.33x
East Langton 4 2352.94x
Hunsterson 4 2857.14x
Newcastle Under Lyme 4 33.00x
St Lawrence 4 84.03x
Weston By Welland 4 2666.67x
Drayton In Hales 3 83.10x
Great Bolton 3 9.41x
Margam 3 76.14x
Merthyr Tydfil 3 8.83x
Portishead 3 123.46x
Tynemouth 3 18.55x
Bedford St Cuthbert 2 215.05x
Brighton 2 2.90x
Bristol St George 2 10.87x
Easton 2 909.09x
Folkestone 2 14.89x
Medbourne 2 512.82x
Owston 2 1666.67x
Sevenoaks 2 35.65x
Blackburn 1 1.56x
Brandon Byshottles 1 13.23x
Bristol St Augustine 1 15.58x
Coston 1 1111.11x
Darlington 1 4.29x
Devizes St Mary 1 55.25x
Dorking 1 15.06x
Edinburgh High Church 1 58.48x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.91x
Edinburgh Trinity 1 113.64x
Findern 1 357.14x
Fradswell 1 714.29x
Fulham London 1 3.40x
Great Casterton 1 454.55x
Llandough Near 1 1250.00x
Melton Mowbray 1 24.75x
Mucklestone 1 151.52x
Portbury 1 181.82x
Royal Navy 1 4.84x
Shoreditch London 1 1.14x
Southampton St Mary 1 3.82x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.80x
St Pancras London 1 0.61x
Stone 1 11.42x
Titchfield 1 31.95x
Tranmere 1 6.08x
West Bridgford 1 370.37x
Wrockwardine 1 25.97x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 15
Thomas 11
George 10
William 9
James 7
Joseph 5
Henry 4
Charles 3
Edward 3
Harry 3
Richard 3
Albert 2
Percy 2
Walter 2
Wilem. 2
Aaron 1
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Be... 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Elijah 1
Ernest 1
Evelyn 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Hastings 1
Herbert 1
Lessly 1
Lewis 1
Luther 1
Norman 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Tom 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Gilford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gilford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 207 people were recorded with the Gilford surname. That placed it at #12,555 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gilford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 368 in 2016. That gives Gilford a modern rank of #12,649.

What does the Gilford surname mean?

An English habitational name derived from a place near Ludlow, Shropshire.

What does the Gilford map show?

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