NameCensus.

UK surname

Guilford

Derived from a place name meaning "golden ford" in Old English, referring to a ford crossing a river.

In the 1881 census there were 244 people recorded with the Guilford surname, ranking it #11,258 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 266, ranked #16,094, down from #11,258 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kettering, Suffolk Coastal and North West Leicestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Guilford is 376 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.0%.

1881 census count

244

Ranked #11,258

Modern count

266

2016, ranked #16,094

Peak year

1901

376 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Guilford had 244 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,258 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 266 in 2016, ranked #16,094.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 376 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Guilford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Guilford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Guilford 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 225 #9,509
1861 historical 195 #12,263
1881 historical 244 #11,258
1891 historical 285 #11,515
1901 historical 376 #9,899
1911 historical 360 #10,063
1997 modern 285 #13,981
1998 modern 301 #13,861
1999 modern 300 #13,958
2000 modern 287 #14,345
2001 modern 265 #14,915
2002 modern 271 #14,966
2003 modern 268 #14,897
2004 modern 267 #15,038
2005 modern 260 #15,250
2006 modern 255 #15,521
2007 modern 256 #15,647
2008 modern 253 #15,941
2009 modern 261 #15,926
2010 modern 267 #16,029
2011 modern 260 #16,188
2012 modern 282 #15,158
2013 modern 287 #15,224
2014 modern 285 #15,416
2015 modern 275 #15,707
2016 modern 266 #16,094

Geography

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Where Guilfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Lambeth, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kettering, Suffolk Coastal, North West Leicestershire, Wiltshire and South Derbyshire. 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 3
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kettering 003 Kettering
2 Suffolk Coastal 002 Suffolk Coastal
3 North West Leicestershire 001 North West Leicestershire
4 Wiltshire 041 Wiltshire
5 South Derbyshire 006 South Derbyshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Guilford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Guilford

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Guilford, 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 Guilford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Guilford 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Guilford 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

Guilford is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Guilford

The surname Guilford is of English origin, derived from the place name Guildford, which is a town in Surrey, England. The name Guildford is thought to have originated from the Old English words "gylde" meaning "guild" and "ford" meaning "a shallow place where a river can be crossed."

The earliest recorded spelling of the name Guilford appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Gildeforde." This indicates that the name has been in use since at least the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the town of Guildford was an important center for wool trade and cloth manufacturing. It is likely that some individuals who lived or worked in Guildford adopted the place name as their surname.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the surname Guilford was William de Guilford, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1198.

In the 16th century, Sir Henry Guilford (1489-1532) was a prominent figure in the court of King Henry VIII. He served as Controller of the Royal Household and was involved in the dissolution of the monasteries.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Edward Guilford (1568-1618), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the reign of King James I.

Francis North, 6th Baron Guilford (1637-1685), was an English lawyer and judge who served as Lord Keeper of the Great Seal during the reign of King Charles II.

In the late 18th century, John Guilford (1766-1828) was an English architect and surveyor who designed several buildings in London, including the Royal Opera House.

The surname Guilford has also been associated with places named after the town of Guildford, such as Guilford County in North Carolina, United States, and Guilford, Connecticut.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Guilford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Guilford 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. Lancashire leads with 44 Guilfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.56x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 44 1.56x
Leicestershire 38 14.40x
Staffordshire 31 3.86x
Sussex 23 5.73x
Wiltshire 17 8.08x
Nottinghamshire 15 4.68x
Surrey 14 1.21x
Somerset 9 2.35x
Kent 8 0.99x
Middlesex 8 0.34x
Yorkshire 7 0.30x
Derbyshire 6 1.61x
Monmouthshire 6 3.49x
Glamorgan 4 0.97x
Hampshire 3 0.62x
Hertfordshire 3 1.83x
Northamptonshire 3 1.34x
Berkshire 2 1.12x
Rutland 2 11.44x
Dorset 1 0.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 12 Guilfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.82x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 12 14.82x
Knighton 10 671.14x
Manchester 10 7.87x
Leicester St Margaret 9 13.99x
Radford 9 55.21x
Twerton 9 227.85x
Farnworth 8 47.28x
Belgrave 7 117.45x
Burton Upon Trent 7 37.23x
Lambeth 7 3.37x
Stoke Upon Trent 7 8.22x
Tyrley 7 1129.03x
Wavertree 7 77.43x
Handsworth 6 30.30x
Hulme 6 10.18x
Moston 6 212.01x
Standard Hill 6 789.47x
Aberystruth 5 32.96x
Lee 5 42.41x
Milton Lilborne 5 1020.41x
Oving 5 367.65x
Everleigh 4 1379.31x
Great Glenn 4 571.43x
Hallaton 4 689.66x
Marlborough St Mary Virgin 4 270.27x
York St Saviour 4 177.78x
Battersea 3 3.43x
Hackney London 3 2.25x
Hove 3 17.04x
Kirkdale 3 6.31x
Leeds 3 2.25x
Rickmansworth 3 66.37x
Rottingdean 3 218.98x
Sawley 3 267.86x
Wilne 3 352.94x
Aldbourn 2 162.60x
Bulwick 2 740.74x
Dilhorne 2 149.25x
Kingston On Thames 2 7.18x
Leicester St Nicholas 2 134.23x
Liverpool 2 1.17x
Llangynwyd Middle 2 377.36x
Portsea 2 2.09x
Reading St Giles 2 11.41x
St Marylebone London 2 1.57x
Tonbridge 2 6.83x
Alton Barnes 1 769.23x
Ashby De La Zouch 1 16.34x
Carisbrooke 1 14.77x
Castle Donnington 1 45.66x
Desborough 1 59.52x
Duffryn 1 454.55x
Edith Weston 1 344.83x
Empingham 1 149.25x
Iwerne Courtnay 1 95.24x
Kibblestone 1 588.24x
Little Chalfield 1 2500.00x
Llanblethian 1 169.49x
Llangynwyd Lower 1 270.27x
Madeley 1 50.00x
Richmond 1 6.15x
Sittingbourne 1 15.60x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.38x
St Martin In Fields 1 7.02x
St Pancras London 1 0.52x
Stretford 1 6.44x
Sutton 1 11.92x
West Derby 1 1.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Alice 8
Ellen 7
Harriet 7
Sarah 7
Elizabeth 6
Ann 5
Jane 5
Emma 4
Annie 3
Charlotte 3
Eliza 3
Hannah 3
Matilda 3
Ada 2
Hester 2
Isabella 2
Rebecca 2
Ada.M.A. 1
Anna 1
Annette 1
Betsey 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Ella 1
Emily 1
Ester 1
Esther 1
Eug. 1
Felica 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Gerrard 1
Gertrude 1
Jessie 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Margrett 1
Marianne 1
Martha 1
Naomi 1
Rachel 1
Rose 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1
Walter 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 18
Thomas 16
John 15
George 13
Alfred 7
James 6
Charles 5
Henry 5
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Francis 3
Albert 2
Amos 2
Fredk. 2
Harry 2
Jno. 2
Joseph 2
Wm. 2
Butler 1
David 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Herbert 1
Holnell 1
Kaye 1
Lewis 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Walker 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Guilford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Guilford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 244 people were recorded with the Guilford surname. That placed it at #11,258 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Guilford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 266 in 2016. That gives Guilford a modern rank of #16,094.

What does the Guilford surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "golden ford" in Old English, referring to a ford crossing a river.

What does the Guilford map show?

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