NameCensus.

UK surname

Gulliford

A locational surname referring to a person from the town of Guildford, England.

In the 1881 census there were 489 people recorded with the Gulliford surname, ranking it #6,883 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 760, ranked #7,210, down from #6,883 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Radstock and Midsomer Norton, Paulton, Chilcompton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torfaen, Caerphilly and Bath and North East Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gulliford is 791 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 55.4%.

1881 census count

489

Ranked #6,883

Modern count

760

2016, ranked #7,210

Peak year

2014

791 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gulliford had 489 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,883 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 760 in 2016, ranked #7,210.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 738 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gulliford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gulliford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gulliford 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 289 #7,860
1861 historical 300 #8,432
1881 historical 489 #6,883
1891 historical 516 #7,234
1901 historical 609 #6,988
1911 historical 738 #5,810
1997 modern 722 #7,068
1998 modern 727 #7,270
1999 modern 768 #7,006
2000 modern 761 #7,028
2001 modern 753 #6,966
2002 modern 777 #6,940
2003 modern 747 #7,043
2004 modern 745 #7,058
2005 modern 707 #7,271
2006 modern 719 #7,210
2007 modern 715 #7,308
2008 modern 726 #7,279
2009 modern 738 #7,342
2010 modern 752 #7,367
2011 modern 757 #7,255
2012 modern 768 #7,103
2013 modern 778 #7,133
2014 modern 791 #7,068
2015 modern 785 #7,047
2016 modern 760 #7,210

Geography

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Where Gullifords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Radstock, Midsomer Norton, Paulton, Chilcompton, Camerton, Dunkerton and Bedwelty. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torfaen, Caerphilly and Bath and North East Somerset. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Radstock Somerset
3 Midsomer Norton, Paulton, Chilcompton Somerset
4 Camerton, Dunkerton Somerset
5 Bedwelty Monmouthshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torfaen 003 Torfaen
2 Caerphilly 018 Caerphilly
3 Bath and North East Somerset 024 Bath and North East Somerset
4 Torfaen 002 Torfaen
5 Bath and North East Somerset 022 Bath and North East Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gulliford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gulliford

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Gulliford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Gulliford household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Gulliford 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

Gulliford is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gulliford falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gulliford is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Gulliford, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Gulliford

The surname Gulliford is an English locational name derived from the place name Gulliford, which is located in Devon, England. The name is believed to have originated in the late 12th or early 13th century and is thought to be derived from the Old English words "gyllan" meaning "to gulp" or "to swallow" and "ford" meaning a shallow place where a river or stream can be crossed.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Gulliford dates back to 1273, when a John de Gulliford was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Devon. The name also appears in various historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls and the Lay Subsidy Rolls of the 14th and 15th centuries.

One notable individual with the surname Gulliford was Sir Edward Gulliford (1587-1645), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Lyme Regis in 1628. He was also a supporter of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.

Another prominent figure was William Gulliford (1655-1725), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Bristol from 1718 until his death. He was known for his charitable work and efforts to improve the lives of the poor in his diocese.

In the 18th century, Thomas Gulliford (1715-1789) was a notable English architect who designed several churches and country houses in the Georgian style, including the Church of St. Mary in Warwick.

Moving into the 19th century, James Gulliford (1820-1895) was a successful businessman and industrialist who made his fortune in the iron and steel industry in Birmingham, England. He was also a philanthropist and donated funds to support education and healthcare in the city.

Lastly, in the early 20th century, Emily Gulliford (1890-1975) was a renowned English author and poet who wrote several novels and collections of poetry that explored themes of love, nature, and the human experience.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gulliford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gulliford 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. Somerset leads with 285 Gullifords recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.37x.

County Total Index
Somerset 285 36.37x
Middlesex 62 1.27x
Monmouthshire 32 9.09x
Hampshire 22 2.21x
Dorset 17 5.32x
Glamorgan 16 1.89x
Channel Islands 9 6.24x
Yorkshire 9 0.19x
Lancashire 8 0.14x
Cornwall 7 1.27x
Gloucestershire 7 0.73x
Kent 7 0.42x
Lincolnshire 4 0.51x
Surrey 4 0.17x
Devon 3 0.30x
Sussex 3 0.37x
Worcestershire 2 0.31x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.32x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Midsomer Norton in Somerset leads with 41 Gullifords recorded in 1881 and an index of 555.56x.

Place Total Index
Midsomer Norton 41 555.56x
Radstock 40 776.70x
Islington London 27 5.72x
Shepton Mallet 21 238.91x
Camerton 20 877.19x
Southampton St Mary 16 25.50x
Castle Cary 15 439.88x
Trevethin 15 45.14x
Aisholt 12 6000.00x
Bedminster 11 14.94x
Chilton Trinity 10 3571.43x
Llanover 9 74.88x
St Helier 9 19.17x
Cardiff St Mary 8 17.13x
Westminster St James 8 15.99x
Ecclesfield 7 19.79x
Frome 7 37.35x
Goathurst 7 1627.91x
Gorton 7 12.89x
Llandaff 7 24.82x
North Brewham 7 1842.11x
Shaftesbury Holy Trinity 7 424.24x
St Giles In Fields London 7 29.31x
Bruton 6 194.81x
Falmouth 6 30.75x
Nether Stowey 6 487.80x
Almsford 5 1020.41x
Chepstow 5 83.47x
Dorchester St Peter 5 215.52x
Dunkerton 5 294.12x
Exford 5 657.89x
Faversham 5 31.57x
Horsington 5 400.00x
Kingsdon 5 847.46x
Luccombe 5 806.45x
Shaftesbury St James 5 299.40x
Boston 4 16.94x
Bristol St Paul In 4 15.73x
Feltham 4 82.30x
Paulton 4 111.42x
Shoreditch London 4 1.90x
Walcot 4 9.59x
Aberystruth 3 9.67x
Babington 3 937.50x
Blackford 3 1304.35x
Burnham 3 50.25x
Nunney 3 176.47x
Stogursey 3 142.86x
Subdeanery 3 48.15x
Wincanton 3 74.44x
Alverstoke 2 5.54x
Barnstaple 2 12.58x
Bridgewater 2 9.40x
Deptford St Nicholas 2 15.17x
Dudley 2 2.59x
Hanwell 2 23.18x
Hound 2 29.54x
Kilmington 2 250.00x
Lambeth 2 0.47x
Pitminster 2 86.96x
Poplar London 2 2.18x
Portsea 2 1.02x
St Martin In Fields 2 6.86x
Westbury 2 200.00x
Bitton Oldland 1 10.25x
Camberwell 1 0.32x
Cannington 1 42.92x
Croscombe 1 104.17x
Croydon 1 0.76x
Durston 1 270.27x
Fulham London 1 1.42x
Kensington London 1 0.37x
Lyncombe Widcombe 1 4.88x
Mells 1 61.73x
Pitcombe 1 142.86x
Spaxton 1 65.36x
Stoke Newington London 1 2.64x
Tottenham 1 1.29x
Westbury On Trym 1 3.09x
Whitchurch 1 119.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Elizabeth 26
Sarah 15
Emma 10
Ann 9
Eliza 9
Alice 8
Jane 8
Kate 7
Emily 6
Martha 6
Caroline 5
Ellen 5
Amy 4
Florence 4
Annie 3
Bessie 3
Edith 3
Elizth. 3
Hannah 3
Henrietta 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Elizth.A. 2
Eva 2
Harriet 2
Hester 2
Julia 2
Lily 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Matilda 2
Mercy 2
Susan 2
Agnes 1
Camela 1
Catherine 1
Dorcas 1
Eleanor 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizath. 1
Francies 1
Fredericka 1
Helen 1
Helena 1
Vera 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 30
John 20
Henry 17
George 16
James 11
Alfred 9
Edward 9
Albert 7
Frederick 7
Joseph 7
Samuel 7
Thomas 7
Walter 5
Arthur 4
Charles 4
Fred 4
Harry 4
Robert 4
Uriah 4
Edwin 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Isaac 3
Benjamin 2
David 2
Fred. 2
Oliver 2
Richard 2
Simon 2
Tom 2
Caleb 1
Cecil 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Enock 1
Frederic 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
J. 1
Job 1
Lott 1
Mark 1
Moses 1
Owen 1
Robt. 1
Sam 1
Septimas 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
Wyndham 1

FAQ

Gulliford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gulliford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 489 people were recorded with the Gulliford surname. That placed it at #6,883 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gulliford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 760 in 2016. That gives Gulliford a modern rank of #7,210.

What does the Gulliford surname mean?

A locational surname referring to a person from the town of Guildford, England.

What does the Gulliford map show?

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