UK surname
An occupational surname for one who worked in a field by hand.
In the 1881 census there were 14 people recorded with the Handfield surname, ranking it #31,604 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 28, ranked #36,125, down from #31,604 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Dudley, St Leonard Shoreditch and Cheddar, Nyland with Batcombe, Rodney Stoke. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Handfield is 109 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 100.0%.
1881 census count
14
Ranked #31,604
Modern count
28
2016, ranked #36,125
Peak year
1861
109 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Handfield surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Handfield surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 22 | #29,378 |
| 1861 | historical | 109 | #19,693 |
| 1881 | historical | 14 | #31,604 |
| 1891 | historical | 20 | #32,579 |
| 1901 | historical | 22 | #31,562 |
| 1911 | historical | 21 | #31,179 |
| 1997 | modern | 29 | #34,795 |
| 1998 | modern | 28 | #35,053 |
| 1999 | modern | 26 | #35,320 |
| 2000 | modern | 29 | #34,976 |
| 2001 | modern | 29 | #34,839 |
| 2002 | modern | 26 | #35,338 |
| 2003 | modern | 28 | #35,200 |
| 2004 | modern | 29 | #35,270 |
| 2005 | modern | 23 | #35,924 |
| 2006 | modern | 24 | #35,981 |
| 2007 | modern | 25 | #36,006 |
| 2008 | modern | 25 | #36,072 |
| 2009 | modern | 28 | #35,988 |
| 2010 | modern | 28 | #36,084 |
| 2011 | modern | 26 | #36,193 |
| 2012 | modern | 30 | #35,929 |
| 2013 | modern | 25 | #36,276 |
| 2014 | modern | 26 | #36,244 |
| 2015 | modern | 25 | #36,297 |
| 2016 | modern | 28 | #36,125 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Dudley, St Leonard Shoreditch, Cheddar, Nyland with Batcombe, Rodney Stoke, Mark, Chapel Allerton, Weare, East Brent, South Brent and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dudley | Staffordshire |
| 2 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 3 | Cheddar, Nyland with Batcombe, Rodney Stoke | Somerset |
| 4 | Mark, Chapel Allerton, Weare, East Brent, South Brent | Somerset |
| 5 | St Matthew Bethnal Green | London (East Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Handfield surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Handfield, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Handfield surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Handfield household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Handfield is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Handfield is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Handfield, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Handfield originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from an Old English place name meaning "the high field" or "the fields on the hill." The earliest known bearers of this name lived in the county of Lancashire, where several hamlets and villages carried similar place names.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Handfield surname dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named Radulfus de Handefeld is listed as holding estates in Cheshire. This entry provides evidence that the name was already well-established in Northwest England by the late 11th century.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the Handfield family maintained a presence in Lancashire and neighboring counties. Historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries mention various individuals bearing variations of the name, such as Handefield, Handefelde, and Handefeldia.
One notable figure from this era was Sir John de Handefield, a knight who fought alongside Edward III in the Battle of Crecy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346. He was renowned for his bravery and later granted lands in Staffordshire for his service.
As the centuries passed, the spelling of the name evolved, eventually settling on the modern form of Handfield. In the 16th century, records show a Robert Handfield who was a prominent landowner in Lancashire, born around 1520.
Another distinguished bearer of the Handfield name was Thomas Handfield, a Puritan minister born in Cheshire in 1633. He was a prolific writer and published several works on religious subjects before his death in 1681.
During the 18th century, the Handfield family expanded their influence beyond the Northwest of England. One notable member was Sir Henry Handfield, born in 1729, who served as a member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire from 1768 to 1784.
The 19th century saw the rise of Sir Edward Handfield, a successful industrialist and inventor from Lancashire. Born in 1812, he pioneered several innovations in textile manufacturing and was knighted for his contributions to British industry in 1876.
Over the centuries, the Handfield surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including clergymen, soldiers, politicians, and entrepreneurs. While the name's origins can be traced back to medieval England, its bearers have left their mark across various regions and historical periods.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Handfield surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 8 Handfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.86x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 4 Handfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 67.45x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Bethnal Green London | 4 | 67.45x |
| Chelsea London | 2 | 48.66x |
| Kingston On Thames | 2 | 125.00x |
| South Brent | 2 | 5000.00x |
| St Martin In Fields | 2 | 243.90x |
| Penge | 1 | 114.94x |
| Woking | 1 | 250.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Handfield surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Handfield surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Handfield households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Retired | 2 |
| Fin Clerk In Mercht Office | 1 |
| Governess | 1 |
| Income From Dividends | 1 |
| None | 1 |
| Porter | 1 |
| Secretary (Clk) | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 14 people were recorded with the Handfield surname. That placed it at #31,604 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 28 in 2016. That gives Handfield a modern rank of #36,125.
An occupational surname for one who worked in a field by hand.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Handfield bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.