NameCensus.

UK surname

Horsfield

An English surname derived from an occupational term referring to someone who worked with horses.

In the 1881 census there were 2,010 people recorded with the Horsfield surname, ranking it #2,188 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,376, ranked #2,760, down from #2,188 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ecclesfield, Halifax and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, Sheffield and St. Helens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Horsfield is 2,947 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.2%.

1881 census count

2,010

Ranked #2,188

Modern count

2,376

2016, ranked #2,760

Peak year

1911

2,947 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Horsfield had 2,010 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,188 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,376 in 2016, ranked #2,760.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,947 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Horsfield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Horsfield surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Horsfield 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 1,248 #2,291
1861 historical 1,146 #2,454
1881 historical 2,010 #2,188
1891 historical 2,322 #2,021
1901 historical 2,639 #2,092
1911 historical 2,947 #1,761
1997 modern 2,464 #2,546
1998 modern 2,525 #2,587
1999 modern 2,515 #2,621
2000 modern 2,552 #2,569
2001 modern 2,512 #2,551
2002 modern 2,541 #2,578
2003 modern 2,481 #2,583
2004 modern 2,468 #2,600
2005 modern 2,390 #2,640
2006 modern 2,372 #2,654
2007 modern 2,376 #2,676
2008 modern 2,379 #2,691
2009 modern 2,446 #2,690
2010 modern 2,482 #2,715
2011 modern 2,461 #2,712
2012 modern 2,393 #2,720
2013 modern 2,419 #2,740
2014 modern 2,431 #2,741
2015 modern 2,395 #2,751
2016 modern 2,376 #2,760

Geography

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Where Horsfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ecclesfield, Halifax, Manchester, Bradford and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley, Sheffield and St. Helens. 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 Ecclesfield Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 016 Barnsley
2 Sheffield 001 Sheffield
3 Sheffield 039 Sheffield
4 St. Helens 015 St. Helens
5 Barnsley 030 Barnsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Horsfield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Horsfield

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Horsfield surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Horsfield household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Horsfield 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

Horsfield is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Horsfield falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Horsfield

The surname Horsfield has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old English words "hors" meaning horse, and "feld" meaning field or pasture, likely indicating that the original bearers of the name were involved in horse breeding or lived near a field where horses were kept.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Horsfield can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Horsfelda." This suggests that the name was already established in parts of England by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

During the Middle Ages, the name Horsfield was predominantly concentrated in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, where many families bearing the name were landowners or farmers. The spelling of the name evolved over time, with variations such as Horsfeild, Horsefelde, and Horsefield appearing in historical records.

A notable early bearer of the name was John Horsfield, a wealthy merchant from York who lived in the 14th century. Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Horsfield, a military commander who fought in the Wars of the Roses during the 15th century.

In the 16th century, the Horsfield family established themselves as landowners in the village of Horsfield, near Leeds, which was likely named after the family itself. This village is mentioned in historical records from the time, including the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1524.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, several members of the Horsfield family made significant contributions to various fields. For example, Thomas Horsfield (1773-1859) was a renowned naturalist and explorer who studied the flora and fauna of Java and other parts of Southeast Asia.

Another notable figure was Richard Horsfield (1670-1739), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from Liverpool who founded the Horsfield Trust, which provided financial assistance to underprivileged students.

In the 19th century, the Horsfield name continued to be prominent in various parts of England. One notable individual was Charles Horsfield (1807-1870), a civil engineer who was involved in the construction of several major railway lines in Yorkshire and Lancashire.

Throughout its history, the surname Horsfield has been associated with various occupations, from agriculture and land ownership to trade and industry. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread to other parts of the world, with descendants of the original Horsfield families now found in countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Horsfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Horsfield 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. Yorkshire leads with 1,083 Horsfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.57x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,083 5.57x
Lancashire 514 2.21x
Cheshire 145 3.35x
Middlesex 34 0.17x
Durham 31 0.53x
Derbyshire 25 0.81x
Westmorland 22 5.11x
Essex 19 0.49x
Kent 19 0.28x
Surrey 19 0.20x
Nottinghamshire 17 0.64x
Hertfordshire 12 0.89x
Staffordshire 12 0.18x
Warwickshire 11 0.22x
Norfolk 8 0.27x
Cambridgeshire 7 0.56x
Cumberland 7 0.41x
Northamptonshire 7 0.38x
Ayrshire 6 0.41x
Leicestershire 5 0.23x
Bedfordshire 3 0.30x
Lincolnshire 2 0.06x
Northumberland 1 0.03x
Wiltshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 54 Horsfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.16x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 54 5.16x
Ecclesfield 51 35.80x
Midgley 49 236.60x
Bradfield 44 58.75x
Nether Hallam 44 16.74x
Manningham 38 15.88x
Hyde 37 28.97x
Blackburn 36 5.82x
Dewsbury 36 18.07x
Dukinfield 36 18.00x
Ovenden 34 39.32x
Warley 34 60.54x
Colne 33 47.61x
Haughton 33 97.23x
Sheffield 31 5.01x
Huddersfield 30 10.60x
Barnoldswick 28 103.24x
Hunslet 25 8.25x
Barnsley 24 11.98x
Ecclesall Bierlow 24 6.07x
Bradford 23 4.89x
Northowram 22 16.15x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 21 11.60x
Denton 21 40.73x
Leeds 21 1.91x
Holy Trinity 19 4.07x
Kirkby Stephen 19 170.10x
Batley 18 9.75x
Ashton Under Lyne 17 3.34x
Chorlton On Medlock 17 4.60x
Glossop Dale 17 11.83x
Great Little Marsden 17 15.95x
Halifax 17 5.96x
Oldham 17 2.26x
Barrowford Booth 16 62.14x
Holbeck 16 12.43x
Macclesfield 16 8.32x
Foulridge 15 253.38x
Horton In Bradford 15 4.94x
Pendlebury 15 30.54x
Hulme 14 2.88x
Saddleworth 14 9.34x
Heaton Norris 13 9.82x
Silkstone 13 135.14x
Castleton 12 5.16x
Potter Newton 12 35.01x
Sandbach 12 32.51x
Sculcoates 12 3.90x
Bowling 11 5.72x
Colchester St Mary 11 308.12x
Hipperholme Cum 11 12.89x
Moss Side 11 8.98x
Accrington 10 4.73x
Bingley 10 8.08x
Castleford 10 14.13x
Headingley Cum Burley 10 8.00x
Hitchin 10 16.39x
Idle 10 11.10x
Newington 10 1.38x
Prestwich 10 17.23x
Tottenham 10 3.20x
Westhoughton 10 16.11x
Ardwick 9 4.29x
Cheetham 9 5.19x
Greasley 9 15.09x
Hoyland Nether 9 18.89x
Stockport 9 4.04x
York St Maurice 9 24.60x
Cawthorne In Wortley 8 101.91x
Cheadle 8 9.68x
Great Driffield 8 20.07x
Kildwick 8 45.22x
Newington 8 14.95x
Seaham 8 37.63x
Wombwell 8 14.12x
Bishopwearmouth 7 1.40x
Camblesforth 7 372.34x
Cherry Burton 7 227.27x
Selby 7 17.24x
Wyke In Bradford 7 20.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 127
William 107
James 86
Thomas 64
Joseph 54
George 51
Henry 34
Richard 22
Charles 19
Samuel 19
Arthur 18
Harry 17
Robert 17
Alfred 13
David 13
Edward 13
Frank 13
Fred 13
Ernest 11
Albert 10
Herbert 10
Walter 10
Edwin 9
Wm. 9
Frederick 7
Mark 7
Benjamin 6
Joshua 6
Francis 5
Joe 5
Edmund 4
Jonathan 4
Luke 4
Hartley 3
Jas. 3
Jonas 3
Oliver 3
Peter 3
Ralph 3
Sidney 3
Spencer 3
Squire 3
Thos. 3
Tom 3
Geo. 2
Harold 2
Nathan 2
Nathaniel 2
Percy 2
Rowland 2

FAQ

Horsfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Horsfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,010 people were recorded with the Horsfield surname. That placed it at #2,188 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Horsfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,376 in 2016. That gives Horsfield a modern rank of #2,760.

What does the Horsfield surname mean?

An English surname derived from an occupational term referring to someone who worked with horses.

What does the Horsfield map show?

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