NameCensus.

UK surname

Horsford

An English placename referring to a ford where horses crossed.

In the 1881 census there were 310 people recorded with the Horsford surname, ranking it #9,488 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 265, ranked #16,130, down from #9,488 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Seaton, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Cambridgeshire, Calderdale and Wandsworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Horsford is 404 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.5%.

1881 census count

310

Ranked #9,488

Modern count

265

2016, ranked #16,130

Peak year

1901

404 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Horsford had 310 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,488 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 265 in 2016, ranked #16,130.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 404 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Horsford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Horsford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Horsford 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 250 #8,788
1861 historical 236 #10,393
1881 historical 310 #9,488
1891 historical 334 #10,198
1901 historical 404 #9,426
1911 historical 382 #9,615
1997 modern 270 #14,515
1998 modern 277 #14,646
1999 modern 281 #14,578
2000 modern 286 #14,385
2001 modern 274 #14,576
2002 modern 287 #14,402
2003 modern 289 #14,158
2004 modern 280 #14,530
2005 modern 262 #15,182
2006 modern 269 #14,952
2007 modern 275 #14,888
2008 modern 279 #14,860
2009 modern 262 #15,888
2010 modern 276 #15,637
2011 modern 273 #15,606
2012 modern 273 #15,546
2013 modern 279 #15,574
2014 modern 281 #15,583
2015 modern 271 #15,881
2016 modern 265 #16,130

Geography

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Where Horsfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Seaton, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Willesden and Newchurch. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Cambridgeshire, Calderdale, Wandsworth, Swale and Merton. 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 Seaton Devon
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 Newchurch Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Cambridgeshire 013 South Cambridgeshire
2 Calderdale 022 Calderdale
3 Wandsworth 014 Wandsworth
4 Swale 010 Swale
5 Merton 016 Merton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Horsford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Horsford

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Horsford is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Horsford is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Horsford falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Horsford

The surname Horsford is of English origin and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "hors" meaning horse and "ford" meaning a shallow river crossing, suggesting that the name may have originally referred to a place where horses could safely cross a river or stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Horseford" and is likely a reference to a settlement or manor located near a ford used by horses.

During the 13th century, various spellings of the name emerged in historical records, including Horsford, Horsforde, and Horseforde. These variations reflect the regional dialects and scribal practices of the time.

Horsford is also closely associated with several place names in England, such as Horsford in Norfolk, which was recorded as "Horseford" in the Domesday Book. This village likely served as a source of the surname for families residing in or near that area.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Horsford throughout history include:

1. John Horsford (c. 1590-1640), an English clergyman and author who wrote a treatise on the Sabbath. 2. Eben Norton Horsford (1818-1893), an American chemist and inventor best known for his work on baking powder and the development of the Horsford process for manufacturing phosphoric acid. 3. Cornelia Horsford (1824-1891), an American educator and women's rights activist who co-founded the Boston Cooking School in 1879. 4. Mary Gardiner Horsford (1824-1914), an American philanthropist and founder of the Horsford Family Fund, which supported educational and cultural institutions in the United States. 5. Michael Horsford (born 1969), an American politician who served as a member of the Nevada State Senate from 2013 to 2019.

While the Horsford surname has its roots in medieval England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, reflecting the migration patterns of English settlers and their descendants.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Horsford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Horsford 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. Middlesex leads with 43 Horsfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.42x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 43 1.42x
Hampshire 40 6.43x
Huntingdonshire 35 58.11x
Devon 33 5.23x
Kent 21 2.03x
Gloucestershire 16 2.69x
Surrey 15 1.01x
Yorkshire 14 0.47x
Lancashire 13 0.36x
Somerset 10 2.05x
Bedfordshire 9 5.73x
Anglesey 8 14.88x
Derbyshire 8 1.68x
Norfolk 8 1.72x
Dorset 7 3.52x
Durham 6 0.66x
Glamorgan 6 1.14x
Monmouthshire 5 2.28x
Northamptonshire 4 1.40x
Lincolnshire 3 0.62x
Cheshire 2 0.30x
Suffolk 2 0.54x
Cumberland 1 0.38x
Sussex 1 0.20x
Worcestershire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Long Stow in Huntingdonshire leads with 11 Horsfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 6875.00x.

Place Total Index
Long Stow 11 6875.00x
Teynham 10 534.76x
Dawlish 9 191.08x
Kimberworth 9 53.96x
Kimbolton 9 708.66x
West Derby 9 8.55x
Holyhead 8 79.84x
Swineshead 8 3200.00x
Brading 7 84.75x
Horton 7 1458.33x
Dean 6 1176.47x
Hammersmith London 6 8.03x
Islington London 6 2.04x
Lambeth 6 2.27x
Little Walsingham 6 566.04x
Lower Halstow 6 800.00x
Shorwell 6 937.50x
St George Martyr London 6 97.72x
Swansea Town 6 13.85x
Bristol St James In 5 57.14x
Chesterfield 5 28.09x
Portsmouth 5 34.92x
Shalfleet 5 416.67x
Southampton St Mary 5 12.79x
Weston Super Mare 5 40.55x
Witton Le Wear 5 195.31x
Abergavenny 4 48.72x
Clifton 4 13.30x
Feniton 4 1081.08x
Lympston 4 353.98x
Rotherham 4 23.60x
St Marylebone London 4 2.47x
Westbury On Trym 4 19.84x
Battersea 3 2.69x
Bedford St Paul 3 27.86x
Benefield 3 612.24x
Bethnal Green London 3 2.28x
Bow London 3 7.77x
Buckerell 3 1153.85x
Freshwater 3 105.63x
Hackney London 3 1.76x
Mile End Old Town London 3 4.65x
North Petherton 3 76.14x
Paddington London 3 2.69x
Plympton St Mary 3 82.19x
Portsea 3 2.46x
Ryde 3 22.46x
Seaton 3 123.46x
Spaldwick 3 810.81x
Acton 2 11.25x
Boston 2 13.59x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 3.57x
Buckland West 2 526.32x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 3.50x
Derby St Alkmund 2 14.05x
Faversham 2 20.26x
Gillingham 2 9.37x
Great Gransden 2 303.03x
Houghton In Hole 2 1176.47x
Long Melford 2 58.31x
Newton In Ashton Under 2 30.26x
Rewe 2 689.66x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 3.28x
St Pancras London 2 0.82x
Whippingham 2 42.46x
Barnstaple 1 10.09x
Blackburn 1 1.04x
Bluntisham 1 88.50x
Bridgewater 1 7.54x
Brixham 1 13.66x
Croydon 1 1.22x
Hail Weston 1 277.78x
Kedleston 1 769.23x
Minchinhampton 1 21.10x
Newport 1 29.67x
North Bedburn 1 39.68x
Richmond 1 4.83x
Skirbeck 1 36.76x
Southwark St Saviour 1 6.41x
Westminster St James 1 3.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 10
Mary 10
Sarah 10
Ann 8
Annie 8
Alice 6
Edith 4
Eliza 4
Ellen 4
Emma 4
Florence 4
Hannah 4
Jane 4
Amelia 3
Charlotte 3
Fanny 3
Frances 3
Kate 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Anna 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Emily 2
Ethel 2
Gertrude 2
Grace 2
Harriett 2
Laura 2
Louisa 2
Lucretia 2
Mabel 2
Matilda 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Banna 1
Beatrice 1
Betsey 1
C.A. 1
Etti 1
Evelyn 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
M.L. 1
Madeline 1
Malinda 1
Maria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 22
William 18
James 12
Henry 7
George 6
Thomas 6
Charles 5
Frederick 5
Benjamin 4
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Frank 3
Harry 3
Joseph 3
Abraham 2
Alfred 2
Fred 2
Jacob 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Timothy 2
Walter 2
Austin 1
Britton 1
Cecil 1
Chas. 1
Cornelious 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Fred.W. 1
Fredck. 1
Fredrick 1
Hedly 1
Herbert 1
Hubert 1
Hugh 1
Isaac 1
Jas. 1
Jno.Thos. 1
Leonard 1
Mary 1
R.M. 1
Richd. 1
Tom 1
Vict 1
Wm.I. 1

FAQ

Horsford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Horsford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 310 people were recorded with the Horsford surname. That placed it at #9,488 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Horsford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 265 in 2016. That gives Horsford a modern rank of #16,130.

What does the Horsford surname mean?

An English placename referring to a ford where horses crossed.

What does the Horsford map show?

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