NameCensus.

UK surname

Jefferis

A variant of the surname Jefferies, denoting someone who lived near a boundary ditch.

In the 1881 census there were 388 people recorded with the Jefferis surname, ranking it #8,141 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 396, ranked #11,967, down from #8,141 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Abson with Wick and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Plymouth, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Telford and Wrekin.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jefferis is 586 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.1%.

1881 census count

388

Ranked #8,141

Modern count

396

2016, ranked #11,967

Peak year

1861

586 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jefferis had 388 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,141 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 396 in 2016, ranked #11,967.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 586 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Jefferis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jefferis surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jefferis 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 569 #4,474
1861 historical 586 #4,511
1881 historical 388 #8,141
1891 historical 385 #9,150
1901 historical 325 #11,017
1911 historical 473 #8,179
1997 modern 393 #11,144
1998 modern 411 #11,122
1999 modern 410 #11,246
2000 modern 422 #10,960
2001 modern 405 #11,121
2002 modern 415 #11,133
2003 modern 405 #11,168
2004 modern 397 #11,345
2005 modern 406 #11,061
2006 modern 409 #11,032
2007 modern 416 #11,020
2008 modern 422 #10,992
2009 modern 422 #11,221
2010 modern 439 #11,121
2011 modern 430 #11,178
2012 modern 405 #11,627
2013 modern 418 #11,533
2014 modern 413 #11,726
2015 modern 404 #11,814
2016 modern 396 #11,967

Geography

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Where Jefferis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Abson with Wick, London parishes, St Philip and Jacob and Siston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Plymouth, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Telford and Wrekin, Hertsmere and Three Rivers. 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 Abson with Wick Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire
5 Siston Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Plymouth 026 Plymouth
2 Rhondda Cynon Taf 026 Rhondda Cynon Taf
3 Telford and Wrekin 021 Telford and Wrekin
4 Hertsmere 013 Hertsmere
5 Three Rivers 012 Three Rivers

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jefferis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jefferis

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Jefferis 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

Jefferis 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

Jefferis falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Jefferis is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Jefferis

The surname Jefferis is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English personal name "Gæfferus," which itself stems from the Germanic elements "gaf" meaning "gift" and "heri" meaning "army." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who distinguished themselves in military service.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Feet of Fines for Huntingdonshire in 1307, where a John Gefferey is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also contain a reference to a Henry Jefrey in Cambridgeshire. These early spellings indicate that the name likely evolved from Gefferey or Jefrey to its modern form of Jefferis over time.

In the 16th century, the Jefferis surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The parish records of Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, for example, contain numerous entries for the Jefferis family during this period. One notable individual was William Jefferis (1552-1615), who served as the Rector of Wing, Buckinghamshire, from 1592 until his death.

Moving into the 17th century, the Jefferis name can be found in various historical records across England. John Jefferis (1616-1677) was a clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Petworth in Sussex. Another prominent figure was Benjamin Jefferis (1658-1712), a Quaker minister and writer from Warwickshire.

In the 18th century, the Jefferis family continued to make their mark in various fields. Samuel Jefferis (1710-1773) was a notable surveyor and mapmaker who produced detailed maps of several English counties. Meanwhile, William Jefferis (1736-1809) was a successful merchant and philanthropist in London, known for his charitable contributions to various causes.

As the 19th century dawned, the Jefferis surname spread further across the British Isles and beyond. David Jefferis (1802-1866) was a Welsh Baptist minister and author, while John Jefferis (1824-1901) was a prominent industrialist and politician in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, having emigrated from England in the mid-19th century.

Throughout its history, the Jefferis surname has been associated with a diverse range of individuals and professions, reflecting the rich tapestry of English heritage and the global reach of those bearing this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jefferis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jefferis 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. Gloucestershire leads with 158 Jefferis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.29x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 158 21.29x
Hampshire 91 11.73x
Wiltshire 25 7.47x
Oxfordshire 15 6.42x
Middlesex 14 0.37x
Yorkshire 14 0.37x
Somerset 9 1.48x
Cheshire 8 0.96x
Surrey 8 0.43x
Warwickshire 8 0.84x
Durham 7 0.62x
Glamorgan 6 0.91x
Kent 5 0.39x
Berkshire 4 1.41x
Staffordshire 4 0.31x
Lancashire 3 0.07x
Worcestershire 3 0.61x
Cornwall 2 0.47x
Monmouthshire 2 0.73x
Devon 1 0.13x
Stirlingshire 1 0.72x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Fordingbridge in Hampshire leads with 48 Jefferis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1137.44x.

Place Total Index
Fordingbridge 48 1137.44x
Bristol St George 47 136.91x
Bitton Oldland 35 461.13x
Bitton 18 278.64x
Wick Abson 12 1052.63x
Enstone 11 769.23x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 10 14.31x
Widley 10 724.64x
Dauntsey 9 1428.57x
Fugglestone St Peter 9 676.69x
Titchfield 9 153.85x
Mangotsfield 8 108.11x
Westbury On Trym 8 31.81x
Coundon 7 153.51x
Portsea 7 4.60x
Yarmouth 7 686.27x
Croydon 6 5.86x
Huntspill 6 240.96x
Leeds 6 2.83x
Llandaff 6 27.37x
Paddington London 6 4.31x
Aston 5 1.90x
Bishops Sutton 5 892.86x
Clifton 5 13.32x
Greenwich 5 8.30x
Prescott 5 6250.00x
Higher Bebington 4 74.77x
Honley 4 60.98x
Hullavington 4 493.83x
Olveston 4 191.39x
Walsall Foreign 4 6.06x
Congleton 3 20.79x
Edgbaston 3 10.14x
Henley On Thames 3 62.63x
Oldbury 3 12.34x
Reading St Giles 3 10.76x
Shoreditch London 3 1.83x
St Bartholomew Hyde 3 161.29x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 2.80x
Ellingham 2 540.54x
Horton In Bradford 2 3.41x
Howden 2 78.43x
Netherwent St Bride 2 1052.63x
Redruth 2 16.50x
Salisbury St Edmund 2 37.24x
Stapleton 2 14.20x
Stroud 2 13.85x
Campsie 1 13.05x
Chester Holy Trinity 1 25.51x
Cowley 1 256.41x
Didcot 1 208.33x
Englishcombe 1 147.06x
Kensington London 1 0.48x
Lambeth 1 0.30x
Lechlade 1 65.79x
Neithrop 1 12.74x
Pinner 1 30.12x
Portishead 1 22.08x
Reigate Foreign 1 5.01x
Salisbury St Martin 1 28.74x
St Budeaux 1 40.82x
St George Bloomsbury 1 4.61x
St Martin In Fields 1 4.41x
St Pancras London 1 0.33x
Stretford 1 4.05x
Walcot 1 3.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Sarah 14
Elizabeth 12
Annie 11
Ann 10
Alice 9
Emma 9
Eliza 8
Jane 7
Charlotte 4
Emily 4
Hannah 4
Rhoda 4
Edith 3
Ellen 3
Harriet 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Lucy 3
Maria 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Beatrice 2
Clara 2
Ethel 2
Florence 2
Hester 2
Matilda 2
Minnie 2
Almena 1
Amy 1
Blanch 1
Catherine 1
Elisa 1
Elizth. 1
Elly 1
Emeline 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Grace 1
Hilda 1
Joan 1
Julia 1
Lavinia 1
Lilly 1
M.A. 1
M.J. 1
Margaret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 19
John 17
William 17
Thomas 13
James 12
Charles 10
Henry 10
Alfred 9
Samuel 7
Joseph 6
Richard 5
Albert 4
Frank 4
Frederick 4
Robert 4
Benjamin 3
Edwin 3
Evan 3
Harry 3
Walter 3
Edgar 2
Edward 2
Francis 2
Herbert 2
Aaron 1
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Berkely 1
Charley 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Elijah 1
Enoch 1
Eric 1
Ernest 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
Jesse 1
Leonard 1
Madewick 1
Martin 1
Percy 1
Sidney 1
Soilomam 1
Theopilus 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Jefferis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jefferis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 388 people were recorded with the Jefferis surname. That placed it at #8,141 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jefferis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 396 in 2016. That gives Jefferis a modern rank of #11,967.

What does the Jefferis surname mean?

A variant of the surname Jefferies, denoting someone who lived near a boundary ditch.

What does the Jefferis map show?

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