NameCensus.

UK surname

Kefford

In the 1881 census there were 283 people recorded with the Kefford surname, ranking it #10,119 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 322, ranked #14,033, down from #10,119 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Trumpington and Sutton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Plymouth, Central Bedfordshire and Runnymede.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kefford is 506 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.8%.

1881 census count

283

Ranked #10,119

Modern count

322

2016, ranked #14,033

Peak year

1911

506 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kefford had 283 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,119 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 322 in 2016, ranked #14,033.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 506 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Kefford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kefford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kefford 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 209 #10,066
1861 historical 139 #16,263
1881 historical 283 #10,119
1891 historical 271 #11,992
1901 historical 374 #9,930
1911 historical 506 #7,772
1997 modern 351 #12,145
1998 modern 360 #12,300
1999 modern 355 #12,478
2000 modern 366 #12,167
2001 modern 359 #12,153
2002 modern 365 #12,246
2003 modern 348 #12,452
2004 modern 332 #12,951
2005 modern 330 #12,939
2006 modern 327 #13,092
2007 modern 335 #13,001
2008 modern 327 #13,350
2009 modern 332 #13,458
2010 modern 336 #13,613
2011 modern 328 #13,730
2012 modern 314 #14,063
2013 modern 320 #14,104
2014 modern 316 #14,301
2015 modern 319 #14,118
2016 modern 322 #14,033

Geography

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Where Keffords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Trumpington, Sutton and Melbourn, Meldreth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Plymouth, Central Bedfordshire, Runnymede, Bedford and Epsom and Ewell. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Trumpington Cambridgeshire
4 Sutton Bedfordshire
5 Melbourn, Meldreth Hertfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Plymouth 021 Plymouth
2 Central Bedfordshire 029 Central Bedfordshire
3 Runnymede 005 Runnymede
4 Bedford 015 Bedford
5 Epsom and Ewell 002 Epsom and Ewell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kefford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kefford

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kefford, 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 Kefford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Kefford 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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Kefford is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Kefford is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kefford 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 Kefford is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Kefford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kefford 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 94 Keffords recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.76x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 94 53.76x
Bedfordshire 58 40.58x
Middlesex 43 1.56x
Surrey 27 2.01x
Hertfordshire 24 12.61x
Essex 15 2.75x
Lancashire 14 0.43x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.81x
Warwickshire 3 0.43x
Hampshire 1 0.18x
Yorkshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bassingbourn in Cambridgeshire leads with 25 Keffords recorded in 1881 and an index of 972.76x.

Place Total Index
Bassingbourn 25 972.76x
Sutton 25 8928.57x
Sawston 16 946.75x
Trumpington 16 1797.75x
Henlow 12 1363.64x
St Andrewthe Less 12 60.06x
Pampisford 11 3333.33x
West Ham 11 9.14x
Rotherhithe 10 29.32x
Bengeo 9 407.24x
Newington 9 8.83x
Lambeth 8 3.32x
Norton 7 2258.06x
Whittlesford 7 875.00x
Finchley 6 56.71x
Hackney London 6 3.88x
Barton In Clay 5 500.00x
Mile End New Town London 5 91.74x
Radcliffe 5 31.67x
Wavertree 5 47.71x
Monken Hadley 4 363.64x
Preston 4 4.56x
Tempsford 4 784.31x
Upper Gravenhurst 4 1176.47x
Whitechapel London 4 14.70x
Aston 3 1.57x
Basford 3 17.49x
Goldington 3 545.45x
Mile End Old Town London 3 5.11x
St George In East London 3 11.56x
Ware 3 55.05x
Whittlesey St Mary St 3 49.10x
Bromley London 2 3.29x
Clerkenwell London 2 3.07x
Great Chesterford 2 232.56x
Islington London 2 0.75x
Little Chesterford 2 1000.00x
Potton 2 105.26x
St Marylebone London 2 1.36x
Steeple Morden 2 215.05x
Bedford St Paul 1 10.20x
Biggleswade 1 21.37x
Brinkley 1 357.14x
Broxbourne 1 26.53x
Eaton Socon 1 44.64x
Great Amwell 1 52.36x
Hampstead London 1 2.33x
Haslingfield 1 140.85x
Hitchin 1 11.64x
Hornsey 1 2.86x
Rotherham 1 6.49x
Royston 1 61.73x
St Giles In Fields London 1 7.39x
St Ippollitts 1 104.17x
St Pancras London 1 0.45x
St Thomas Winchester 1 25.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 10
Elizabeth 10
Sarah 10
Alice 8
Ellen 8
Emma 7
Emily 6
Mary 6
Jane 5
Julia 5
Louisa 4
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Maria 3
Rebecca 3
Agnes 2
Edith 2
Hannah 2
Jemima 2
Lucinda 2
Maud 2
Priscilla 2
Charlotte 1
Dorothy 1
Edna 1
Eleanor 1
Elena 1
Fanney 1
Florance 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Infant 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Laura 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Lousia 1
Love 1
Lydia 1
Mahalah 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Meriam 1
Nancy 1
Nellie 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 18
John 14
Charles 13
George 10
Henry 9
Joseph 8
Thomas 7
James 6
Frederick 4
Richard 4
Ellis 3
Herbert 3
Robert 3
Walter 3
Arthur 2
Frank 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Bennet 1
Daniel 1
Dennis 1
Edwin 1
Elias 1
Fredk 1
Geo.W. 1
Harry 1
Jas. 1
Owen 1
Percy 1
Prime 1
Ralph 1
Reuben 1
Rosetta 1
Samuel 1
Simeon 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Willm. 1
Wm.Ellis 1

FAQ

Kefford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kefford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 283 people were recorded with the Kefford surname. That placed it at #10,119 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kefford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 322 in 2016. That gives Kefford a modern rank of #14,033.

What does the Kefford map show?

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