NameCensus.

UK surname

Langsford

English surname derived from a placename meaning "long ford" or "long crossing".

In the 1881 census there were 131 people recorded with the Langsford surname, ranking it #16,824 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 109, ranked #29,402, down from #16,824 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Dominick and Liskeard, St Cleer. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Devon, Wiltshire and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Langsford is 177 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.8%.

1881 census count

131

Ranked #16,824

Modern count

109

2016, ranked #29,402

Peak year

1911

177 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Langsford had 131 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,824 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016, ranked #29,402.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 177 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Langsford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Langsford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Langsford 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 105 #16,618
1861 historical 114 #19,011
1881 historical 131 #16,824
1891 historical 153 #18,078
1901 historical 175 #16,469
1911 historical 177 #16,129
1997 modern 101 #26,774
1998 modern 104 #26,981
1999 modern 116 #25,487
2000 modern 120 #24,950
2001 modern 118 #24,832
2002 modern 114 #25,886
2003 modern 117 #25,282
2004 modern 124 #24,559
2005 modern 115 #25,702
2006 modern 113 #26,267
2007 modern 119 #25,747
2008 modern 124 #25,371
2009 modern 122 #26,220
2010 modern 119 #27,250
2011 modern 119 #27,063
2012 modern 111 #28,332
2013 modern 119 #27,541
2014 modern 115 #28,439
2015 modern 114 #28,478
2016 modern 109 #29,402

Geography

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Where Langsfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Dominick, Liskeard, St Cleer and St Neot. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Devon, Wiltshire, Cornwall and Daventry. 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 St Dominick Cornwall
3 Liskeard, St Cleer Cornwall
4 London parishes London 2
5 St Neot Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Devon 005 West Devon
2 Wiltshire 021 Wiltshire
3 Cornwall 028 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 006 Cornwall
5 Daventry 004 Daventry

Forenames

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First names often paired with Langsford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Langsford

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

Langsford is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Langsford falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Langsford

The surname Langsford is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from a place name, possibly referring to a long ford or a ford that stretched along a river or stream. The name may have roots in Old English words like "lang" meaning long and "ford" meaning a shallow river crossing.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a certain William de Langesford is mentioned as a landowner in Oxfordshire. This suggests that the name was already well-established by that time and may have originated even earlier.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various records, including the Poll Tax of 1379, where a John Langsford is listed as a resident of Yorkshire. This indicates that the name had spread to different parts of the country by that point.

During the 15th century, the Langsford family seems to have gained prominence, with several members holding positions of authority. Sir Thomas Langsford (c. 1420-1492) was a renowned soldier and diplomat who served under King Henry VI and King Edward IV. He was also appointed as the Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1478.

Another notable figure was Sir John Langsford (c. 1470-1534), who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset during the reign of King Henry VIII. He was also a prominent landowner and held various administrative positions in the county.

In the 16th century, the name continued to be associated with influential families. One such example is Sir William Langsford (c. 1510-1572), who was a courtier and diplomat during the reigns of King Edward VI and Queen Elizabeth I. He served as the English ambassador to France and was also a member of the Privy Council.

Moving into the 17th century, the Langsford family maintained their presence in various parts of England. Sir Edward Langsford (1602-1679) was a notable figure who served as a member of the Long Parliament and supported the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War.

Throughout history, there have been many other individuals bearing the surname Langsford who have made significant contributions in various fields, including politics, military service, and academia. While the name may have evolved over time with slight variations in spelling, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Langsford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Langsford 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. Cornwall leads with 64 Langsfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.93x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 64 44.93x
Devon 23 8.78x
Surrey 13 2.12x
Middlesex 11 0.87x
Essex 5 2.01x
Dorset 4 4.84x
Montgomeryshire 3 10.41x
Warwickshire 2 0.63x
Hampshire 1 0.39x
Lancashire 1 0.07x
Lincolnshire 1 0.50x
Somerset 1 0.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Calstock in Cornwall leads with 19 Langsfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 681.00x.

Place Total Index
Calstock 19 681.00x
St Dominick 15 4166.67x
St Sampson 11 11000.00x
St Cleer 8 645.16x
Lambeth 6 5.47x
Croydon 5 14.69x
Liskeard 5 210.08x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 24.78x
St Ive 5 549.45x
Walthamstow 5 55.93x
Cullompton 4 350.88x
Islington London 4 3.28x
Plymtree 4 2105.26x
Sherborne 4 164.61x
Leighton 3 1764.71x
St Pancras London 3 2.96x
Talaton 3 1500.00x
Aston 2 2.29x
Hackney London 2 2.84x
Rockbeare 2 1000.00x
Bedminster 1 5.25x
Camberwell 1 1.24x
Christchurch 1 17.89x
Exeter Allhallows Onthe 1 833.33x
Exeter St Stephen 1 714.29x
Grantham 1 38.17x
Habergham Eaves 1 7.33x
Littleham 1 52.36x
Ottery St Mary 1 58.14x
Plymouth Charles The 1 8.67x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 3.95x
St Andrew By Wardrobe 1 1250.00x
St Austell 1 20.53x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 1 56.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 9
Mary 7
Jane 5
Charlotte 3
Emma 3
Fanny 3
Ann 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Harriett 2
Lucy 2
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Bessie 1
Bessy 1
Betsey 1
C.A.S. 1
Caroline 1
Cedelia 1
E.J. 1
Eliz. 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Henry 1
Johanna 1
Julia 1
Lavinia 1
Louisa 1
Maud 1
Maude 1
Nancy 1
Rachael 1
Sarah 1
Sopphia 1
Susan 1
Thomas 1
Thursa 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Langsford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Langsford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 131 people were recorded with the Langsford surname. That placed it at #16,824 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Langsford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016. That gives Langsford a modern rank of #29,402.

What does the Langsford surname mean?

English surname derived from a placename meaning "long ford" or "long crossing".

What does the Langsford map show?

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