NameCensus.

UK surname

Manford

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "man's ford" or "ford for men".

In the 1881 census there were 144 people recorded with the Manford surname, ranking it #15,891 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 274, ranked #15,759, up from #15,891 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Manchester and Threapwood. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Barra and South Uist and Wrexham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Manford is 325 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 90.3%.

1881 census count

144

Ranked #15,891

Modern count

274

2016, ranked #15,759

Peak year

1861

325 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Manford had 144 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,891 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 274 in 2016, ranked #15,759.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 325 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Manford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Manford surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Manford 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 118 #15,362
1861 historical 325 #7,835
1881 historical 144 #15,891
1891 historical 233 #13,392
1901 historical 206 #14,845
1911 historical 217 #14,214
1997 modern 236 #15,852
1998 modern 240 #16,117
1999 modern 247 #15,932
2000 modern 237 #16,331
2001 modern 235 #16,147
2002 modern 251 #15,770
2003 modern 251 #15,563
2004 modern 238 #16,242
2005 modern 243 #15,943
2006 modern 244 #16,011
2007 modern 249 #15,943
2008 modern 252 #15,984
2009 modern 261 #15,926
2010 modern 260 #16,343
2011 modern 254 #16,458
2012 modern 250 #16,523
2013 modern 269 #15,963
2014 modern 272 #15,949
2015 modern 276 #15,673
2016 modern 274 #15,759

Geography

Back to top

Where Manfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Manchester, Threapwood, Glasgow and Ellesmere (Ellesmere), Welshampton, Whittington, Halston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Barra and South Uist and Wrexham. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Threapwood Denbighshire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Ellesmere (Ellesmere), Welshampton, Whittington, Halston Shropshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 003 Shropshire
2 Shropshire 011 Shropshire
3 Barra and South Uist Na h-Eileanan Siar
4 Shropshire 004 Shropshire
5 Wrexham 019 Wrexham

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Manford

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Manford

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Manford is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Manford is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Manford falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Manford

The surname Manford is of English origin, derived from a place name. It is believed to have originated in Manford, a small village located in the county of Dorset in southwestern England. The name can be traced back to the 11th century, and its earliest recorded spelling was "Manforde" in the Domesday Book of 1086, a manuscript record of a survey of much of England and Wales ordered by William the Conqueror.

The name Manford is thought to be derived from the Old English words "mann" meaning "man" and "ford" meaning "a shallow river crossing." This suggests that the name may have originated from a settlement near a ford or river crossing point where a man or group of men lived.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Manford was Robert de Manford, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1197. The Pipe Rolls were a series of financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, providing valuable insight into the lives and activities of individuals during that time period.

Another notable figure bearing the Manford surname was Sir John Manford, a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament who lived in the 15th century. He served as a knight of the shire for Dorset in the Parliament of 1449 during the reign of King Henry VI.

In the 16th century, records show a Thomas Manford who was born in 1524 in Manford, Dorset. He was a respected landowner and member of the local gentry.

John Manford, born in 1642 in Wiltshire, was a renowned English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works in the late 17th century, including "The Practical Christian" and "The Portraiture of a Christian Gentleman."

Another notable individual with the Manford surname was William Manford, born in 1789 in Somerset. He was a successful merchant and philanthropist who contributed greatly to the development of his local community.

While the surname Manford has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by individuals who emigrated from their homeland. The name has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, but its origins can be traced back to the small village of Manford in Dorset, where it was first recorded centuries ago.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Manford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Manford 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. Shropshire leads with 29 Manfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.90x.

County Total Index
Shropshire 29 23.90x
Montgomeryshire 25 77.66x
Staffordshire 21 4.43x
Lancashire 15 0.90x
Cumberland 7 5.79x
Renfrewshire 7 6.43x
Midlothian 6 3.19x
Yorkshire 6 0.43x
Cheshire 5 1.61x
Lanarkshire 5 1.10x
Northumberland 5 2.39x
Lincolnshire 3 1.34x
Nottinghamshire 3 1.58x
Middlesex 2 0.14x
Warwickshire 2 0.56x
Inverness-shire 1 2.38x
Somerset 1 0.44x
Wiltshire 1 0.81x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Llandrinio in Montgomeryshire leads with 10 Manfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 2564.10x.

Place Total Index
Llandrinio 10 2564.10x
Llandysilio 8 2758.62x
Manchester 8 10.67x
Audley 7 149.25x
Monk Bretton 6 425.53x
Barony 5 4.35x
Bilston 5 54.41x
Deythur 5 2380.95x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 6.61x
Ellesmere 5 240.38x
Oswestry Rural 5 268.82x
Parton 5 704.23x
Darlaston 4 61.07x
Inverkip 4 155.64x
Jesmond 4 136.05x
Rusholme 4 89.89x
Chorlton Cum Hardy 3 270.27x
Eastwood 3 44.78x
Montford 3 1250.00x
Pinchbeck 3 208.33x
Selattyn 3 545.45x
Shrewsbury St Julian 3 100.00x
Stafford St Mary 3 44.71x
Stayley 3 84.75x
Basford 2 22.91x
Birmingham 2 1.69x
Chrtltn Cdngtn Nwtn 2 800.00x
Oswestry Town 2 51.41x
Whittington 2 196.08x
Ardersier 1 99.01x
Atcham 1 500.00x
Baschurch 1 120.48x
Bath St James 1 42.37x
Duddingston 1 26.46x
Heddon On Wall 1 384.62x
Kensington London 1 1.28x
Kinnerley 1 172.41x
Llansilin 1 113.64x
Meifod 1 131.58x
Newport 1 68.49x
Nottingham Standard 1 208.33x
Pool 1 41.15x
Preston Quarter 1 29.50x
Salisbury St Martin 1 77.52x
Stoke Newington London 1 9.14x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 1.99x
Wednesbury 1 8.44x
Whitchurch 1 42.55x
Workington 1 14.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 11
William 10
Thomas 7
Edward 5
Joseph 5
Wm. 4
George 3
James 2
Ralph 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Arthur 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredric.J.H. 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jonathan 1
Richd. 1
Richd.Edwd. 1
Robert 1
Saml. 1

FAQ

Manford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Manford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 144 people were recorded with the Manford surname. That placed it at #15,891 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Manford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 274 in 2016. That gives Manford a modern rank of #15,759.

What does the Manford surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "man's ford" or "ford for men".

What does the Manford map show?

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