NameCensus.

UK surname

Medford

Derived from a place name meaning "middle ford," referring to a shallow crossing point in a river.

In the 1881 census there were 16 people recorded with the Medford surname, ranking it #31,301 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 264, ranked #16,172, up from #31,301 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Reading, South Holland and Knowsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Medford is 272 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1550.0%.

1881 census count

16

Ranked #31,301

Modern count

264

2016, ranked #16,172

Peak year

2010

272 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Medford had 16 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,301 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 264 in 2016, ranked #16,172.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 50 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Medford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Medford surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Medford 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 9 #31,675
1861 historical 50 #27,636
1881 historical 16 #31,301
1891 historical 16 #32,868
1901 historical 16 #32,260
1911 historical 23 #30,923
1997 modern 208 #17,219
1998 modern 206 #17,796
1999 modern 219 #17,203
2000 modern 201 #18,152
2001 modern 200 #17,948
2002 modern 216 #17,447
2003 modern 210 #17,559
2004 modern 217 #17,276
2005 modern 225 #16,831
2006 modern 226 #16,891
2007 modern 229 #16,941
2008 modern 232 #16,931
2009 modern 249 #16,466
2010 modern 272 #15,811
2011 modern 253 #16,493
2012 modern 252 #16,424
2013 modern 265 #16,138
2014 modern 264 #16,288
2015 modern 264 #16,186
2016 modern 264 #16,172

Geography

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Where Medfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Reading, South Holland, Knowsley and Brent. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Reading 008 Reading
2 South Holland 005 South Holland
3 Knowsley 001 Knowsley
4 Reading 004 Reading
5 Brent 032 Brent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Medford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Medford

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Medford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Medford 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Medford is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Medford 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

Medford falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Medford is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Medford

The surname Medford has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from the town of Medford, located in the county of Staffordshire. The name Medford itself is derived from the Old English words "mæd" meaning meadow and "ford" meaning a shallow river crossing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Medford can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest of England. The name is listed as "Medeford" in this historical document, referring to the town in Staffordshire.

In the 13th century, a man named Robert de Medford was recorded as a landowner in the village of Medford, suggesting that the surname was already in use during that time period. Another early reference to the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1274-1275, which were records of landowners and tenants in various counties of England.

One of the notable individuals bearing the surname Medford was Sir John Medford (c. 1460-1534), who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme during the reign of Henry VIII. He was also a prominent figure in the local government of Staffordshire.

Another individual of note was William Medford (1587-1657), who was a English clergyman and academic. He served as the Provost of Eton College from 1644 until his death in 1657.

In the 17th century, a man named Thomas Medford (1622-1689) was a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Bristol. He was also involved in the local government and served as a Sheriff of Bristol.

Moving into the 18th century, there was a wealthy landowner named Edward Medford (1704-1782) who owned several estates in the county of Shropshire. He was also a Justice of the Peace and served as the High Sheriff of Shropshire in 1745.

Finally, in the 19th century, a notable figure with the surname Medford was Sir John Medford (1828-1901), who was a British diplomat and politician. He served as the Governor of the Bahamas from 1879 to 1884 and was later appointed as the Governor of the Windward Islands from 1888 to 1892.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Medford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Medford 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. Glamorgan leads with 5 Medfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.41x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 5 18.41x
Yorkshire 4 2.59x
Dorset 2 19.53x
Lancashire 2 1.08x
Cheshire 1 2.90x
Gloucestershire 1 3.27x
Surrey 1 1.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Llandaff in Glamorgan leads with 5 Medfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 555.56x.

Place Total Index
Llandaff 5 555.56x
Portland 2 363.64x
Radcliffe 2 224.72x
Chester St John Baptist 1 161.29x
Eastleach Martin 1 10000.00x
Farnham 1 169.49x
Flaxton 1 5000.00x
Holy Trinity 1 26.88x
Northallerton 1 500.00x
Seaton Wassand 1 5000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 2
Elizabeth 2
Ann 1
Caroline 1
Emily 1
Mary 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Gilbert 1
John 1
Oliver 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Medford households.

FAQ

Medford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Medford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 16 people were recorded with the Medford surname. That placed it at #31,301 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Medford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 264 in 2016. That gives Medford a modern rank of #16,172.

What does the Medford surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "middle ford," referring to a shallow crossing point in a river.

What does the Medford map show?

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