NameCensus.

UK surname

Montford

A surname derived from the French, referring to someone who lived near a fortified town or hill.

In the 1881 census there were 137 people recorded with the Montford surname, ranking it #16,358 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 229, ranked #17,878, down from #16,358 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Market Drayton and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blaby, Shropshire and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Montford is 232 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 67.2%.

1881 census count

137

Ranked #16,358

Modern count

229

2016, ranked #17,878

Peak year

2014

232 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Montford had 137 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,358 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 229 in 2016, ranked #17,878.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 176 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Montford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Montford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Montford 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 121 #15,049
1861 historical 133 #16,835
1881 historical 137 #16,358
1891 historical 176 #16,404
1901 historical 176 #16,401
1911 historical 138 #18,811
1997 modern 171 #19,438
1998 modern 199 #18,177
1999 modern 217 #17,307
2000 modern 222 #17,032
2001 modern 214 #17,211
2002 modern 223 #17,099
2003 modern 201 #18,089
2004 modern 208 #17,758
2005 modern 203 #17,961
2006 modern 199 #18,357
2007 modern 208 #18,013
2008 modern 209 #18,114
2009 modern 206 #18,657
2010 modern 218 #18,375
2011 modern 214 #18,436
2012 modern 212 #18,481
2013 modern 223 #18,135
2014 modern 232 #17,761
2015 modern 230 #17,795
2016 modern 229 #17,878

Geography

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Where Montfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Market Drayton, St John Hackney, Leigh and Market Drayton or Drayton-in-Hales. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blaby, Shropshire, Wigan, South Lakeland and North East Lincolnshire. 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 3
2 Market Drayton Shropshire
3 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
4 Leigh Lancashire
5 Market Drayton or Drayton-in-Hales Shropshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blaby 006 Blaby
2 Shropshire 005 Shropshire
3 Wigan 027 Wigan
4 South Lakeland 001 South Lakeland
5 North East Lincolnshire 001 North East Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Montford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Montford

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Montford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Montford household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Montford 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

Montford 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

Montford falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Montford

The surname Montford originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "mont" meaning hill or mountain, and "ford" referring to a shallow river crossing. The name was likely first used to identify someone who lived near a hill with a ford across a river or stream.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Montford can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey commissioned by William the Conqueror. This document mentions a landowner named Ralph de Montfort in Warwickshire. It is believed that this individual's family took their surname from the village of Montfort-sur-Risle in Normandy, France.

During the 12th century, the Montfort family rose to prominence in England. One notable member was Simon de Montfort (1208-1265), a nobleman who played a significant role in the Baron's War against King Henry III. He is considered one of the earliest advocates for parliamentary democracy in England.

Another famous bearer of the Montford name was John de Montfort (1350-1400), an English soldier who fought in the Hundred Years' War against France. He distinguished himself at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 and was knighted for his bravery on the battlefield.

In the 16th century, a branch of the Montfort family settled in Ireland, where they anglicized their name to Montford. One member of this Irish branch was Richard Montford (1568-1638), a landowner and magistrate in County Cork.

During the English Civil War, Thomas Montford (1610-1660) was a Royalist commander who fought for King Charles I against the Parliamentarian forces. He was captured and executed after the Royalist defeat.

The name Montford was also found in various place names throughout England, such as Montford Bridge in Shropshire and Montford upon Rye in Herefordshire. These locations likely derived their names from the presence of a ford near a hill or mountain.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Montford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Montford 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 40 Montfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.20x.

County Total Index
Shropshire 40 33.20x
Middlesex 28 2.01x
Staffordshire 12 2.55x
Montgomeryshire 9 28.16x
Cheshire 7 2.27x
Gloucestershire 7 2.56x
Lancashire 7 0.42x
Surrey 7 1.03x
Isle of Man 6 23.17x
Derbyshire 5 2.29x
Yorkshire 4 0.29x
Worcestershire 3 1.65x
Devon 2 0.69x
Northumberland 2 0.96x
Durham 1 0.24x
Kent 1 0.21x
Somerset 1 0.45x
Warwickshire 1 0.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Drayton In Hales in Shropshire leads with 28 Montfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 1129.03x.

Place Total Index
Drayton In Hales 28 1129.03x
Hackney London 14 17.91x
Stoke Upon Trent 8 16.03x
Congleton 7 131.58x
Battersea 6 11.69x
Braddan 6 425.53x
Churchstoke 6 1000.00x
St Pancras London 5 4.45x
Windley 5 5555.56x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 4 15.53x
Chirbury 4 563.38x
Ludlow St Lawrence 4 166.67x
Wolverhampton 4 11.05x
Aylburton 3 967.74x
Chelsea London 3 7.14x
Kings Norton 3 18.37x
Newtown 3 147.06x
Shoreditch London 3 4.96x
West Derby 3 6.20x
Albrighton 2 344.83x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 7.61x
Clerkenwell London 2 6.08x
Harberton 2 303.03x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 2 16.14x
Wath On Dearne 2 72.46x
Birmingham 1 0.85x
Bishopwearmouth 1 2.81x
Buildwas 1 833.33x
Camberwell 1 1.12x
Londesborough Cum 1 588.24x
Newton 1 7.84x
Oswestry Town 1 25.91x
Pannal 1 75.19x
Stone In Dartford 1 81.97x
Sutton 1 18.02x
Wembdon 1 151.52x
Westminster St James 1 6.97x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Eliza 5
Elizabeth 5
Annie 4
Jane 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Beatrice 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Eleanor 2
Emma 2
Gertrude 2
Harriet 2
Isabella 2
Margaret 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Adelaide 1
Cliarbelle 1
Edith 1
Elizebeth 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Jimminer 1
Josephine 1
Lilian 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Maude 1
Pheobe 1
Rose 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 7
Henry 6
John 6
James 5
Charles 4
Thomas 4
Edward 3
Horace 3
Samuel 3
William 3
Geo. 2
T. 2
Alfd. 1
Aurther 1
Clement 1
E. 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
G. 1
Harry 1
Hubert 1
J. 1
Jno.Alfred 1
Joseph 1
Josiah 1
Paul 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
Richd. 1
Simeon 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Montford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Montford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 137 people were recorded with the Montford surname. That placed it at #16,358 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Montford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 229 in 2016. That gives Montford a modern rank of #17,878.

What does the Montford surname mean?

A surname derived from the French, referring to someone who lived near a fortified town or hill.

What does the Montford map show?

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