NameCensus.

UK surname

Norford

A locational surname originating from areas known as Norford or Northford.

In the 1881 census there were 57 people recorded with the Norford surname, ranking it #25,575 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 109, ranked #29,402, down from #25,575 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hadleigh, London parishes and St Dunstan Stepney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harlow, Wokingham and Birmingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Norford is 121 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 91.2%.

1881 census count

57

Ranked #25,575

Modern count

109

2016, ranked #29,402

Peak year

1999

121 bearers

Map years

4

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Norford had 57 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,575 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 103 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Norford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Norford surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Norford 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 51 #24,096
1861 historical 60 #26,313
1881 historical 57 #25,575
1891 historical 103 #23,558
1901 historical 94 #23,588
1911 historical 99 #22,850
1997 modern 107 #25,924
1998 modern 114 #25,589
1999 modern 121 #24,855
2000 modern 111 #26,111
2001 modern 103 #26,927
2002 modern 114 #25,886
2003 modern 109 #26,361
2004 modern 114 #25,870
2005 modern 116 #25,564
2006 modern 115 #25,969
2007 modern 114 #26,491
2008 modern 109 #27,533
2009 modern 114 #27,363
2010 modern 115 #27,874
2011 modern 118 #27,192
2012 modern 109 #28,689
2013 modern 107 #29,561
2014 modern 107 #29,827
2015 modern 109 #29,327
2016 modern 109 #29,402

Geography

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Where Norfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hadleigh, London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney, St Mary Stratford-le-Bow and St Anne Limehouse. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harlow, Wokingham, Birmingham and Leeds. 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 Hadleigh Suffolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
4 St Mary Stratford-le-Bow London (East Districts)
5 St Anne Limehouse London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harlow 003 Harlow
2 Wokingham 018 Wokingham
3 Birmingham 077 Birmingham
4 Leeds 037 Leeds
5 Leeds 042 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Norford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Norford

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Norford is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, 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 households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

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

Norford 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

Norford falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Norford 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Norford

The surname Norford has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "norð" and "ford," meaning "north" and "ford" or "river crossing," respectively. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a northern ford or river crossing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Norford name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, which mention a person named Radulfus de Northforde. This suggests that the name was present in the county of Lincolnshire during the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the Norford name appeared in various records, including the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which listed a Robert de Northford in Oxfordshire. The name also appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296, where a Thomas de Northford was recorded.

During the 14th century, the Norford name continued to be documented in various historical records. The Placita de Quo Warranto of 1330 mentioned a John de Northford, while the Feet of Fines of Staffordshire in 1349 recorded a William de Northford.

One notable individual with the Norford surname was Sir John Norford (1400-1478), a prominent English landowner and member of Parliament who represented Buckinghamshire in the House of Commons during the Wars of the Roses.

Another historical figure bearing the Norford name was William Norford (1510-1579), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Chichester from 1570 until his death.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in various parish records, such as the baptismal record of Thomas Norford in St. Giles Cripplegate, London, in 1631.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Norford name in America was that of John Norford, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 and was among the early settlers of the colony.

Throughout history, variations of the Norford name have included spellings such as Northford, Northforde, and Northforth, reflecting the fluid nature of spelling patterns in earlier centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Norford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Norford 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. Middlesex leads with 36 Norfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.48x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 36 6.48x
Suffolk 15 22.15x
Gloucestershire 2 1.83x
Hampshire 2 1.76x
Kent 1 0.53x
Lancashire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Limehouse London in Middlesex leads with 19 Norfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 311.48x.

Place Total Index
Limehouse London 19 311.48x
Mile End Old Town 7 79.73x
Wickham Market 7 2500.00x
Bow London 6 84.75x
Hadleigh 5 757.58x
Bristol St Paul In 2 68.97x
Chelsea London 2 11.94x
Hornsey 2 28.45x
Millbrook 2 69.69x
Sudbury St Peter 2 540.54x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 1 78.74x
Gorton 1 16.13x
Milton In Gravesend 1 35.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Edward 4
William 4
Charles 3
Robert 3
Henry 2
James 2
Alfred 1
Chas.Wm. 1
Edgar 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
George 1
Herbert 1
Joseph 1
Sidney 1
Thomas 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 Norford households.

FAQ

Norford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Norford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 57 people were recorded with the Norford surname. That placed it at #25,575 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Norford surname today?

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

What does the Norford surname mean?

A locational surname originating from areas known as Norford or Northford.

What does the Norford map show?

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