NameCensus.

UK surname

Oakford

A habitational surname derived from an English place name referring to an oak tree ford or crossing.

In the 1881 census there were 142 people recorded with the Oakford surname, ranking it #16,012 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 164, ranked #22,314, down from #16,012 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Melksham, Trowbridge and Bishops Cannings. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swindon, Liverpool and Wycombe.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Oakford is 247 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.5%.

1881 census count

142

Ranked #16,012

Modern count

164

2016, ranked #22,314

Peak year

1911

247 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Oakford had 142 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,012 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 164 in 2016, ranked #22,314.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 247 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Oakford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Oakford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Oakford 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 113 #15,815
1861 historical 127 #17,469
1881 historical 142 #16,012
1891 historical 164 #17,205
1901 historical 211 #14,647
1911 historical 247 #13,016
1997 modern 193 #18,035
1998 modern 187 #18,857
1999 modern 183 #19,248
2000 modern 165 #20,501
2001 modern 168 #19,986
2002 modern 175 #19,902
2003 modern 170 #20,023
2004 modern 165 #20,530
2005 modern 157 #21,128
2006 modern 157 #21,322
2007 modern 171 #20,387
2008 modern 174 #20,385
2009 modern 176 #20,632
2010 modern 175 #21,186
2011 modern 169 #21,499
2012 modern 161 #22,157
2013 modern 167 #21,984
2014 modern 171 #21,812
2015 modern 169 #21,888
2016 modern 164 #22,314

Geography

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Where Oakfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Melksham, Trowbridge, Bishops Cannings, London parishes and Chiddingfold, Haslemere. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swindon, Liverpool, Wycombe, Wiltshire and Hackney. 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 Melksham Wiltshire
2 Trowbridge Wiltshire
3 Bishops Cannings Wiltshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Chiddingfold, Haslemere Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swindon 004 Swindon
2 Liverpool 022 Liverpool
3 Wycombe 002 Wycombe
4 Wiltshire 031 Wiltshire
5 Hackney 018 Hackney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Oakford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Oakford

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Oakford is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Oakford 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

Oakford falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Oakford

The surname OAKFORD is of English origin, deriving from a locational name for someone who lived near an oak tree ford or crossing over a river or stream. It is composed of the Old English elements 'ac' meaning oak tree and 'ford' meaning a shallow place for crossing a river or stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Acforda' in reference to a place in Gloucestershire. This suggests that the name was already well-established by the late 11th century.

During the medieval period, the surname was often spelled in various ways, reflecting regional dialect variations, such as Akcford, Akcforde, and Ockford. These alternative spellings continued to be used until the 16th and 17th centuries when standardized spellings became more common.

Notable bearers of the OAKFORD surname include John Oakford (c.1435-1497), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in 1472. Sir Thomas Oakford (1560-1638) was an English military officer who served in the Anglo-Spanish War and the Thirty Years' War.

In the 18th century, William Oakford (1708-1789) was a prominent English architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London. His son, Robert Oakford (1742-1823), followed in his footsteps and became a renowned architect in his own right.

Another notable figure was Mary Oakford (1817-1892), a British philanthropist and social reformer who campaigned for improved education and working conditions for women and children in the 19th century.

While the OAKFORD surname is predominantly found in England, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and settlement. However, its origins can be traced back to the historic oak tree fords and crossings that were once a common feature of the English landscape.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Oakford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Oakford 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. Surrey leads with 43 Oakfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.33x.

County Total Index
Surrey 43 6.33x
Wiltshire 25 20.27x
Hampshire 15 5.25x
Middlesex 14 1.00x
Devon 11 3.79x
Norfolk 10 4.66x
Dorset 5 5.46x
Lancashire 4 0.24x
Gloucestershire 3 1.10x
Yorkshire 3 0.22x
Hertfordshire 2 2.08x
Berkshire 1 0.96x
Cornwall 1 0.63x
Kent 1 0.21x
Midlothian 1 0.54x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.53x
Royal Navy 1 6.02x
Sussex 1 0.43x
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. Newington in Surrey leads with 14 Oakfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.17x.

Place Total Index
Newington 14 27.17x
Froyle 10 2777.78x
Haslemere 9 1666.67x
Fakenham 7 660.38x
Melksham 7 327.10x
Exeter St Sidwell 6 90.23x
St Andrew Holborn 6 126.85x
Chobham 5 416.67x
Devizes St James 5 304.88x
Melcombe Regis 5 131.93x
Swindon 5 52.25x
Brixham 4 119.05x
Kirkdale 4 14.37x
Camberwell 3 3.37x
Devizes St John 3 322.58x
Devizes St Mary 3 240.00x
Gate Fulford 3 92.88x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 3 46.58x
Oldbury On Hill 3 1666.67x
Southwark Christchurch 3 45.87x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 10.69x
Acton 2 24.45x
Chawton 2 869.57x
St George Hanover 2 10.99x
Thursley 2 408.16x
Watford 2 26.85x
Alton 1 46.51x
Aston 1 1.03x
Basford 1 11.55x
Chelsea London 1 2.38x
Chertsey 1 22.78x
Clewer 1 23.31x
Cranleigh 1 101.01x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 25.77x
Exeter St David 1 40.32x
Fugglestone St Peter 1 204.08x
Gulval 1 98.04x
Lambeth 1 0.82x
Lewisham 1 3.94x
Milford 1 120.48x
Paddington London 1 1.95x
Reigate Foreign 1 13.59x
Rowde 1 175.44x
Royal Navy 1 7.04x
Slinfold 1 270.27x
St Marylebone London 1 1.34x
St Pancras London 1 0.89x
St Thomas Winchester 1 49.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Jane 7
Sarah 5
Ann 4
Ellen 4
Alice 3
Elizabeth 3
Emily 3
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Maria 2
Nora 2
Rosa 2
Susan 2
Ada 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Blanche 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Elizh. 1
Ethel 1
Harriet 1
Kate 1
Lilian 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Rose 1
Teredda 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Oakford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Oakford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 142 people were recorded with the Oakford surname. That placed it at #16,012 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Oakford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 164 in 2016. That gives Oakford a modern rank of #22,314.

What does the Oakford surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from an English place name referring to an oak tree ford or crossing.

What does the Oakford map show?

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