NameCensus.

UK surname

Overfield

A topographic surname denoting someone who lived near an open field or pasture.

In the 1881 census there were 94 people recorded with the Overfield surname, ranking it #20,467 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 349, ranked #13,189, up from #20,467 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dudley, Muston and Yarm. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blaenau Gwent, Redcar and Cleveland and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Overfield is 358 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 271.3%.

1881 census count

94

Ranked #20,467

Modern count

349

2016, ranked #13,189

Peak year

2013

358 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Overfield had 94 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,467 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 349 in 2016, ranked #13,189.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 183 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Overfield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Overfield surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Overfield 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 48 #24,615
1861 historical 33 #29,814
1881 historical 94 #20,467
1891 historical 109 #22,701
1901 historical 126 #19,970
1911 historical 183 #15,811
1997 modern 349 #12,197
1998 modern 347 #12,607
1999 modern 347 #12,696
2000 modern 342 #12,771
2001 modern 341 #12,588
2002 modern 355 #12,471
2003 modern 336 #12,786
2004 modern 332 #12,951
2005 modern 317 #13,323
2006 modern 315 #13,440
2007 modern 317 #13,532
2008 modern 331 #13,237
2009 modern 351 #12,940
2010 modern 351 #13,220
2011 modern 346 #13,192
2012 modern 338 #13,304
2013 modern 358 #12,952
2014 modern 352 #13,206
2015 modern 348 #13,221
2016 modern 349 #13,189

Geography

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Where Overfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dudley, Muston, Yarm, Lund and Bedwelty. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blaenau Gwent, Redcar and Cleveland, East Riding of Yorkshire, Scarborough and Ashfield. 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 Dudley Staffordshire
2 Muston Yorkshire, North Riding
3 Yarm Durham
4 Lund Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Bedwelty Monmouthshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blaenau Gwent 009 Blaenau Gwent
2 Redcar and Cleveland 010 Redcar and Cleveland
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 006 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Scarborough 012 Scarborough
5 Ashfield 010 Ashfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Overfield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Overfield

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Overfield 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

Overfield is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Overfield 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 Overfield 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 Overfield, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Overfield

The surname Overfield has its origins in the northern English counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from a now-lost place name that may have originally meant "the field over the hill" or "the field beyond the boundary."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which lists a Robert Overfeld. The name also appears in various spellings such as Overfelde and Overfeilde in other medieval records from the region.

By the 16th century, the surname had spread to other parts of England, and variations such as Overfeild, Overfylde, and Overfylld can be found in parish records and tax rolls. One notable bearer of the name was William Overfield (c. 1550-1618), a merchant and alderman in the city of Norwich.

In the 17th century, the Overfield family had established themselves in the county of Derbyshire, where they owned land and properties. John Overfield (1622-1689), a prominent landowner and magistrate, left detailed records and correspondence that provide valuable insights into the family's history.

The 18th century saw the migration of several Overfield families to the American colonies. Among them was Thomas Overfield (1725-1798), who settled in Virginia and fought in the Revolutionary War. His descendants went on to become influential figures in politics and business in the newly formed United States.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir William Overfield (1789-1865), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became an influential member of Parliament. He was instrumental in promoting reforms in the Royal Navy and advocating for the abolition of the slave trade.

The 19th century witnessed the further spread of the Overfield name across the globe, with families settling in countries such as Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. One prominent figure was Margaret Overfield (1854-1932), a pioneering educator and women's rights activist who established several schools in rural Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Overfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Overfield 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. Yorkshire leads with 52 Overfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.72x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 52 5.72x
Worcestershire 19 15.87x
Staffordshire 13 4.20x
Lancashire 9 0.83x
Middlesex 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dudley in Worcestershire leads with 19 Overfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 130.58x.

Place Total Index
Dudley 19 130.58x
Newchurch 8 89.89x
North Frodingham 8 3809.52x
Leek Lowe 7 169.90x
Yarm 7 1489.36x
Brandesburton 6 2500.00x
West Bromwich 6 33.86x
Folkton Flixton 3 2727.27x
Fridaythorpe 3 3000.00x
Huggate 3 1764.71x
Lund 3 2142.86x
Willerby In Scarborough 3 2307.69x
Dunnington In Skirlaugh 2 6666.67x
Hunmanby 2 476.19x
Langtoft 2 1052.63x
North Burton 2 1176.47x
Sculcoates 2 13.89x
Wetwang 2 1000.00x
Bainton 1 769.23x
Bridlington 1 48.08x
Eastburn 1 10000.00x
Hackney London 1 1.95x
Layton With Warbreck 1 25.06x
Leven 1 370.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 8
Ann 5
Eliza 4
Mary 3
Annie 2
Emily 2
Jane 2
Clara 1
Elizabeth 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriot 1
Lydia 1
M.A. 1
Maria 1
Mercy 1
Miriam 1
Mirriam 1
Pauline 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
S.A. 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10
Joseph 6
James 4
John 4
Thomas 4
Alfred 3
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Henry 2
Levi 2
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Isaac 1
Richard 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Overfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Overfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 94 people were recorded with the Overfield surname. That placed it at #20,467 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Overfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 349 in 2016. That gives Overfield a modern rank of #13,189.

What does the Overfield surname mean?

A topographic surname denoting someone who lived near an open field or pasture.

What does the Overfield map show?

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