NameCensus.

UK surname

Palfrey

A surname possibly derived from the Old French 'palefrei' meaning a riding horse.

In the 1881 census there were 967 people recorded with the Palfrey surname, ranking it #4,018 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,629, ranked #3,819, up from #4,018 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Fornham All Saints. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Devon, Mid Devon and Wychavon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Palfrey is 1,772 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 68.5%.

1881 census count

967

Ranked #4,018

Modern count

1,629

2016, ranked #3,819

Peak year

1998

1,772 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Palfrey had 967 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,018 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,629 in 2016, ranked #3,819.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,403 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Palfrey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Palfrey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Palfrey 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 498 #5,020
1861 historical 514 #5,094
1881 historical 967 #4,018
1891 historical 1,031 #4,045
1901 historical 1,335 #3,749
1911 historical 1,403 #3,444
1997 modern 1,710 #3,486
1998 modern 1,772 #3,493
1999 modern 1,753 #3,565
2000 modern 1,747 #3,557
2001 modern 1,729 #3,519
2002 modern 1,757 #3,546
2003 modern 1,702 #3,579
2004 modern 1,715 #3,554
2005 modern 1,715 #3,514
2006 modern 1,682 #3,579
2007 modern 1,695 #3,577
2008 modern 1,704 #3,593
2009 modern 1,738 #3,603
2010 modern 1,752 #3,643
2011 modern 1,722 #3,656
2012 modern 1,611 #3,825
2013 modern 1,640 #3,832
2014 modern 1,651 #3,828
2015 modern 1,642 #3,805
2016 modern 1,629 #3,819

Geography

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Where Palfreys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Fornham All Saints and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Devon, Mid Devon and Wychavon. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Fornham All Saints Suffolk
4 London parishes London 3
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Devon 004 East Devon
2 Mid Devon 007 Mid Devon
3 Mid Devon 001 Mid Devon
4 East Devon 006 East Devon
5 Wychavon 012 Wychavon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Palfrey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Palfrey

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Palfrey 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

Palfrey is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Palfrey falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Palfrey

The surname Palfrey has its origins in England, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be an occupational name derived from the Old French word "palefrei," which referred to a small saddle horse or palfrey used for riding rather than for work.

In medieval times, the role of a palfrey keeper or attendant was an important one, responsible for caring for the horses used by members of the nobility and gentry. Those who held this position may have eventually adopted Palfrey as their surname.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Palfrey can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which list a Robertus Palefrey in Oxfordshire. The name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a John Palefrey is mentioned.

In the late 13th century, a man named Walter Palfrey was recorded as a landowner in the village of Weeley, Essex. This suggests that the Palfrey family had already established itself as part of the gentry by this time.

During the 14th century, the surname Palfrey appeared in various spellings, including Palfreye, Palfreyman, and Paufryman, reflecting the evolution of the English language.

One notable individual bearing the Palfrey surname was Sir Thomas Palfrey (c. 1370-1437), a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire and a distinguished soldier who fought in the Hundred Years' War. He was knighted for his military service.

Another prominent figure was Sir William Palfrey (c. 1585-1670), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1658-1659.

In the 17th century, Peter Palfrey (1626-1703) was a successful merchant and Member of Parliament for Portsmouth in 1660. He played a role in the establishment of the East India Company.

During the American Revolution, William Palfrey (1741-1780) served as a colonel in the Continental Army and was aide-de-camp to General George Washington.

John Gorham Palfrey (1796-1881) was a renowned American historian, minister, and author, best known for his five-volume work "History of New England."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Palfrey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Palfrey 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. Devon leads with 195 Palfreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.91x.

County Total Index
Devon 195 9.91x
Suffolk 149 12.94x
Somerset 136 8.94x
Gloucestershire 79 4.26x
Warwickshire 69 2.89x
Middlesex 46 0.49x
Surrey 46 1.00x
Herefordshire 34 8.77x
Radnorshire 27 35.41x
Worcestershire 22 1.78x
Glamorgan 16 0.97x
Berkshire 14 1.97x
Shropshire 12 1.47x
Derbyshire 10 0.68x
Lancashire 10 0.09x
Monmouthshire 10 1.46x
Cambridgeshire 8 1.34x
Essex 8 0.43x
Hampshire 8 0.41x
Kent 8 0.25x
Yorkshire 7 0.07x
Cheshire 6 0.29x
Durham 6 0.21x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.47x
Leicestershire 5 0.48x
Montgomeryshire 5 2.31x
Norfolk 5 0.34x
Clackmannanshire 4 5.12x
Fife 4 0.71x
Brecknockshire 3 1.59x
Midlothian 3 0.24x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.50x
Sussex 2 0.13x
Hertfordshire 1 0.15x
Isle of Man 1 0.57x
Perthshire 1 0.24x
Royal Navy 1 0.89x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Fornham All Sts in Suffolk leads with 52 Palfreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3795.62x.

Place Total Index
Fornham All Sts 52 3795.62x
Ottery St Mary 39 302.09x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 37 21.20x
Aston 34 5.18x
Kingston 31 1013.07x
Birmingham 25 3.15x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 18 83.29x
Newington 17 4.87x
Rougham 15 568.18x
Huish Champflower 14 1176.47x
Cannington 13 287.61x
South Huish 13 1354.17x
Sulhamstead Banister 13 1566.27x
Llandewy Ystradenny 12 621.76x
Dartmouth St Petrox 11 387.32x
Stourbridge 11 34.63x
Bury St Edmunds St James 10 32.52x
Newington Bagpath 10 1639.34x
Walcot 10 12.34x
Bovey Tracey 9 130.81x
Bridgewater 9 21.79x
Bristol St James St Paul 9 14.56x
Bromyard 9 176.13x
Drayton 9 661.76x
Hereford St Peter 9 86.96x
Chelsea London 8 2.81x
Dartmouth Townstall 8 99.88x
Derby St Werburgh 8 9.36x
Exeter Heavitree 8 54.53x
Knowstone 8 583.94x
Lakenheath 8 131.58x
Mile End Old Town 8 5.36x
Risby 8 559.44x
Ampton 7 2258.06x
Bardwell 7 285.71x
Bermondsey 7 2.49x
Clunbury 7 219.44x
Crediton 7 37.55x
Croydon 7 2.74x
East Anstey 7 921.05x
Little Livermere 7 1320.75x
Orleton 7 376.34x
Plymouth St Andrew 7 4.62x
St George Hanover 7 5.67x
Cullompton 6 69.85x
Dilwyn 6 176.47x
Hackney London 6 1.13x
Kenton 6 96.62x
Lambeth 6 0.73x
Otterhampton 6 779.22x
Otterton 6 189.87x
Sheldon 6 1333.33x
Taunton St Mary 6 21.48x
Trevethin 6 9.30x
Trimdon 6 60.36x
Warwick St Nicholas 6 34.32x
Castle Caereinion 5 257.73x
Haughley 5 174.22x
Kensington London 5 0.95x
Leigh 5 458.72x
Penarth 5 31.09x
St Andrewthe Less 5 7.31x
St Pancras London 5 0.66x
West Ham 5 1.21x
Witheridge 5 150.60x
Withycombe Rawleigh 5 48.78x
Burton On The Wolds 4 344.83x
Cupar 4 16.44x
Cwmdauddwr 4 161.94x
Great Little Marsden 4 7.79x
Horfield 4 21.44x
Llanfihangel Rhydithon 4 336.13x
Milverton 4 71.30x
Over Stowey 4 235.29x
Stoke Damerel 4 2.90x
Swarraton 4 952.38x
Tillicoultry 4 23.03x
Tiverton 4 11.80x
Woolwich 4 3.36x
Stanton 3 109.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 58
Elizabeth 47
Sarah 36
Ellen 20
Emily 18
Ann 16
Emma 16
Charlotte 15
Alice 13
Eliza 11
Jane 11
Martha 11
Annie 9
Harriet 9
Susan 8
Hannah 7
Jessie 7
Louisa 7
Edith 6
Kate 6
Lucy 6
Ada 5
Frances 5
Minnie 5
Caroline 4
Florence 4
Maria 4
Agnes 3
Amelia 3
Bessie 3
Margaret 3
Rose 3
Agness 2
Amy 2
Betsey 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Elizth. 2
Eva 2
Fanny 2
Gertrude 2
Harriett 2
Harriott 2
Infant 2
Isabella 2
Kezia 2
Lizzie 2
Maryann 2
Priscilla 2
Rosa 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 69
John 61
George 39
Charles 29
James 28
Thomas 26
Henry 19
Walter 19
Frederick 17
Alfred 13
Frank 11
Edward 10
Harry 10
Arthur 8
Richard 8
Fred 7
Robert 7
Joseph 6
Francis 5
Albert 4
Frederic 4
Samuel 4
Tom 4
Benjamin 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Herbert 3
Brian 2
David 2
Geo. 2
Isaac 2
Josiah 2
Lewis 2
Mark 2
Wm. 2
Alford 1
Alick 1
Antony 1
Chas. 1
Edgar 1
Elijah 1
Ephraim 1
Fredrick 1
Jas. 1
Jas.Wm. 1
Jim 1
Joe 1
Lawrence 1
Louis 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Palfrey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Palfrey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 967 people were recorded with the Palfrey surname. That placed it at #4,018 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Palfrey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,629 in 2016. That gives Palfrey a modern rank of #3,819.

What does the Palfrey surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from the Old French 'palefrei' meaning a riding horse.

What does the Palfrey map show?

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