NameCensus.

UK surname

Pettiford

A surname of English origin referring to someone who lived near a shallow river crossing or ford.

In the 1881 census there were 57 people recorded with the Pettiford surname, ranking it #25,575 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 140, ranked #24,865, up from #25,575 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mynyddyslwyn, Willesden and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Craven, Walsall and North East Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pettiford is 146 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 145.6%.

1881 census count

57

Ranked #25,575

Modern count

140

2016, ranked #24,865

Peak year

2009

146 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pettiford had 57 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,575 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016, ranked #24,865.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 103 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Pettiford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pettiford surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pettiford 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 47 #24,810
1861 historical 33 #29,814
1881 historical 57 #25,575
1891 historical 70 #28,073
1901 historical 100 #22,863
1911 historical 103 #22,328
1997 modern 136 #22,398
1998 modern 140 #22,615
1999 modern 139 #22,884
2000 modern 137 #23,048
2001 modern 137 #22,740
2002 modern 136 #23,296
2003 modern 138 #22,823
2004 modern 144 #22,379
2005 modern 140 #22,774
2006 modern 140 #22,948
2007 modern 142 #23,025
2008 modern 144 #23,037
2009 modern 146 #23,352
2010 modern 146 #23,921
2011 modern 141 #24,294
2012 modern 136 #24,830
2013 modern 136 #25,252
2014 modern 136 #25,452
2015 modern 139 #24,956
2016 modern 140 #24,865

Geography

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Where Pettifords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mynyddyslwyn, Willesden, London parishes and St George, Hanover Square, Buckingham Palace. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Craven, Walsall, North East Lincolnshire and Dacorum. 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 Mynyddyslwyn Monmouthshire
2 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 St George, Hanover Square, Buckingham Palace London (West Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Craven 001 Craven
2 Walsall 017 Walsall
3 North East Lincolnshire 002 North East Lincolnshire
4 North East Lincolnshire 019 North East Lincolnshire
5 Dacorum 011 Dacorum

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pettiford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pettiford

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Pettiford, 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 Pettiford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Pettiford 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Pettiford is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Pettiford is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pettiford 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 Pettiford is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Pettiford

The surname Pettiford is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have originated in the counties of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire, where the name was commonly found in historical records.

One of the earliest known references to the Pettiford surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a certain Roger de Petitford is mentioned. This spelling variation suggests that the name may have evolved from a place name, possibly derived from the Old English words "petit" meaning small, and "ford" referring to a shallow river crossing.

During the Middle Ages, the Pettiford family established a presence in the village of Pettiford, located near the town of Newent in Gloucestershire. This place name is likely the source of the surname, as it was common for families to adopt the names of the locations they hailed from or owned property in.

In the early 14th century, the Pettiford surname appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Herefordshire, further solidifying its presence in the region. Notable individuals from this era include John Pettiford, a landowner in the village of Pettiford, recorded in 1327.

Over the centuries, the Pettiford surname has been documented in various historical records, including parish registers, tax rolls, and legal documents. Some notable individuals bearing this surname include:

1. William Pettiford (c. 1540 - 1610), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol. 2. Thomas Pettiford (1615 - 1678), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious treatises. 3. Mary Pettiford (1674 - 1726), a renowned midwife who practiced in the county of Gloucestershire. 4. Samuel Pettiford (1711 - 1783), an influential landowner and justice of the peace in Herefordshire. 5. Elizabeth Pettiford (1790 - 1867), a philanthropist and benefactor who founded a school for underprivileged children in the village of Pettiford.

While the Pettiford surname originated in the southwest of England, it has since spread to various parts of the country and even beyond, as families migrated and established new roots. However, the name's ties to its rural origins in Gloucestershire and Herefordshire remain an integral part of its rich history and heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pettiford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pettiford 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. Gloucestershire leads with 18 Pettifords recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.51x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 18 16.51x
Middlesex 18 3.24x
Wiltshire 7 14.24x
Staffordshire 4 2.13x
Surrey 3 1.11x
Westmorland 3 24.55x
Lincolnshire 1 1.13x
Monmouthshire 1 2.49x
Oxfordshire 1 2.91x
Yorkshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St George Hanover in Middlesex leads with 7 Pettifords recorded in 1881 and an index of 96.42x.

Place Total Index
St George Hanover 7 96.42x
Stratton St Margaret 7 933.33x
Pucklechurch 6 2400.00x
Quenington 6 8571.43x
Willesden 6 114.50x
Chelsea London 5 29.85x
Forthampton 5 6250.00x
Harborne 4 66.56x
Egham 3 180.72x
Mallerstang 3 6000.00x
Frampton Cotterell 1 263.16x
Great Grimsby 1 17.73x
Magor 1 1250.00x
Rotherfield Greys 1 277.78x
Thornton In Bradford 1 54.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Elizabeth 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Jane 2
Agness 1
Amelia 1
Bertha 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Ethel 1
Harriett 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lilian 1
Louisa 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
George 4
Frederick 3
William 3
James 2
Albert 1
Bertram 1
Charles 1
Chas. 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Hy. 1
Jesse 1
Philip 1
Robert 1
Thomas 1
Willie 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 Pettiford households.

FAQ

Pettiford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pettiford surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Pettiford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016. That gives Pettiford a modern rank of #24,865.

What does the Pettiford surname mean?

A surname of English origin referring to someone who lived near a shallow river crossing or ford.

What does the Pettiford map show?

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