NameCensus.

UK surname

Pumford

An English surname derived from a place name with uncertain origins.

In the 1881 census there were 81 people recorded with the Pumford surname, ranking it #22,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 312, ranked #14,350, up from #22,082 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Ruabon and Broseley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Barnsley and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pumford is 330 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 285.2%.

1881 census count

81

Ranked #22,082

Modern count

312

2016, ranked #14,350

Peak year

2009

330 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pumford had 81 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,082 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 312 in 2016, ranked #14,350.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 181 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Pumford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pumford surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pumford 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 77 #19,998
1861 historical 75 #24,238
1881 historical 81 #22,082
1891 historical 96 #24,559
1901 historical 159 #17,442
1911 historical 181 #15,911
1997 modern 295 #13,680
1998 modern 297 #13,967
1999 modern 303 #13,873
2000 modern 309 #13,651
2001 modern 319 #13,168
2002 modern 309 #13,733
2003 modern 296 #13,944
2004 modern 300 #13,871
2005 modern 297 #13,916
2006 modern 308 #13,669
2007 modern 308 #13,791
2008 modern 322 #13,487
2009 modern 330 #13,513
2010 modern 329 #13,818
2011 modern 315 #14,131
2012 modern 319 #13,898
2013 modern 314 #14,273
2014 modern 311 #14,464
2015 modern 311 #14,369
2016 modern 312 #14,350

Geography

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Where Pumfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Ruabon, Broseley, Madeley and Benthall, Posenhall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, Barnsley, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Flintshire and Newport. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Ruabon Denbighshire
3 Broseley Shropshire
4 Madeley Shropshire
5 Benthall, Posenhall Shropshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 001 Caerphilly
2 Barnsley 014 Barnsley
3 Rhondda Cynon Taf 011 Rhondda Cynon Taf
4 Flintshire 019 Flintshire
5 Newport 018 Newport

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pumford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pumford

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Pumford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Pumford household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Pumford 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

Pumford is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pumford 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 Pumford is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Pumford

The surname Pumford is believed to have originated in England, with roots tracing back to the 12th century. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name that no longer exists or has been obscured over time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Pumford surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from the year 1198, where a person named Reginald de Pumford is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 12th century.

During the Middle Ages, the Pumford family appears to have been concentrated in the counties of Staffordshire and Derbyshire. Some records indicate that the name may have originated from a now-defunct village or hamlet in one of these areas, possibly related to the Old English words "pump" and "ford," referring to a location where a stream or river was crossed by a pump or well.

In the 14th century, a Johanne Pumford was recorded in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire, indicating the continued presence of the family in the region. Additionally, the Pumford name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Derbyshire from the late 15th century, suggesting their dispersal throughout the neighboring counties.

One notable figure bearing the Pumford surname was Sir John Pumford, a knight who lived during the reign of King Edward III in the 14th century. Historical records indicate that he participated in the Hundred Years' War and was present at the Battle of Crécy in 1346.

Another individual of note was Thomas Pumford, a scholar and academic who lived in the late 16th century. He studied at Oxford University and later became a fellow of Merton College, contributing to the intellectual discourse of his time.

In the 17th century, a clergyman named William Pumford gained recognition for his sermons and religious writings, serving as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Nottinghamshire.

During the 18th century, the Pumford family extended their presence to other parts of England, with records showing individuals bearing the name in counties such as Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

One notable Pumford from this period was Robert Pumford, a successful merchant and landowner who lived in the late 18th century. His wealth and influence allowed him to acquire substantial properties in the county of Derbyshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pumford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pumford 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. Shropshire leads with 49 Pumfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 71.79x.

County Total Index
Shropshire 49 71.79x
Staffordshire 17 6.38x
Yorkshire 5 0.64x
Flintshire 4 18.84x
Gloucestershire 4 2.58x
Lancashire 2 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Broseley in Shropshire leads with 25 Pumfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 2066.12x.

Place Total Index
Broseley 25 2066.12x
Wednesfield 10 255.10x
Madeley 8 320.00x
Shrewsbury St Mary 8 297.40x
Skinningrove 5 1041.67x
Hope 4 377.36x
Wolverhampton 3 14.63x
Barrow 2 2222.22x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 2 259.74x
Bristol St George 2 27.89x
Broughton In Salford 2 23.34x
Morville Aston Eyre 2 10000.00x
Stapleton 2 68.03x
Stoke Upon Trent 2 7.07x
Upper Penn 2 298.51x
Dawley 1 40.32x
Much Wenlock 1 158.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 11
William 7
Thomas 6
Abraham 5
Edward 4
George 4
Joseph 4
Isaac 2
Albert 1
Edwd. 1
Francis 1
Geo. 1
Leonard 1
Solomon 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 Pumford households.

FAQ

Pumford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pumford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 81 people were recorded with the Pumford surname. That placed it at #22,082 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pumford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 312 in 2016. That gives Pumford a modern rank of #14,350.

What does the Pumford surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name with uncertain origins.

What does the Pumford map show?

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