UK surname
Derived from a place name meaning "sandy ford" in Old English, referring to a shallow river crossing with a sandy bed.
In the 1881 census there were 88 people recorded with the Safford surname, ranking it #21,211 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 68, ranked #33,826, down from #21,211 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Eaton Socon with Wyboston and Rushden. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Safford is 151 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 22.7%.
1881 census count
88
Ranked #21,211
Modern count
68
2016, ranked #33,826
Peak year
1861
151 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Safford surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Safford surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 71 | #20,875 |
| 1861 | historical | 151 | #15,209 |
| 1881 | historical | 88 | #21,211 |
| 1891 | historical | 86 | #25,951 |
| 1901 | historical | 84 | #24,759 |
| 1911 | historical | 115 | #20,951 |
| 1997 | modern | 56 | #32,004 |
| 1998 | modern | 54 | #32,518 |
| 1999 | modern | 56 | #32,461 |
| 2000 | modern | 60 | #32,124 |
| 2001 | modern | 58 | #32,180 |
| 2002 | modern | 59 | #32,468 |
| 2003 | modern | 54 | #32,990 |
| 2004 | modern | 61 | #32,581 |
| 2005 | modern | 56 | #33,264 |
| 2006 | modern | 54 | #33,780 |
| 2007 | modern | 51 | #34,272 |
| 2008 | modern | 47 | #34,699 |
| 2009 | modern | 49 | #34,728 |
| 2010 | modern | 50 | #34,833 |
| 2011 | modern | 53 | #34,630 |
| 2012 | modern | 64 | #34,028 |
| 2013 | modern | 64 | #34,127 |
| 2014 | modern | 65 | #34,082 |
| 2015 | modern | 66 | #33,976 |
| 2016 | modern | 68 | #33,826 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Eaton Socon with Wyboston, Rushden, Gransden, Great and Cleator. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 2 | Eaton Socon with Wyboston | Huntingdonshire |
| 3 | Rushden | Northamptonshire |
| 4 | Gransden, Great | Cambridgeshire |
| 5 | Cleator | Cumberland |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Safford surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Safford, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Safford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Safford household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Safford is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Safford is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Safford, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Safford is of English origin, believed to have derived from the place name Salford, a town located in Greater Manchester, England. The name Salford is thought to come from the Old English words "salh" meaning "willow" and "ford" referring to a shallow crossing point across a river or stream.
Salford, as a place name, dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and property commissioned by William the Conqueror. The town's name was recorded as "Salford" in this historical document.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Safford was William de Salford, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls for Lancashire in 1246. The name was initially spelled in various ways, such as Salforth, Salford, and Saleford, before eventually settling on the more modern spelling of Safford.
In the 14th century, a notable figure named John Safford was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls for Staffordshire in 1327. This record suggests that the surname had spread beyond its original northern roots by this time.
During the 16th century, a prominent individual named Thomas Safford (born circa 1530) was a member of the English gentry and owned land in Shropshire. His descendants continued to hold prominent positions in the region for several generations.
Another notable bearer of the Safford surname was Sir John Safford (1588-1663), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Shropshire during the reign of King Charles I.
In the 18th century, a clergyman named Samuel Safford (1738-1807) gained recognition for his work as a Baptist minister and author in Massachusetts, United States. He published several theological works and was influential in the early Baptist movement in New England.
While the surname Safford has its roots in England, it has also been present in other parts of the world, particularly in North America, where many individuals bearing this name have made significant contributions in various fields over the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Safford surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Bedfordshire leads with 15 Saffords recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.36x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Bedfordshire | 15 | 35.36x |
| Surrey | 13 | 3.26x |
| Gloucestershire | 11 | 6.85x |
| Cumberland | 10 | 14.18x |
| Middlesex | 9 | 1.10x |
| Cambridgeshire | 7 | 13.49x |
| Yorkshire | 6 | 0.74x |
| Huntingdonshire | 4 | 24.60x |
| Glamorgan | 3 | 2.10x |
| Channel Islands | 2 | 8.24x |
| Cheshire | 1 | 0.55x |
| Midlothian | 1 | 0.91x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 0.79x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 0.36x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cleator in Cumberland leads with 10 Saffords recorded in 1881 and an index of 340.14x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Cleator | 10 | 340.14x |
| Quenington | 9 | 8181.82x |
| Bedford St Cuthbert | 8 | 2105.26x |
| Lambeth | 7 | 9.80x |
| Beverley St Mary | 6 | 504.20x |
| Little Gransden | 6 | 8571.43x |
| Clerkenwell London | 5 | 25.85x |
| Eaton Socon | 5 | 746.27x |
| Rotherhithe | 5 | 49.41x |
| Great Gransden | 4 | 2222.22x |
| Cirencester | 2 | 91.74x |
| St Helier | 2 | 25.32x |
| Swansea Town | 2 | 17.11x |
| Aberavon | 1 | 76.34x |
| Bedford St Paul | 1 | 34.36x |
| Castle Church | 1 | 60.24x |
| Edinburgh St Cuthberts | 1 | 2.27x |
| Islington London | 1 | 1.26x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 2.20x |
| Marple | 1 | 80.65x |
| Paddington London | 1 | 3.32x |
| Sandy | 1 | 133.33x |
| St Andrewthe Great | 1 | 149.25x |
| Stoke | 1 | 53.19x |
| Teddington London | 1 | 53.76x |
| Wacton | 1 | 1428.57x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Safford surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Safford surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Safford households.
FAQ
In 1881, 88 people were recorded with the Safford surname. That placed it at #21,211 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 68 in 2016. That gives Safford a modern rank of #33,826.
Derived from a place name meaning "sandy ford" in Old English, referring to a shallow river crossing with a sandy bed.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Safford bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.