NameCensus.

UK surname

Sawford

In the 1881 census there were 230 people recorded with the Sawford surname, ranking it #11,748 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 534, ranked #9,515, up from #11,748 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Knotting, Oundle and Titchmarsh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Central Bedfordshire, East Northamptonshire and Kettering.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sawford is 553 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 132.2%.

1881 census count

230

Ranked #11,748

Modern count

534

2016, ranked #9,515

Peak year

1997

553 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sawford had 230 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,748 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 534 in 2016, ranked #9,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 399 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sawford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sawford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sawford 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 148 #13,028
1861 historical 179 #13,127
1881 historical 230 #11,748
1891 historical 278 #11,746
1901 historical 323 #11,065
1911 historical 399 #9,298
1997 modern 553 #8,617
1998 modern 548 #8,960
1999 modern 527 #9,277
2000 modern 551 #8,930
2001 modern 534 #9,000
2002 modern 553 #8,949
2003 modern 537 #8,997
2004 modern 542 #8,956
2005 modern 526 #9,109
2006 modern 532 #9,053
2007 modern 537 #9,057
2008 modern 537 #9,126
2009 modern 532 #9,402
2010 modern 531 #9,615
2011 modern 540 #9,420
2012 modern 521 #9,589
2013 modern 532 #9,587
2014 modern 537 #9,565
2015 modern 530 #9,605
2016 modern 534 #9,515

Geography

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Where Sawfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Knotting, Oundle, Titchmarsh, Twywell and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Central Bedfordshire, East Northamptonshire and Kettering. 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 Knotting Bedfordshire
2 Oundle Northamptonshire
3 Titchmarsh Northamptonshire
4 Twywell Northamptonshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Central Bedfordshire 003 Central Bedfordshire
2 East Northamptonshire 010 East Northamptonshire
3 Kettering 011 Kettering
4 Central Bedfordshire 001 Central Bedfordshire
5 East Northamptonshire 008 East Northamptonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sawford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sawford

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Sawford is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sawford is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sawford falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Sawford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sawford 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. Northamptonshire leads with 99 Sawfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.91x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 99 46.91x
Bedfordshire 33 28.41x
Middlesex 22 0.98x
Essex 10 2.26x
Kent 9 1.18x
Staffordshire 8 1.06x
Norfolk 7 2.03x
Northumberland 7 2.10x
Surrey 7 0.64x
Yorkshire 7 0.31x
Cambridgeshire 6 4.22x
Huntingdonshire 6 13.47x
Gloucestershire 4 0.91x
Lincolnshire 2 0.56x
Hampshire 1 0.22x
Rutland 1 6.07x
Worcestershire 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ringstead in Northamptonshire leads with 20 Sawfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 2739.73x.

Place Total Index
Ringstead 20 2739.73x
Slipton 14 17500.00x
Twywell 14 3684.21x
Riseley 12 1621.62x
Knotting 11 7857.14x
Earls Barton 9 500.00x
Oundle 8 338.98x
Paddington London 8 9.70x
Chollerton 7 744.68x
Harrold 7 886.08x
Heigham 7 37.80x
Tichmarsh 7 985.92x
Wandsworth 7 32.41x
Wouldham 7 721.65x
Hadleigh 6 1666.67x
Lowick 6 2000.00x
Northampton All Sts 6 83.80x
St Pancras London 6 3.32x
Stafford St Mary 6 55.97x
Great Gidding 5 1351.35x
Wimblington 5 595.24x
Aldwinkle All Sts 4 1538.46x
Gloucester Longford St 4 666.67x
Hampstead London 3 8.59x
Hampton Wick London 3 182.93x
Holy Trinity 3 5.61x
Kettering 3 35.13x
Kimberworth 3 24.31x
Tansor 3 1578.95x
West Ham 3 3.07x
Horton Kirby 2 169.49x
Lichfield St Mary 2 91.74x
Sudborough 2 909.09x
Tottenham 2 5.60x
Bedford St Peter 1 33.11x
Colchester St Mary At 1 63.69x
Dean 1 263.16x
Dingley 1 1000.00x
Fleet 1 98.04x
Harrington 1 625.00x
Ilkley 1 27.55x
Islip 1 227.27x
Milton Ernest 1 312.50x
Old Weston 1 400.00x
Portsmouth 1 9.44x
Uppingham 1 51.02x
Well 1 1000.00x
Wisbech St Mary 1 61.35x
Worcester St Martin 1 25.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 14
Mary 10
Sarah 10
Eliza 7
Ann 6
Annie 5
Emma 5
Agnes 4
Ellen 4
Frances 4
Alice 3
Anne 3
Edith 3
Jane 3
Catherine 2
Emily 2
Hannah 2
Harriett 2
Louisa 2
Lydia 2
Mabel 2
Martha 2
Sophia 2
Amy 1
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Ethell 1
Fanny 1
Florance 1
Georgina 1
Harriet 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Ruth 1
Selina 1
Sirer 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 18
John 14
George 13
Charles 8
Thomas 7
Alfred 4
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Robert 3
Samuel 3
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Isaac 2
Jesse 2
Joseph 2
Rueben 2
Walter 2
Wright 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Allan 1
Arthur 1
Earnest 1
Edmund 1
Francis 1
Fredrick 1
James 1
Jessey 1
Levi 1
Martin 1
Randall 1
Reynold 1
Richard 1
Sanders 1
Tom 1
Vincent 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Sawford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sawford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 230 people were recorded with the Sawford surname. That placed it at #11,748 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sawford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 534 in 2016. That gives Sawford a modern rank of #9,515.

What does the Sawford map show?

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