NameCensus.

UK surname

Stafford

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places named Stafford in England, derived from Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 6,372 people recorded with the Stafford surname, ranking it #672 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,889, ranked #736, down from #672 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Glossop and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derbyshire Dales, Rutland and High Peak.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stafford is 9,278 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.5%.

1881 census count

6,372

Ranked #672

Modern count

8,889

2016, ranked #736

Peak year

2010

9,278 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stafford had 6,372 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #672 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,889 in 2016, ranked #736.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8,085 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Stafford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stafford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stafford 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 4,010 #709
1861 historical 4,470 #632
1881 historical 6,372 #672
1891 historical 6,878 #657
1901 historical 7,700 #698
1911 historical 8,085 #623
1997 modern 8,887 #711
1998 modern 9,134 #720
1999 modern 9,218 #719
2000 modern 9,202 #718
2001 modern 8,962 #720
2002 modern 9,166 #721
2003 modern 8,900 #723
2004 modern 8,877 #727
2005 modern 8,762 #724
2006 modern 8,785 #725
2007 modern 8,865 #722
2008 modern 8,930 #721
2009 modern 9,086 #725
2010 modern 9,278 #726
2011 modern 9,087 #730
2012 modern 8,859 #735
2013 modern 9,022 #736
2014 modern 9,103 #734
2015 modern 8,969 #733
2016 modern 8,889 #736

Geography

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Where Staffords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Glossop, London parishes, Manchester and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derbyshire Dales, Rutland, High Peak, South Kesteven and Northumberland. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 Glossop Derbyshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derbyshire Dales 008 Derbyshire Dales
2 Rutland 001 Rutland
3 High Peak 005 High Peak
4 South Kesteven 009 South Kesteven
5 Northumberland 007 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stafford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stafford

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

Stafford is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Stafford 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 Stafford 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 Stafford, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Stafford

The surname Stafford originated in England during the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the town of Stafford in Staffordshire, which takes its name from the Old English words "stæf" meaning staff or crosier and "ford" meaning a shallow river crossing or ford.

The earliest recorded mention of the name Stafford can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Stadford." This reference indicates that the name was already well-established in the region by the time of the Norman Conquest.

In the 12th century, a notable bearer of the name was Ralph de Stafford, who served as Sheriff of Staffordshire and Shropshire during the reign of King Henry II. His son, Hervey de Stafford, accompanied King Richard I on the Third Crusade to the Holy Land in 1190.

During the 13th century, the powerful Stafford family rose to prominence, with Edmund de Stafford becoming the 1st Baron Stafford in 1298. His descendants played significant roles in the Wars of the Roses, with Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham (1402-1460) being a prominent Lancastrian supporter.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir William Stafford (1554-1612), an English explorer and navigator who commanded several voyages to the West Indies and South America in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

In the realm of literature, the name is associated with the English poet and satirist, Robert Stafford (1603-1666), who was known for his biting criticisms of the political and social climate of his time.

Moving into the 18th century, John Stafford (1714-1795) was a prominent English clergyman and scholar who served as the Archdeacon of Richmond and held numerous academic positions at the University of Cambridge.

The name Stafford has also been carried by several notable American figures, including the statesman Lewis Stafford (1779-1833), who served as the 5th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio, and the Civil War general Joab Stafford (1836-1907), who fought for the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Throughout its history, the surname Stafford has been associated with various spellings, including Stafforde, Staforde, and Staffordshire, reflecting its locational origins and the evolution of English orthography over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stafford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stafford 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. Lancashire leads with 1,172 Staffords recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.59x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,172 1.59x
Derbyshire 607 6.24x
Cheshire 568 4.14x
Middlesex 442 0.71x
Yorkshire 383 0.62x
Durham 323 1.75x
Leicestershire 260 3.77x
Surrey 256 0.85x
Nottinghamshire 255 3.04x
Gloucestershire 228 1.87x
Warwickshire 214 1.36x
Northumberland 206 2.23x
Staffordshire 126 0.60x
Northamptonshire 105 1.80x
Rutland 93 20.37x
Worcestershire 88 1.08x
Lanarkshire 87 0.43x
Essex 82 0.67x
Kent 81 0.38x
Hampshire 76 0.60x
Norfolk 61 0.64x
Lincolnshire 60 0.60x
Cambridgeshire 59 1.50x
Cumberland 53 0.99x
Wiltshire 50 0.91x
Somerset 48 0.48x
Glamorgan 38 0.35x
Sussex 37 0.35x
Cornwall 29 0.41x
Renfrewshire 29 0.60x
Midlothian 27 0.32x
Ayrshire 25 0.54x
Devon 24 0.19x
Monmouthshire 21 0.47x
Herefordshire 16 0.63x
Bedfordshire 15 0.47x
Huntingdonshire 14 1.13x
Shropshire 13 0.24x
West Lothian 13 1.39x
Buckinghamshire 9 0.24x
Hertfordshire 9 0.21x
Oxfordshire 9 0.23x
Berkshire 7 0.15x
Channel Islands 7 0.38x
Dorset 6 0.15x
Dumfriesshire 6 0.44x
Flintshire 5 0.30x
Isle of Man 5 0.43x
Westmorland 5 0.37x
Argyllshire 3 0.17x
Stirlingshire 3 0.13x
Brecknockshire 2 0.16x
Denbighshire 2 0.09x
Merionethshire 2 0.18x
Royal Navy 2 0.27x
Suffolk 2 0.03x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.02x
Berwickshire 1 0.13x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.06x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.07x
Morayshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ashton Under Lyne in Lancashire leads with 107 Staffords recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.64x.

Place Total Index
Ashton Under Lyne 107 6.64x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 83 129.63x
Liverpool 83 1.85x
Oldham 83 3.49x
Bredbury 81 101.99x
Hyde 80 19.76x
Dukinfield 72 11.35x
Nottingham St Mary 67 3.09x
Mellor 65 245.75x
St Pancras London 64 1.28x
Leicester St Margaret 60 3.57x
Bishopwearmouth 59 3.72x
West Ham 58 2.14x
Lambeth 57 1.05x
Manchester 57 1.72x
Stockport 53 7.50x
Sunderland 53 16.23x
Aston 51 1.18x
Glossop Dale 49 10.75x
Droylsden 48 19.95x
Camberwell 44 1.11x
Pendleton In Salford 44 5.01x
Toxteth Park 42 1.68x
Newton In Ashton Under 40 29.54x
West Derby 39 1.81x
Everton 38 1.62x
Whissendine 36 231.07x
Monkwearmouth Shore 35 9.69x
Beard 34 107.36x
Islington London 34 0.56x
Chelsea London 33 1.76x
Coventry St Michael 33 6.55x
Hackney London 33 0.95x
Portsea 32 1.28x
Birmingham 31 0.59x
Bristol St George 31 5.50x
Spotland 30 3.66x
Leeds 29 0.83x
Dudley 28 2.84x
St George Hanover 27 3.33x
Paddington London 25 1.09x
Rowley Regis 25 4.27x
Gorton 24 3.46x
Blackley 23 17.79x
Farnworth 22 4.98x
Ketton 22 92.63x
Openshaw 22 6.37x
Shoreditch London 22 0.82x
Stranton 22 3.53x
Cheetham 21 3.82x
Cleator 21 9.43x
Govan 21 0.42x
Heanor 21 14.43x
March 21 15.93x
Marple 21 22.29x
Minchinhampton 21 21.62x
Stroud 21 8.85x
Ardwick 20 3.01x
Barony 20 0.39x
Bedlington 20 6.48x
Chadderton 20 5.55x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 20 0.60x
Kingswinford 20 2.62x
Litchurch 20 5.11x
Wollescote 20 30.59x
Battersea 19 0.83x
Bosden 19 45.12x
Gateshead 19 1.37x
Kensington London 19 0.55x
Kirkdale 19 1.53x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 19 3.44x
Westoe 19 1.81x
Allerton 18 22.92x
Ashley 18 285.71x
Brightside Bierlow 18 1.49x
Chorlton On Medlock 18 1.54x
Disley Stanley 18 25.48x
Foleshill 18 10.91x
Glasgow 18 0.50x
Macclesfield 18 2.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 456
Elizabeth 260
Sarah 221
Ann 138
Jane 127
Alice 104
Hannah 102
Eliza 99
Annie 87
Emma 86
Ellen 84
Martha 66
Margaret 65
Emily 51
Florence 43
Harriet 34
Louisa 32
Caroline 31
Edith 31
Maria 31
Isabella 30
Catherine 29
Clara 28
Ada 27
Lucy 27
Fanny 24
Frances 24
Esther 23
Agnes 21
Anne 21
Charlotte 21
Kate 21
Susan 20
Julia 15
Rebecca 15
Ruth 15
Amelia 14
Eleanor 14
Harriett 14
Matilda 14
Minnie 14
Rose 14
Susannah 14
Lizzie 12
Lydia 12
Sophia 12
Betsy 11
Elizth. 10
Gertrude 10
Mabel 10

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 409
William 361
James 229
Thomas 207
George 188
Joseph 150
Robert 103
Henry 97
Charles 94
Samuel 75
Edward 61
Arthur 47
Alfred 46
Harry 35
Walter 35
Frederick 34
Francis 33
Albert 32
Frank 31
Richard 30
Herbert 23
Edwin 22
David 20
Fred 20
Benjamin 18
Daniel 18
Ernest 17
Wm. 15
Ralph 14
Peter 13
Patrick 12
Thos. 12
Michael 11
Stephen 11
Alexander 9
Isaac 8
Jas. 8
Mark 8
Tom 8
Jno. 7
Jonas 7
Obadiah 7
Robt. 7
Andrew 6
Chas. 6
Fredrick 6
Job 6
Josiah 6
Percy 6
Wright 6

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 Stafford households.

FAQ

Stafford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stafford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,372 people were recorded with the Stafford surname. That placed it at #672 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stafford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,889 in 2016. That gives Stafford a modern rank of #736.

What does the Stafford surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places named Stafford in England, derived from Old English.

What does the Stafford map show?

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