NameCensus.

UK surname

Stanfield

A toponymic surname derived from various places in England meaning "stony field."

In the 1881 census there were 845 people recorded with the Stanfield surname, ranking it #4,463 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,005, ranked #5,783, down from #4,463 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bassetlaw, West Lindsey and Kincardine.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stanfield is 1,114 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.9%.

1881 census count

845

Ranked #4,463

Modern count

1,005

2016, ranked #5,783

Peak year

1999

1,114 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stanfield had 845 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,463 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,005 in 2016, ranked #5,783.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,065 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Stanfield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stanfield surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stanfield 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 1,011 #2,759
1861 historical 815 #3,376
1881 historical 845 #4,463
1891 historical 979 #4,224
1901 historical 964 #4,876
1911 historical 1,065 #4,341
1997 modern 1,049 #5,274
1998 modern 1,102 #5,255
1999 modern 1,114 #5,242
2000 modern 1,081 #5,339
2001 modern 1,016 #5,512
2002 modern 1,037 #5,529
2003 modern 1,015 #5,525
2004 modern 1,005 #5,574
2005 modern 1,014 #5,484
2006 modern 1,009 #5,522
2007 modern 1,004 #5,591
2008 modern 1,005 #5,630
2009 modern 1,052 #5,543
2010 modern 1,062 #5,597
2011 modern 1,047 #5,599
2012 modern 1,000 #5,731
2013 modern 1,012 #5,763
2014 modern 1,020 #5,767
2015 modern 1,005 #5,786
2016 modern 1,005 #5,783

Geography

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Where Stanfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Manchester and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bassetlaw, West Lindsey, Kincardine, Conwy and North Lincolnshire. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bassetlaw 001 Bassetlaw
2 West Lindsey 001 West Lindsey
3 Kincardine Fife
4 Conwy 015 Conwy
5 North Lincolnshire 011 North Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stanfield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stanfield

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

Stanfield is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Stanfield

The surname Stanfield is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words 'stan' meaning stone and 'feld' meaning field, indicating that the name originally referred to someone who lived near a stony field or an area with a prominent rocky landscape.

The name can be traced back to the 11th century, with early records showing variations such as Stanfelde, Staunfeld, and Staynfeld. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Roger de Stanfeld, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1202.

Stanfield is also found as a place name in various parts of England, including villages in Northumberland, Norfolk, and West Yorkshire. The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, contains references to these places, indicating the name's longstanding presence in the region.

Notable individuals with the surname Stanfield include Clarkson Stanfield (1793-1867), an English marine painter and illustrator renowned for his seascapes and coastal scenes. Another notable bearer was Sir Robert Stanfield (1592-1676), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1657.

James Field Stanfield (1749-1824) was a prominent English architect and surveyor who designed numerous churches, public buildings, and private residences in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. George Stanfield (1818-1878), a British engineer and inventor, is credited with developing the first successful grain milling machinery used in the United States.

William Clarkson Stanfield (1793-1867), a renowned English marine painter and member of the Royal Academy, was highly regarded for his detailed and atmospheric depictions of ships and coastal scenes, many of which were inspired by his extensive travels.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stanfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stanfield 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 145 Stanfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.49x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 145 1.49x
Middlesex 85 1.04x
Staffordshire 79 2.85x
Yorkshire 74 0.91x
Surrey 56 1.40x
Nottinghamshire 46 4.16x
Cheshire 44 2.43x
Hampshire 39 2.32x
Glamorgan 31 2.17x
Lincolnshire 27 2.06x
Kent 25 0.89x
Worcestershire 25 2.33x
Cumberland 24 3.40x
Lanarkshire 22 0.83x
Monmouthshire 22 3.71x
Warwickshire 12 0.58x
Dorset 10 1.86x
Devon 9 0.53x
Westmorland 9 4.99x
Wiltshire 9 1.24x
Northamptonshire 7 0.91x
Derbyshire 5 0.39x
Durham 5 0.20x
Berkshire 4 0.65x
Essex 4 0.25x
Angus 3 0.39x
Leicestershire 3 0.33x
Sussex 3 0.22x
Ayrshire 2 0.33x
Gloucestershire 2 0.12x
Royal Navy 2 2.05x
Bedfordshire 1 0.24x
Brecknockshire 1 0.61x
Norfolk 1 0.08x
Northumberland 1 0.08x
Oxfordshire 1 0.20x
Renfrewshire 1 0.16x
Shropshire 1 0.14x
Suffolk 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 25 Stanfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.75x.

Place Total Index
Ashton Under Lyne 25 11.75x
Portsea 23 6.98x
Newton 16 21.32x
Battersea 15 4.97x
Islington London 15 1.89x
Stone 15 42.35x
Aberystruth 13 24.87x
Dukinfield 13 15.54x
Whitchurch 13 168.18x
Chatham 12 15.58x
Rotherhithe 12 11.84x
St Marylebone London 12 2.74x
Liverpool 11 1.86x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 10 33.88x
Billingley 10 1785.71x
Culgaith 10 1030.93x
Farewell Chorley 10 1639.34x
Wolstanton 10 11.89x
Camberwell 9 1.72x
Exeter St Sidwell 9 23.01x
New Monkland 9 11.48x
Oldbury 9 17.07x
Pendleton In Salford 9 7.76x
Barony 8 1.19x
Chester St John Baptist 8 24.58x
Dewsbury 8 9.59x
Hammersmith London 8 3.96x
Newton In Ashton Under 8 44.77x
St Pancras London 8 1.21x
Stoke Upon Trent 8 2.72x
Toxteth Park 8 2.43x
Wolverhampton 8 3.76x
Aberavon 7 53.23x
Alverstoke 7 11.50x
Birkdale 7 28.42x
Birmingham 7 1.02x
Crosscanonby 7 29.97x
Hyde 7 13.10x
Lambeth 7 0.98x
Manchester 7 1.60x
Newark Upon Trent 7 17.61x
Normanby By Spital 7 630.63x
North Meols 7 7.35x
Rugeley 7 35.23x
Salford 7 2.44x
Shoreditch London 7 1.97x
Arnold 6 37.17x
Bradford 6 13.17x
Dudley 6 4.61x
Kings Norton 6 6.25x
Llanhilleth 6 153.85x
Middle Rasen 6 240.00x
Openshaw 6 13.16x
Skellingthorpe 6 295.57x
Temple Sowerby 6 508.47x
Warrington 6 5.20x
Wilford 6 192.93x
Aston 5 0.88x
Cardiff St John 5 10.72x
Darlaston 5 13.07x
Everton 5 1.61x
Hanwell 5 34.39x
Holnest 5 1785.71x
Kensington London 5 1.10x
Moss Side 5 9.76x
Northfleet 5 20.28x
Rickergate 5 33.44x
Rotherham 5 10.91x
Southampton All Sts 5 17.33x
Thorpe 5 2000.00x
West Lavington 5 143.68x
Bothamsall 4 540.54x
Bradford 4 2.03x
Clarendon Park 4 655.74x
Featherstone 4 43.81x
Finchley 4 12.72x
Gateshead 4 2.19x
Southwell 4 49.69x
Stockport 4 4.29x
West Bromwich 4 2.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 51
John 46
George 34
Thomas 32
James 26
Joseph 17
Charles 13
Edward 10
Henry 10
Richard 10
Robert 10
Alfred 8
Samuel 8
Frederick 7
Albert 6
Francis 4
Harvey 4
Herbert 4
Thos. 4
Arthur 3
Fred 3
Harry 3
Edmund 2
Edwin 2
Eli 2
Ernest 2
Robt. 2
Sam 2
Timothy 2
Tom 2
Benjaman 1
Daniel 1
Darcy 1
David 1
Douglass 1
Field 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
G.W. 1
Geo. 1
Georg 1
Israel 1
Jamie 1
Jeremiah 1
Jno. 1
Joe 1
Josiah 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Stanfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stanfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 845 people were recorded with the Stanfield surname. That placed it at #4,463 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stanfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,005 in 2016. That gives Stanfield a modern rank of #5,783.

What does the Stanfield surname mean?

A toponymic surname derived from various places in England meaning "stony field."

What does the Stanfield map show?

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