NameCensus.

UK surname

Staniforth

From the Stane ford place name, indicating someone who lived near a stony river crossing.

In the 1881 census there were 1,136 people recorded with the Staniforth surname, ranking it #3,523 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,979, ranked #3,252, up from #3,523 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Beighton, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Eckington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire, Sheffield and North East Derbyshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Staniforth is 2,104 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 74.2%.

1881 census count

1,136

Ranked #3,523

Modern count

1,979

2016, ranked #3,252

Peak year

2002

2,104 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Staniforth had 1,136 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,523 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,979 in 2016, ranked #3,252.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,505 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Staniforth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Staniforth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Staniforth 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 693 #3,765
1861 historical 557 #4,727
1881 historical 1,136 #3,523
1891 historical 773 #5,186
1901 historical 1,409 #3,584
1911 historical 1,505 #3,204
1997 modern 2,044 #3,006
1998 modern 2,088 #3,053
1999 modern 2,102 #3,061
2000 modern 2,081 #3,071
2001 modern 2,047 #3,052
2002 modern 2,104 #3,041
2003 modern 2,072 #3,026
2004 modern 2,043 #3,062
2005 modern 2,019 #3,059
2006 modern 2,017 #3,070
2007 modern 2,023 #3,092
2008 modern 2,009 #3,140
2009 modern 2,042 #3,154
2010 modern 2,085 #3,167
2011 modern 2,071 #3,148
2012 modern 2,010 #3,183
2013 modern 2,034 #3,194
2014 modern 2,018 #3,241
2015 modern 1,995 #3,247
2016 modern 1,979 #3,252

Geography

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Where Staniforths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Beighton, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Eckington, Crowle and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire, Sheffield, North East Derbyshire and Bolsover. 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 Beighton Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Eckington Derbyshire
4 Crowle Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 006 North Lincolnshire
2 Sheffield 076 Sheffield
3 North East Derbyshire 001 North East Derbyshire
4 Bolsover 007 Bolsover
5 Sheffield 009 Sheffield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Staniforth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Staniforth

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Staniforth surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Staniforth household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Staniforth 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

Staniforth 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

Staniforth 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 Staniforth is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Staniforth

The surname Staniforth is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "stan" meaning stone, and "ford" meaning a shallow river crossing. It suggests the name originated as a place name, referring to a settlement near a stony ford or river crossing.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Stainford" in Yorkshire. This entry suggests the name was already well-established by the time of the Norman Conquest.

Over the centuries, various spellings emerged, including Staneford, Staynforth, and eventually Staniforth. These variations reflect regional dialects and evolving spelling conventions.

One of the earliest notable individuals with this surname was Sir Adam de Stanyforth, a 14th-century knight from Yorkshire who fought in the Hundred Years' War against France.

In the 16th century, John Stanyforth was a prominent scholar and fellow of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, known for his contributions to the study of ancient Greek.

During the English Civil War, Colonel Sampson Staniforth was a Royalist officer who fought for King Charles I and was later executed by the Parliamentarians in 1644.

In the 18th century, Samuel Staniforth was a renowned clockmaker from Liverpool, whose timepieces were highly sought after by wealthy patrons.

More recently, Rodney Staniforth (1924-2007) was a British artist celebrated for his vibrant landscape paintings, many of which depicted scenes from his native Yorkshire.

While the surname is primarily associated with Yorkshire, it has since spread across England and beyond through migration and family ties. The name's origins, however, remain firmly rooted in the Yorkshire landscape, reflecting the historical significance of stone fords in shaping settlement patterns and place names.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Staniforth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Staniforth 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. Yorkshire leads with 691 Staniforths recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.29x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 691 6.29x
Derbyshire 125 7.21x
Lancashire 73 0.56x
Leicestershire 65 5.29x
Nottinghamshire 54 3.62x
Lincolnshire 26 1.47x
Middlesex 24 0.22x
Warwickshire 14 0.50x
Glamorgan 13 0.67x
Cheshire 10 0.41x
Surrey 10 0.19x
Devon 9 0.39x
Flintshire 7 2.35x
Stirlingshire 4 0.98x
Kent 3 0.08x
Westmorland 2 0.82x
Bedfordshire 1 0.17x
Durham 1 0.03x
Hampshire 1 0.04x
Northamptonshire 1 0.10x
Sussex 1 0.05x
Worcestershire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sheffield in Yorkshire leads with 170 Staniforths recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.63x.

Place Total Index
Sheffield 170 48.63x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 81 79.18x
Nether Hallam 80 53.85x
Crowle 75 695.73x
Ecclesall Bierlow 73 32.68x
Brightside Bierlow 49 22.75x
Eckington 46 109.13x
Basford 40 58.11x
Handsworth 32 110.23x
Beighton 24 305.34x
Ecclesfield 24 29.81x
Bradfield 22 51.97x
Norton 17 118.88x
Loughborough 15 26.91x
Wortley In Wortley 15 347.22x
Aston 14 1.82x
Boston 14 26.04x
Ormskirk 13 51.67x
Barwell 12 184.62x
Derby St Werburgh 12 11.98x
Aston Cum Aughton 11 122.49x
Betton 11 1250.00x
Camberwell 10 1.41x
Kimberworth 10 16.41x
Tonge 10 36.25x
Westminster St 10 24.48x
Dronfield 9 40.49x
Goole 9 48.91x
Ilkeston 9 18.50x
Cardiff St John 8 12.69x
Elland Cum Greetland 8 16.17x
Ilfracombe 8 33.68x
Sheepshed 8 47.51x
Bigby 7 510.95x
Gorton 7 5.66x
Tryddyn 7 108.19x
Wath On Dearne 7 31.95x
Kirkdale 6 2.71x
Leicester St Margaret 6 2.00x
Belper 5 14.87x
Bury 5 3.33x
Cardiff St Mary 5 4.70x
Mansfield 5 9.67x
Markfield 5 82.10x
Skelmersdale 5 22.82x
Breedon On The Hill 4 108.11x
Falkirk 4 4.18x
Islington London 4 0.37x
Manchester 4 0.68x
Sutton In Macclesfield 4 15.76x
Broughton In Salford 3 2.50x
Clarborough 3 26.86x
Dukinfield 3 2.65x
Heeley 3 8.99x
Holy Trinity 3 1.14x
Oldham 3 0.71x
St Pancras London 3 0.34x
Sutton Stoneferry 3 9.55x
Tranmere 3 3.34x
Whitgift 3 215.83x
Belton 2 127.39x
Beverley St Martin 2 10.91x
Chiswick 2 3.30x
Hucknall Torkard 2 5.28x
Lathom 2 12.59x
Layton With Warbreck 2 4.15x
Over Darwen 2 1.90x
Owston 2 39.76x
Pilkington 2 4.00x
Radford 2 2.64x
Reedness 2 106.38x
Salford 2 0.52x
St Marylebone London 2 0.34x
St Peters 2 11.44x
Undermilbeck 2 24.91x
Worksop 2 4.51x
Belton 1 13.89x
Gainsborough 1 2.39x
Thorne 1 7.34x
Wakefield 1 1.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 56
George 49
William 49
Thomas 45
Joseph 37
Henry 25
Charles 22
James 20
Arthur 18
Samuel 16
Albert 12
Robert 12
Walter 11
Alfred 9
Harry 9
Benjamin 8
Frank 8
Herbert 8
Mark 6
Edward 5
Frederick 5
Thos. 5
Ernest 4
Fred 4
Fredrick 4
David 3
Joshua 3
Percy 3
Aaron 2
Amos 2
Daniel 2
Farmer 2
Fred. 2
Joel 2
Luke 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Sam 2
Sidney 2
Wm. 2
Alvin 1
Ben 1
Carnall 1
Edwin 1
Elijah 1
Elizabeth 1
Ephraim 1
Ezra 1
Francis 1
Hary 1

FAQ

Staniforth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Staniforth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,136 people were recorded with the Staniforth surname. That placed it at #3,523 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Staniforth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,979 in 2016. That gives Staniforth a modern rank of #3,252.

What does the Staniforth surname mean?

From the Stane ford place name, indicating someone who lived near a stony river crossing.

What does the Staniforth map show?

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