NameCensus.

UK surname

Swinford

A locational surname derived from a place in Leicestershire, England, likely referring to a ford used by swine.

In the 1881 census there were 135 people recorded with the Swinford surname, ranking it #16,515 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 188, ranked #20,417, down from #16,515 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Minster, Broadwell and Cheltenham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rugby, Cheltenham and South Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Swinford is 229 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.3%.

1881 census count

135

Ranked #16,515

Modern count

188

2016, ranked #20,417

Peak year

1911

229 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Swinford had 135 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,515 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 188 in 2016, ranked #20,417.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 229 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Swinford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Swinford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Swinford 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 96 #17,594
1861 historical 125 #17,678
1881 historical 135 #16,515
1891 historical 164 #17,205
1901 historical 216 #14,426
1911 historical 229 #13,712
1997 modern 198 #17,729
1998 modern 212 #17,479
1999 modern 207 #17,855
2000 modern 204 #17,987
2001 modern 203 #17,787
2002 modern 215 #17,487
2003 modern 204 #17,909
2004 modern 193 #18,622
2005 modern 179 #19,467
2006 modern 180 #19,526
2007 modern 180 #19,745
2008 modern 184 #19,666
2009 modern 185 #20,010
2010 modern 181 #20,738
2011 modern 182 #20,495
2012 modern 177 #20,836
2013 modern 186 #20,502
2014 modern 183 #20,880
2015 modern 183 #20,786
2016 modern 188 #20,417

Geography

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Where Swinfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Minster, Broadwell, Cheltenham, St Mary Islington and Fairford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rugby, Cheltenham, South Northamptonshire, Neath Port Talbot and Bristol. 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 Minster Kent
2 Broadwell Oxfordshire
3 Cheltenham Gloucestershire
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 Fairford Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rugby 005 Rugby
2 Cheltenham 004 Cheltenham
3 South Northamptonshire 005 South Northamptonshire
4 Neath Port Talbot 020 Neath Port Talbot
5 Bristol 051 Bristol, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Swinford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Swinford

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Swinford is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Swinford 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

Swinford falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Swinford

The surname SWINFORD has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval era. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the place name Swinford, which can be found in several counties across the country, including Leicestershire, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire. The name is thought to have originated from the Old English words "swin" meaning "swine" or "pig" and "ford" meaning a shallow river crossing, suggesting that the name referred to a location where pigs were herded across a ford.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SWINFORD can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Svineford" in reference to a settlement in Worcestershire. This historical record provides valuable insight into the prevalence and distribution of the name during the Norman conquest of England.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name SWINFORD was Sir John de Swinford, a knight who served under King Edward I and was granted lands in Wiltshire. Records from this period also mention a William de Swinford, who held estates in Oxfordshire around 1272.

During the 14th century, the name SWINFORD gained further prominence with the rise of Katherine Swynford (c.1350-1403), the mistress and later wife of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. Their descendants, known as the Beaufort family, played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses and the subsequent Tudor dynasty.

Another prominent individual with the SWINFORD name was Sir Roger Swinford (c.1370-1437), a Member of Parliament and Sheriff of Worcestershire, who was closely associated with the powerful Beauchamp family.

In the 16th century, records show a Richard Swinford (c.1510-1580) who served as a Member of Parliament for Worcestershire and held the position of High Sheriff of the county.

The SWINFORD name continued to be found across various regions of England, with notable bearers including Sir John Swinford (1620-1679), a Royalist during the English Civil War, and Reverend John Swinford (1669-1734), a prominent clergyman and author from Worcestershire.

While the spelling and variations of the name have evolved over the centuries, the SWINFORD surname remains a testament to its locational origins, reflecting the rich tapestry of English history and the diverse backgrounds of its bearers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Swinford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Swinford 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. Gloucestershire leads with 52 Swinfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.99x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 52 19.99x
Oxfordshire 30 36.62x
Kent 20 4.42x
Middlesex 19 1.43x
Sussex 6 2.68x
Wiltshire 4 3.41x
Nottinghamshire 2 1.12x
Cambridgeshire 1 1.19x
Isle of Man 1 4.06x
Surrey 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Fairford in Gloucestershire leads with 18 Swinfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 2608.70x.

Place Total Index
Fairford 18 2608.70x
Filkins 18 6666.67x
Cheltenham 10 49.83x
Cirencester 10 284.09x
Painswick 9 489.13x
Brize Norton 6 1714.29x
Bromley 6 86.96x
Islington London 6 4.67x
Bethnal Green London 4 6.94x
Chiswick 4 55.17x
Eastbourne 4 38.87x
Herne 4 200.00x
Langford 4 2352.94x
Clifton 3 22.81x
Dartford 3 64.79x
Minster In Thanet 3 319.15x
Bulwell 2 51.41x
Devizes St James 2 128.21x
Folkestone 2 22.78x
Kempsford 2 526.32x
St Botolph Aldgate 2 110.50x
Ashton Keynes 1 227.27x
Elythe College 1 2000.00x
Faversham 1 23.15x
Fulham London 1 5.20x
Hastings St Mary 1 17.95x
Hornsey 1 5.96x
Hougham 1 37.17x
Hove 1 10.19x
Kensington London 1 1.36x
Onchan 1 14.08x
Stert 1 1666.67x
Thorpe 1 357.14x
Westwell 1 1666.67x
Witney 1 72.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 8
Frederick 4
George 4
Henry 4
James 4
John 4
Robert 4
Albert 3
Charles 3
Thomas 3
Alfred 2
Isac 2
Joseph 2
Arthur 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Joe 1
Miles 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Smithett 1
Stephen 1
W. 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Swinford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Swinford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 135 people were recorded with the Swinford surname. That placed it at #16,515 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Swinford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 188 in 2016. That gives Swinford a modern rank of #20,417.

What does the Swinford surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place in Leicestershire, England, likely referring to a ford used by swine.

What does the Swinford map show?

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