NameCensus.

UK surname

Tailford

In the 1881 census there were 100 people recorded with the Tailford surname, ranking it #19,750 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 224, ranked #18,164, up from #19,750 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Darlington and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland and Carlisle.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tailford is 225 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 124.0%.

1881 census count

100

Ranked #19,750

Modern count

224

2016, ranked #18,164

Peak year

2009

225 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tailford had 100 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,750 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 224 in 2016, ranked #18,164.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 212 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Tailford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tailford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tailford 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 85 #18,940
1861 historical 43 #28,562
1881 historical 100 #19,750
1891 historical 134 #19,777
1901 historical 165 #17,085
1911 historical 212 #14,423
1997 modern 224 #16,392
1998 modern 212 #17,479
1999 modern 214 #17,494
2000 modern 213 #17,503
2001 modern 210 #17,425
2002 modern 212 #17,651
2003 modern 200 #18,139
2004 modern 208 #17,758
2005 modern 206 #17,786
2006 modern 216 #17,397
2007 modern 220 #17,377
2008 modern 224 #17,337
2009 modern 225 #17,631
2010 modern 223 #18,096
2011 modern 218 #18,206
2012 modern 209 #18,659
2013 modern 218 #18,441
2014 modern 223 #18,279
2015 modern 223 #18,165
2016 modern 224 #18,164

Geography

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Where Tailfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Darlington, Gateshead, Hayton and Hexham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland and Carlisle. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Darlington Durham
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Hayton Cumberland
5 Hexham Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 034 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 038 Northumberland
3 Northumberland 006 Northumberland
4 Northumberland 007 Northumberland
5 Carlisle 007 Carlisle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tailford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tailford

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Tailford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Tailford household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Tailford is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tailford is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

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Tailford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tailford 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. Northumberland leads with 68 Tailfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.85x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 68 46.85x
Durham 15 5.17x
Yorkshire 13 1.34x
Cumberland 3 3.57x
Kent 1 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Prudhoe in Northumberland leads with 16 Tailfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 1584.16x.

Place Total Index
Prudhoe 16 1584.16x
Benwell 11 691.82x
Humshaugh 9 5625.00x
Bramley In Bramley 8 216.22x
Elswick 8 69.08x
Conside Knitsley 6 265.49x
Heddon On Wall 6 3333.33x
Benfieldside 5 261.78x
East Ardsley 5 595.24x
Haughton Le Skerne 4 1666.67x
Haydon 3 379.75x
Hayton 3 625.00x
Earsdon 2 169.49x
Tynemouth 2 25.74x
West Brunton 2 5000.00x
West Matfen 2 2000.00x
Belsay 1 769.23x
Broomley 1 769.23x
Chollerton 1 243.90x
Minster In Sheppey 1 18.15x
Smalesmouth 1 2000.00x
Wall 1 769.23x
Wallbottle 1 322.58x
Westgate 1 11.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 7
Mary 7
Elizabeth 5
Margaret 5
Ann 4
Sarah 4
Eleanor 2
Frances 2
Agnes 1
Anne 1
Christina 1
Dorothey 1
Eliz. 1
Eliz.Ann 1
Ellenor 1
Emma 1
Francis 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Isabella 1
Lily 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10
John 6
James 4
Thomas 4
George 3
Gilbert 3
Ralph 3
Robert 3
Nathaniel 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
E. 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Lewis 1
Matthew 1
Richard 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Tailford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tailford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 100 people were recorded with the Tailford surname. That placed it at #19,750 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tailford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 224 in 2016. That gives Tailford a modern rank of #18,164.

What does the Tailford map show?

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