NameCensus.

UK surname

Telford

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "hill ford" or "ford by a plank bridge."

In the 1881 census there were 2,642 people recorded with the Telford surname, ranking it #1,680 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,903, ranked #1,735, down from #1,680 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Langholm and Carlisle St Cuthbert. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Copeland, County Durham and Carlisle.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Telford is 3,982 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.7%.

1881 census count

2,642

Ranked #1,680

Modern count

3,903

2016, ranked #1,735

Peak year

2014

3,982 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Telford had 2,642 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,680 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,903 in 2016, ranked #1,735.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,206 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Telford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Telford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Telford 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 1,614 #1,783
1861 historical 1,718 #1,675
1881 historical 2,642 #1,680
1891 historical 2,818 #1,681
1901 historical 3,206 #1,747
1911 historical 2,648 #1,940
1997 modern 3,769 #1,723
1998 modern 3,830 #1,765
1999 modern 3,889 #1,753
2000 modern 3,842 #1,757
2001 modern 3,760 #1,756
2002 modern 3,887 #1,744
2003 modern 3,763 #1,768
2004 modern 3,723 #1,777
2005 modern 3,693 #1,765
2006 modern 3,706 #1,768
2007 modern 3,753 #1,760
2008 modern 3,805 #1,742
2009 modern 3,903 #1,742
2010 modern 3,969 #1,753
2011 modern 3,959 #1,724
2012 modern 3,900 #1,725
2013 modern 3,952 #1,734
2014 modern 3,982 #1,726
2015 modern 3,924 #1,730
2016 modern 3,903 #1,735

Geography

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Where Telfords are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Copeland, County Durham 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 Langholm Dumfries
3 Carlisle St Cuthbert Cumberland
4 Bewcastle Cumberland
5 Gateshead Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Copeland 005 Copeland
2 County Durham 012 County Durham
3 Carlisle 001 Carlisle
4 Copeland 003 Copeland
5 Copeland 004 Copeland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Telford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Telford

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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, Telford 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

Telford is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Telford

The surname Telford originated in England, primarily in the county of Shropshire. It is derived from the Old English words "tell" meaning "a hill or high ground" and "ford" meaning "a shallow place for crossing a river or stream." The name likely referred to someone who lived near a ford across a river at the base of a hill.

Telford can be traced back to the 13th century in Shropshire. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Assize Rolls of Shropshire in 1292, which mentions a Richard de Telford. The name is also found in the Hundred Rolls of Shropshire from 1274, which lists a Robertus de Telforde.

The name Telford is closely associated with the town of Telford in Shropshire, which was originally known as "Telforde" in the Domesday Book of 1086. The town likely took its name from the nearby ford across the River Terne, situated on a hill.

Thomas Telford (1757-1834) was a renowned Scottish civil engineer and architect, known for his work on roads, bridges, and canals. Although not directly related to the English surname, his name is closely linked to the town of Telford, which was renamed in his honor in 1968.

Other notable individuals with the surname Telford include:

1. John Telford (1851-1939), a Scottish-born Australian politician and businessman. 2. William Telford (1836-1915), a Scottish-born Canadian civil engineer and surveyor. 3. Robert Telford (1804-1876), a Scottish Presbyterian minister and writer. 4. Thomas Telford (1772-1857), a British naval officer and explorer. 5. John Telford (1872-1939), a Scottish-born Australian politician and trade unionist.

While the surname Telford is relatively uncommon, it has a long history in England, particularly in the county of Shropshire, where it originated from the geographical features of a ford across a river at the base of a hill.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Telford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Telford 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 503 Telfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.13x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 503 13.13x
Cumberland 473 21.34x
Durham 473 6.18x
Lancashire 253 0.83x
Yorkshire 195 0.76x
Midlothian 156 4.52x
Lanarkshire 132 1.59x
Dumfriesshire 125 21.98x
Middlesex 41 0.16x
Renfrewshire 30 1.50x
Stirlingshire 23 2.42x
Cheshire 20 0.35x
Roxburghshire 17 3.65x
Ayrshire 16 0.83x
East Lothian 14 4.11x
Fife 14 0.92x
Glamorgan 14 0.31x
Perthshire 11 0.95x
Selkirkshire 11 4.72x
Kent 8 0.09x
Staffordshire 8 0.09x
Sutherland 8 4.04x
Hampshire 7 0.13x
Sussex 7 0.16x
Westmorland 7 1.24x
Clackmannanshire 6 2.82x
Dunbartonshire 6 0.87x
Essex 6 0.12x
Surrey 6 0.05x
Warwickshire 6 0.09x
West Lothian 6 1.55x
Buteshire 5 3.21x
Wigtownshire 5 1.46x
Berwickshire 4 1.28x
Devon 4 0.07x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 0.81x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.08x
Angus 2 0.08x
Argyllshire 2 0.28x
Derbyshire 2 0.05x
Royal Navy 2 0.65x
Wiltshire 2 0.09x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.10x
Gloucestershire 1 0.02x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.03x
Peeblesshire 1 0.83x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 89 Telfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.41x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 89 6.41x
St Cuthbert W O 57 52.76x
Bishopwearmouth 53 8.06x
Gateshead 53 9.24x
Prudhoe 52 195.12x
Langholm 49 119.89x
Benfieldside 38 75.44x
Newcastle On Tyne St 35 17.63x
Bewcastle 33 421.46x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 31 9.35x
Canonbie 30 124.17x
Manchester 30 2.18x
Barony 29 1.38x
Govan 29 1.41x
Whitehaven 29 24.55x
Haydon 27 128.88x
Keswick 26 91.78x
Ryton 26 96.62x
Westgate 24 10.12x
Hamilton 23 9.90x
Wigan 23 5.39x
Drighlington 22 59.20x
Salford 22 2.45x
Caldewgate 21 17.29x
Westoe 20 4.61x
Kyo 19 52.70x
Nichol Forest 18 322.00x
Winlaton 17 23.14x
Conside Knitsley 16 26.87x
St Bees 16 156.10x
Wigton 16 48.15x
Cockermouth 15 32.15x
Elswick 15 4.91x
Pelton 15 41.16x
Alnwick 14 21.26x
Bellingham 14 218.07x
Castleton 14 69.90x
Everton 14 1.44x
Gretna 14 130.84x
Toxteth Park 14 1.35x
Wallsend 14 11.53x
Chirton 13 15.00x
Corbridge 13 92.66x
Crossgate 13 38.82x
East Greenock 13 6.90x
Wakefield 13 6.64x
Brandon Byshottles 12 12.51x
Helmington Row 12 33.64x
Islington London 12 0.48x
Old Monkland 12 3.63x
South Leith 12 3.09x
Stanwix 12 66.89x
Warden 12 153.26x
East Ardsley 11 49.80x
Morpeth 11 24.42x
Oldham 11 1.12x
Plumbland 11 191.97x
West Derby 11 1.23x
Workington 11 8.67x
Beeston 10 38.76x
Bromfield 10 299.40x
Hunslet 10 2.51x
Jesmond 10 18.56x
Kilton 10 261.78x
Linthorpe 10 6.57x
Liverpool 10 0.54x
Perth East Church 10 9.18x
Rockcliff 10 145.14x
Wall 10 284.90x
Whittingham 10 218.34x
Bootle Cum Linacre 9 3.71x
Byker 9 4.75x
Cornforth 9 39.91x
Gorbals 9 18.21x
Harton 9 29.74x
Llandough Juxta Cardiff 9 200.00x
Papcastle 9 145.63x
Rickergate 9 19.19x
Whickham 9 12.77x
Wortley In Bramley 9 4.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 188
Elizabeth 98
Jane 91
Margaret 73
Sarah 55
Ann 53
Isabella 45
Hannah 28
Annie 20
Ellen 18
Alice 15
Martha 13
Emma 11
Dorothy 10
Frances 10
Agnes 9
Betsy 9
Catherine 8
Eliza 8
Ada 7
Esther 6
Rebecca 6
Barbara 5
Eleanor 5
Emily 5
Harriet 5
Jessie 5
Margt. 5
Anna 4
Anne 4
Caroline 4
Florence 4
Mable 4
Matilda 4
Rachael 4
Eliz. 3
Helen 3
Kate 3
Laura 3
Louisa 3
Margret 3
Maria 3
Susan 3
Violet 3
Alison 2
Christian 2
Deborah 2
Janet 2
Leah 2
Lydia 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 204
William 144
Thomas 107
James 106
Robert 80
George 76
Joseph 44
Henry 26
Edward 17
David 14
Walter 14
Richard 13
Wm. 9
Andrew 8
Tom 8
Charles 7
Frederick 7
Ralph 7
Jacob 6
Matthew 6
Samuel 6
Thos. 6
Albert 5
Peter 5
Alexander 4
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
Christopher 4
Frank 4
Fred 4
Geo. 4
Michael 4
Daniel 3
Ernest 3
Herbert 3
Hugh 3
Jno. 3
Adam 2
Archibald 2
Benjamin 2
Francis 2
Fredrick 2
Gilbert 2
Harry 2
Jane 2
Nicholas 2
Stephen 2
Willm. 2
Forster 1
Foster 1

FAQ

Telford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Telford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,642 people were recorded with the Telford surname. That placed it at #1,680 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Telford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,903 in 2016. That gives Telford a modern rank of #1,735.

What does the Telford surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "hill ford" or "ford by a plank bridge."

What does the Telford map show?

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