NameCensus.

UK surname

Tilford

A locational surname derived from a place name in England.

In the 1881 census there were 144 people recorded with the Tilford surname, ranking it #15,891 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 230, ranked #17,812, down from #15,891 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stapleford, Sandiacre, Dale Abbey and Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Breckland, South Kesteven and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tilford is 253 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 59.7%.

1881 census count

144

Ranked #15,891

Modern count

230

2016, ranked #17,812

Peak year

1998

253 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tilford had 144 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,891 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 230 in 2016, ranked #17,812.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 241 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Tilford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tilford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tilford 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 141 #13,507
1861 historical 165 #14,112
1881 historical 144 #15,891
1891 historical 237 #13,242
1901 historical 231 #13,805
1911 historical 241 #13,229
1997 modern 238 #15,760
1998 modern 253 #15,547
1999 modern 250 #15,802
2000 modern 249 #15,787
2001 modern 235 #16,147
2002 modern 247 #15,941
2003 modern 246 #15,769
2004 modern 241 #16,086
2005 modern 242 #15,987
2006 modern 239 #16,224
2007 modern 228 #16,984
2008 modern 229 #17,092
2009 modern 240 #16,896
2010 modern 247 #16,931
2011 modern 243 #16,968
2012 modern 235 #17,242
2013 modern 242 #17,158
2014 modern 250 #16,905
2015 modern 249 #16,858
2016 modern 230 #17,812

Geography

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Where Tilfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stapleford, Sandiacre, Dale Abbey, Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall, Harewood and Scarborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Breckland, South Kesteven, Wakefield and Erewash. 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 Stapleford Derbyshire
2 Sandiacre, Dale Abbey Derbyshire
3 Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Harewood Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Scarborough Yorkshire, North Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Breckland 009 Breckland
2 South Kesteven 003 South Kesteven
3 Wakefield 016 Wakefield
4 Wakefield 009 Wakefield
5 Erewash 007 Erewash

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tilford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tilford

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Tilford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Tilford household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Tilford 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

Tilford 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

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

Meaning and origin of Tilford

The surname Tilford has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the place name Tilford, a village in Surrey. The name Tilford is thought to come from the Old English words "til" meaning "tile" or "brick," and "ford," referring to a shallow river crossing or ford.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of lands and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries mentioning Tilford as a settlement. One such entry reads "William de Ow holds Tilford of the King." This suggests that the name was already well-established in the area by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Tilford was John de Tilford, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Surrey in 1230. Another early bearer of the name was Robert de Tyleford, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327.

During the 14th century, the surname Tilford began to appear in various spellings, such as Tyleford, Tylford, and Tilleford, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time.

Sir John Tilford (c. 1360-1420) was a prominent figure during the reign of King Henry IV. He served as a Member of Parliament for Surrey and was knighted for his military service in the Hundred Years' War against France.

Another notable individual with the surname was Thomas Tilford (1572-1633), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Rochester from 1629 until his death.

In the 17th century, William Tilford (1620-1677) was a prominent merchant and landowner in Virginia, USA. He played a significant role in the early development of the colony and served as a justice of the peace and a member of the House of Burgesses.

During the 18th century, James Tilford (1736-1818) was a British military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. He commanded a company of the Queen's Rangers, a loyalist provincial regiment, and was captured by Continental forces at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781.

One of the most notable bearers of the Tilford name in more recent history was Sir John Tilford (1843-1923), a British businessman and philanthropist. He made his fortune in the textile industry and became a prominent figure in Manchester, where he served as the Lord Mayor and contributed significantly to various charitable causes.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tilford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tilford 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 62 Tilfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.58x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 62 4.58x
Nottinghamshire 17 9.24x
Middlesex 16 1.17x
Lancashire 11 0.68x
Somerset 7 3.18x
Gloucestershire 6 2.24x
Lincolnshire 5 2.29x
Derbyshire 4 1.87x
Norfolk 3 1.43x
Essex 2 0.74x
Hampshire 2 0.71x
Staffordshire 2 0.43x
East Lothian 1 5.53x
Lanarkshire 1 0.23x
Wiltshire 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. Harewood in Yorkshire leads with 10 Tilfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 3030.30x.

Place Total Index
Harewood 10 3030.30x
Stapleford 8 536.91x
Stoke Newington London 8 75.19x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 7 151.19x
Shepton Mallet 7 283.40x
Basford 6 70.75x
Micklefield 6 1875.00x
Scarborough 6 48.82x
Seacroft 6 937.50x
Bilton In Wetherby 5 4545.45x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 19.83x
Manthorpe Cum Little 5 299.40x
Oldham 5 9.56x
Openshaw 5 65.88x
Shitlington 5 357.14x
St Luke London 5 22.83x
Aberford 4 1290.32x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 14.53x
Sandiacre 4 526.32x
Rockland All Sts 3 2307.69x
Whiston 3 461.54x
Cudworth 2 408.16x
Nottingham St Mary 2 4.20x
Portsea 2 3.65x
West Bromwich 2 7.58x
West Mersea 2 384.62x
Bradford 1 3.05x
Bulwell 1 25.00x
Gilling East 1 909.09x
Horton In Bradford 1 4.73x
Hunslet 1 4.74x
Limehouse London 1 6.67x
Rutherglen 1 15.43x
Salisbury St Thomas 1 104.17x
St Botolph Aldgate 1 53.76x
St George Bloomsbury 1 12.77x
West Derby 1 2.11x
Westbury On Trym 1 11.03x
Whitekirk Tynninghame 1 204.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 8
Thomas 7
William 7
James 5
John 4
Joseph 4
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Matthew 2
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Tilford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tilford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 144 people were recorded with the Tilford surname. That placed it at #15,891 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tilford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 230 in 2016. That gives Tilford a modern rank of #17,812.

What does the Tilford surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in England.

What does the Tilford map show?

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