NameCensus.

UK surname

Tordoff

A topographic surname referring to someone living near a dusty path or thoroughfare.

In the 1881 census there were 708 people recorded with the Tordoff surname, ranking it #5,131 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 750, ranked #7,292, down from #5,131 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Birstall, Bradford and Halifax. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Wakefield and Calderdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tordoff is 846 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5.9%.

1881 census count

708

Ranked #5,131

Modern count

750

2016, ranked #7,292

Peak year

1901

846 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tordoff had 708 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,131 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 750 in 2016, ranked #7,292.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 846 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Tordoff surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tordoff surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Tordoff 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 410 #5,916
1861 historical 437 #5,898
1881 historical 708 #5,131
1891 historical 821 #4,937
1901 historical 846 #5,379
1911 historical 836 #5,288
1997 modern 761 #6,805
1998 modern 795 #6,779
1999 modern 801 #6,782
2000 modern 785 #6,881
2001 modern 768 #6,852
2002 modern 791 #6,837
2003 modern 746 #7,049
2004 modern 761 #6,948
2005 modern 749 #6,964
2006 modern 756 #6,942
2007 modern 761 #6,971
2008 modern 756 #7,065
2009 modern 758 #7,189
2010 modern 780 #7,169
2011 modern 759 #7,232
2012 modern 757 #7,172
2013 modern 780 #7,118
2014 modern 769 #7,219
2015 modern 750 #7,303
2016 modern 750 #7,292

Geography

Back to top

Where Tordoffs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Birstall, Bradford, Halifax and Leeds. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford, Wakefield and Calderdale. 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 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 059 Bradford
2 Bradford 055 Bradford
3 Wakefield 042 Wakefield
4 Bradford 054 Bradford
5 Calderdale 003 Calderdale

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Tordoff

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Tordoff

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tordoff, 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 Tordoff surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Tordoff 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Tordoff 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

Tordoff is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tordoff 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 Tordoff is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Tordoff

The surname Tordoff has its origins in England and dates back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "tor" meaning a steep hill or rocky peak, and "doff" meaning a small wooded valley or dell. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a rocky hill or peak with a small wooded valley nearby.

The name was primarily found in the northern counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, where the landscape matches the descriptive elements of the name. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax records of 1379, where a John Tordoff is listed as a resident of the village of Craven.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various spellings such as Tordoffe, Torduffe, and Torduf, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. The Tordoff family is also mentioned in the parish records of Giggleswick, Yorkshire, in the late 1500s.

One notable bearer of the name was William Tordoff, a Yorkshire landowner who lived in the late 17th century and was involved in a legal dispute over property rights in the village of Settle. Another early record is of Robert Tordoff, who was born in 1643 in Settle and served as a member of the local militia during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, the name spread to other parts of England, with records showing Tordoffs living in the counties of Lancashire, Derbyshire, and Nottinghamshire. A prominent figure from this era was John Tordoff, a wealthy merchant born in 1723 in Halifax, Yorkshire, who established a successful trading business in London.

Moving into the 19th century, the Tordoff surname continued to be found primarily in northern England, with notable individuals including James Tordoff, a skilled stonemason from Skipton, Yorkshire, who worked on the construction of several local churches and buildings in the 1860s and 1870s.

Throughout its history, the Tordoff surname has been associated with various professions and backgrounds, from landowners and merchants to skilled tradesmen and military personnel. Despite its relatively uncommon nature, the name has persisted over the centuries, reflecting its deep roots in the landscapes and communities of northern England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Tordoff families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tordoff 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 675 Tordoffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.89x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 675 9.89x
Lancashire 16 0.20x
Worcestershire 7 0.78x
Glamorgan 3 0.25x
Staffordshire 3 0.13x
Flintshire 1 0.54x
Warwickshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Bierley in Yorkshire leads with 170 Tordoffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 461.33x.

Place Total Index
North Bierley 170 461.33x
Bowling 50 73.98x
Farnley In Bramley 43 504.69x
Horton In Bradford 39 36.60x
Wyke In Bradford 37 303.28x
Shelf 35 536.81x
Bradford 26 15.74x
Headingley Cum Burley 24 54.63x
Armley 20 66.45x
Pudsey 19 52.08x
Hunslet 17 15.97x
Potter Newton 16 132.89x
Wortley In Bramley 16 29.60x
Horsforth 13 86.90x
Clayton 12 71.86x
Liversedge 11 36.21x
Wilsden 11 156.92x
Barnsley 10 14.21x
Southowram 9 43.21x
Salford 8 3.33x
Dudley 7 6.40x
Huddersfield 7 7.04x
Kirkheaton 7 63.23x
Worsbrough 7 35.00x
Bramley In Bramley 6 22.97x
Manningham 6 7.14x
Allerton 5 57.47x
Broughton In Salford 5 6.69x
Dodworth 5 70.52x
Halifax 5 4.99x
Rotherham 5 13.00x
Whitley Upper 5 510.20x
Greasbrough 4 44.40x
Lepton 4 56.10x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 4 23.24x
Ovenden 4 13.17x
Tadcaster West 4 74.07x
Thornton In Bradford 4 17.61x
Bradford Girlington 3 98.36x
Bury 3 3.21x
Cardiff St Mary 3 4.54x
Kingswinford 3 3.55x
Embsay Cum Eastby 2 72.46x
Gildersome 2 24.39x
Heaton 2 27.29x
Aston 1 0.21x
Holbeck 1 2.21x
Rhuddlan 1 6.14x
Ripon 1 6.32x
Saddleworth 1 1.90x
Sowerby In Halifax 1 4.48x
Tankersley 1 19.65x
Tong 1 7.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 42
Sarah 26
Ann 25
Martha 20
Hannah 19
Annie 17
Elizabeth 16
Emma 14
Harriet 12
Alice 10
Ada 7
Clara 7
Eliza 7
Rachel 7
Emily 6
Lucy 6
Florence 5
Jane 5
Maria 5
Amelia 4
Elizth. 4
Ellen 4
Leah 4
Louisa 4
Susannah 4
Edna 3
Esther 3
Frances 3
Grace 3
Laura 3
Margaret 3
Nancy 3
Sally 3
Abigail 2
Agnes 2
Betty 2
Charlotte 2
Elizebeth 2
Fanny 2
Florance 2
Lilly 2
Margret 2
Phoebe 2
Ruth 2
Anne 1
Ben 1
Eleanor 1
Ida 1
Jennett 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 36
William 26
Joseph 16
James 15
Thomas 15
George 12
Harry 11
Squire 10
Arthur 8
Henry 8
Walter 8
Alfred 7
Charles 7
Joshua 6
Albert 5
Fred 5
Peter 5
Willie 5
Wm. 5
Edward 4
Benjamin 3
Daniel 3
David 3
Ellis 3
Hiram 3
Isaac 3
Jonas 3
Richard 3
Sam 3
Samuel 3
Wilfred 3
Allan 2
Asahel 2
Chas. 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Joe 2
Jonathan 2
Oliver 2
Robert 2
Uriah 2
Charlie 1
Edwin 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Ezra 1
Frances 1
Zacchaeus 1

FAQ

Tordoff surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tordoff surname in 1881?

In 1881, 708 people were recorded with the Tordoff surname. That placed it at #5,131 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tordoff surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 750 in 2016. That gives Tordoff a modern rank of #7,292.

What does the Tordoff surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone living near a dusty path or thoroughfare.

What does the Tordoff map show?

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