NameCensus.

UK surname

Upfold

A surname originating as a habitational name from places in England named Upfold.

In the 1881 census there were 212 people recorded with the Upfold surname, ranking it #12,373 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 249, ranked #16,847, down from #12,373 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dorking, London parishes and Chiddingfold, Haslemere. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rotherham, Wandsworth and East Hampshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Upfold is 291 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.5%.

1881 census count

212

Ranked #12,373

Modern count

249

2016, ranked #16,847

Peak year

1901

291 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Upfold had 212 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,373 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 249 in 2016, ranked #16,847.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 291 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Upfold surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Upfold surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Upfold 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 180 #11,300
1861 historical 167 #13,956
1881 historical 212 #12,373
1891 historical 257 #12,476
1901 historical 291 #11,893
1911 historical 282 #11,915
1997 modern 245 #15,483
1998 modern 265 #15,087
1999 modern 278 #14,705
2000 modern 273 #14,828
2001 modern 269 #14,776
2002 modern 257 #15,523
2003 modern 248 #15,695
2004 modern 247 #15,821
2005 modern 253 #15,514
2006 modern 253 #15,602
2007 modern 265 #15,295
2008 modern 250 #16,065
2009 modern 250 #16,421
2010 modern 257 #16,476
2011 modern 246 #16,833
2012 modern 244 #16,793
2013 modern 242 #17,158
2014 modern 250 #16,905
2015 modern 249 #16,858
2016 modern 249 #16,847

Geography

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Where Upfolds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dorking, London parishes, Chiddingfold, Haslemere and Wisborough Green (Billingshurst, Sussex), Cranley, Albury (Albury), Alfold, Ewhurst, Shere (Albury). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rotherham, Wandsworth, East Hampshire, Hounslow and West Somerset. 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 Dorking Surrey
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Chiddingfold, Haslemere Surrey
5 Wisborough Green (Billingshurst, Sussex), Cranley, Albury (Albury), Alfold, Ewhurst, Shere (Albury) Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rotherham 020 Rotherham
2 Wandsworth 037 Wandsworth
3 East Hampshire 011 East Hampshire
4 Hounslow 003 Hounslow
5 West Somerset 001 West Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Upfold

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Upfold

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

Baseline UK

Group

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Upfold surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Upfold household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Upfold is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Upfold is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Upfold falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Upfold

The surname Upfold is of English origin, derived from a toponymic name referring to an upland or elevated area. It likely emerged in the medieval period, with roots stretching back to Old English words like "upp" meaning "up" and "folde" meaning "land" or "field."

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William de Upfold, recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1230. This suggests the name may have arisen in the Yorkshire region, potentially linked to a specific place bearing a similar appellation.

By the 13th century, variations on the spelling, such as Upfoulde and Upfolde, can be found in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273. This indicates the name had begun to spread to other parts of England.

The Upfold surname is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, the remarkable survey commissioned by William the Conqueror. This mention predates the Yorkshire reference, suggesting the name's origins may lie even deeper in England's Anglo-Saxon past.

Notable individuals with the Upfold surname include John Upfold (c. 1500-1565), a prominent merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. His descendants played significant roles in the city's trade and civic life throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.

Another important figure was Sir Thomas Upfold (1655-1738), a respected jurist who served as Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer from 1726 until his death. His legal acumen and expertise in financial matters earned him a reputation as one of the foremost authorities of his time.

During the 18th century, the Upfold name also gained renown through the artistic talents of William Upfold (1720-1803), a celebrated landscape painter whose works captured the pastoral beauty of the English countryside.

In the realm of literature, the novelist and poet Emily Upfold (1835-1912) made significant contributions, her works exploring themes of love, loss, and the human condition with great emotional depth.

Lastly, the 20th century saw the rise of Sir Harold Upfold (1903-1987), a pioneering aviator and engineer who played a crucial role in the development of early jet aircraft technology, pushing the boundaries of aeronautical innovation.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Upfold families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Upfold 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. Surrey leads with 119 Upfolds recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.75x.

County Total Index
Surrey 119 11.75x
Middlesex 28 1.35x
Kent 18 2.54x
Hampshire 14 3.29x
Sussex 12 3.43x
Berkshire 9 5.77x
Stirlingshire 7 9.13x
Lanarkshire 2 0.30x
Norfolk 1 0.31x
Northamptonshire 1 0.51x
Royal Navy 1 4.04x
Wiltshire 1 0.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dorking in Surrey leads with 42 Upfolds recorded in 1881 and an index of 617.65x.

Place Total Index
Dorking 42 617.65x
Reigate Foreign 13 118.61x
Aldershot 11 77.08x
Kensington London 11 9.52x
Amberley 9 1730.77x
Clewer 9 140.85x
Tonbridge 8 31.29x
Chelsea London 7 11.18x
St Ninians 7 92.11x
Thursley 7 958.90x
Wonersh 7 555.56x
Haslemere 6 750.00x
Cranleigh 5 337.84x
Sunbury 5 200.00x
Lewisham 4 10.58x
Thames Ditton 4 190.48x
Walton On Hill 4 909.09x
Penge 3 22.61x
Seale 3 461.54x
Shalford 3 267.86x
Tooting Graveney 3 106.38x
Ashtead 2 303.03x
Barony 2 1.18x
Bermondsey 2 3.23x
Chevening 2 259.74x
Ewell 2 93.46x
Gillingham 2 13.68x
Greenwich 2 6.05x
Portsea 2 2.40x
St Pancras London 2 1.20x
Woking 2 32.79x
Worplesdon 2 163.93x
Battersea 1 1.31x
Chiddingfold 1 105.26x
Epsom 1 20.28x
Godalming 1 15.70x
Hackney London 1 0.86x
Hambledon 1 93.46x
Hampstead London 1 3.09x
Horsham 1 14.71x
Kingswood 1 357.14x
Leominster 1 88.50x
Portsmouth 1 10.19x
Royal Navy 1 4.73x
Shere 1 81.97x
Wellingborough 1 10.17x
Wells Next Sea 1 53.76x
West Chiltington 1 222.22x
Westbury 1 23.31x
Weybridge 1 46.08x
Willesden 1 5.10x
Wimbledon 1 8.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 13
George 12
John 10
James 8
Thomas 7
Charles 6
Ambrose 5
Arthur 4
Henry 4
Edward 3
Richard 3
Abraham 2
Albert 2
Alfred 2
David 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Horace 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Allen 1
Francis 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Jacob 1
Joseph 1
Knowles 1
Lewis 1
Percy 1
Rueben 1
W. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Upfold surname: questions and answers

How common was the Upfold surname in 1881?

In 1881, 212 people were recorded with the Upfold surname. That placed it at #12,373 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Upfold surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 249 in 2016. That gives Upfold a modern rank of #16,847.

What does the Upfold surname mean?

A surname originating as a habitational name from places in England named Upfold.

What does the Upfold map show?

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