NameCensus.

UK surname

Wakeford

A habitational name for someone from a place called Wakeford or Wakefield.

In the 1881 census there were 1,026 people recorded with the Wakeford surname, ranking it #3,825 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,047, ranked #5,569, down from #3,825 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dorking, London parishes and South Stoneham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chichester and Elmbridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wakeford is 1,269 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.0%.

1881 census count

1,026

Ranked #3,825

Modern count

1,047

2016, ranked #5,569

Peak year

1911

1,269 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wakeford had 1,026 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,825 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,047 in 2016, ranked #5,569.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,269 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Wakeford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wakeford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wakeford 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 605 #4,247
1861 historical 665 #4,027
1881 historical 1,026 #3,825
1891 historical 1,090 #3,877
1901 historical 1,205 #4,085
1911 historical 1,269 #3,743
1997 modern 1,147 #4,893
1998 modern 1,203 #4,868
1999 modern 1,212 #4,888
2000 modern 1,175 #4,995
2001 modern 1,136 #5,044
2002 modern 1,159 #5,062
2003 modern 1,106 #5,158
2004 modern 1,097 #5,198
2005 modern 1,082 #5,199
2006 modern 1,077 #5,226
2007 modern 1,093 #5,213
2008 modern 1,100 #5,214
2009 modern 1,094 #5,347
2010 modern 1,095 #5,463
2011 modern 1,107 #5,342
2012 modern 1,079 #5,375
2013 modern 1,088 #5,424
2014 modern 1,093 #5,426
2015 modern 1,071 #5,471
2016 modern 1,047 #5,569

Geography

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Where Wakefords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dorking, London parishes, South Stoneham and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chichester and Elmbridge. 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 South Stoneham Hampshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chichester 005 Chichester
2 Chichester 004 Chichester
3 Chichester 011 Chichester
4 Chichester 009 Chichester
5 Elmbridge 017 Elmbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wakeford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wakeford

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Wakeford is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wakeford 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

Wakeford falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wakeford

The surname Wakeford has its origins in England and dates back to the late medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place called Wakeford or Wakefield in Yorkshire. The name is thought to have originated from the Old English words "wacu," meaning a watch or wake, and "ford," referring to a shallow river crossing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wakeford can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a person named Wacefort, which is likely an early spelling variation of the surname.

In the 13th century, records show a Richard de Wakefeld, born around 1220, who held land in Yorkshire. This spelling variation, Wakefeld, highlights the connection between the surname and the place name Wakefield.

During the 16th century, the Wakeford family had a presence in Oxfordshire, where they owned land and property. Notable individuals from this time include John Wakeford, born in 1547, who was a respected landowner and farmer in the area.

In the 17th century, the Wakeford name gained prominence in Somerset, where a family of that name owned a manor and estate. One of the more notable figures was Sir William Wakeford, born in 1625, who served as a member of parliament and was actively involved in local politics.

Another prominent individual with the Wakeford surname was Robert Wakeford, born in 1768 in Wiltshire. He was a renowned architect and was responsible for designing several notable buildings, including churches and country estates.

Throughout history, the Wakeford surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Wakefield in Yorkshire, Wakeford in Shropshire, and Wakefield in Berkshire. These place names likely influenced the evolution and variations of the surname over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wakeford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wakeford 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. Sussex leads with 305 Wakefords recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.88x.

County Total Index
Sussex 305 17.88x
Middlesex 185 1.83x
Surrey 178 3.61x
Hampshire 157 7.57x
Kent 56 1.62x
Lancashire 19 0.16x
Glamorgan 18 1.02x
Devon 13 0.62x
Northumberland 13 0.86x
Gloucestershire 12 0.60x
Berkshire 10 1.32x
Channel Islands 10 3.34x
Midlothian 7 0.52x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.44x
Pembrokeshire 6 1.87x
Staffordshire 6 0.18x
Norfolk 5 0.32x
Yorkshire 5 0.05x
Durham 3 0.10x
Essex 3 0.15x
Hertfordshire 3 0.43x
Northamptonshire 3 0.32x
Cheshire 2 0.09x
Lincolnshire 2 0.12x
Warwickshire 2 0.08x
Wiltshire 2 0.22x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.16x
Denbighshire 1 0.26x
Dorset 1 0.15x
Monmouthshire 1 0.14x
Royal Navy 1 0.83x
Somerset 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. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 38 Wakefords recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.88x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 38 3.88x
Portsea 33 8.12x
Dorking 32 96.68x
Fulham London 28 19.09x
North Chapel 27 981.82x
Lambeth 26 2.95x
Battersea 25 6.72x
Shoreditch London 24 5.47x
Brighton 23 6.68x
Kirdford 23 388.51x
Petworth 23 225.71x
Camberwell 20 3.10x
South Stoneham 20 44.46x
Tillington 18 586.32x
Westbourne 17 200.24x
Weeke 16 254.78x
Chelsea London 15 4.92x
Fittleworth 15 622.41x
St Pancras London 13 1.60x
Warblington 13 158.15x
Chidham 12 1304.35x
Southampton St Mary 12 9.20x
Eastbourne 11 14.02x
Farnham 11 28.70x
Liss 11 261.28x
Chiswick 10 18.09x
Greatham 10 1010.10x
Reading St Mary 10 16.44x
Subdeanery 10 77.28x
Broadwater 9 23.01x
Clapham 9 7.12x
Hackney London 9 1.59x
Margate St John Baptist 9 14.24x
Stoke Damerel 9 6.11x
Chertsey 8 25.12x
Hadlow 8 93.46x
Lodsworth 8 338.98x
Maidstone 8 7.78x
St Peter Port 8 14.43x
Sutton 8 720.72x
Tonbridge 8 6.43x
Cheltenham 7 4.57x
Droylsden 7 17.88x
Edinburgh St Georges 7 24.89x
Hastings All Sts 7 43.56x
Headley 7 124.11x
Kirknewton 7 2500.00x
Llandaff 7 11.95x
Speldhurst 7 39.84x
Wisborough Green 7 122.16x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.37x
Billingshurst 6 107.33x
Bramshott 6 117.42x
Cardiff St John 6 10.43x
Ford 6 109.09x
Godalming 6 19.34x
Kensington London 6 1.07x
Littlehampton 6 44.05x
Pembroke St Mary 6 14.49x
Pulborough 6 95.85x
Rogate 6 175.44x
Teddington London 6 26.18x
Arundel 5 52.36x
Bentley 5 204.92x
Burpham 5 354.61x
Cawston 5 131.23x
Farnworth 5 6.95x
Kingston On Thames 5 4.22x
Milton In Gravesend 5 9.66x
Oxted 5 84.18x
Portslade 5 47.94x
St Marylebone London 5 0.93x
Stedham 5 267.38x
Stoke Upon Trent 5 1.38x
Toxteth Park 5 1.23x
Hampstead London 4 2.54x
Haslemere 4 102.83x
Ordsall 4 38.31x
Southampton All Sts 4 11.24x
Southwick 4 44.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 45
Elizabeth 33
Sarah 32
Ann 23
Jane 21
Eliza 19
Ellen 19
Emily 19
Alice 14
Annie 13
Emma 13
Martha 13
Edith 12
Louisa 12
Caroline 11
Fanny 11
Florence 11
Harriett 8
Ada 7
Charlotte 7
Clara 7
Kate 7
Rose 6
Amelia 5
Catherine 5
Frances 5
Agnes 4
Amy 4
Anne 4
Beatrice 4
Esther 4
Lucy 4
Maria 4
Maud 4
Ruth 4
Elizh. 3
Flora 3
Gertrude 3
Hannah 3
Infant 3
Lilian 3
Lillian 3
Minnie 3
Rebecca 3
Susan 3
Adelaide 2
Margret 2
Matilda 2
Maude 2
Nelly 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 58
George 43
John 36
Thomas 35
James 32
Charles 26
Henry 25
Alfred 21
Walter 17
Albert 14
Arthur 13
Frederick 13
Ernest 10
Edward 8
Robert 7
Daniel 6
David 6
Joseph 6
Richard 6
Frank 5
Percy 5
Harry 4
Herbert 4
Sidney 4
Edmund 3
Francis 3
Noah 3
Benjamin 2
Bertie 2
Ebenezer 2
Edwin 2
Fredrick 2
Infant 2
J. 2
Jesse 2
Josiah 2
Leonard 2
Mark 2
Ralph 2
Samuel 2
W. 2
Cephas 1
Charley 1
Chas. 1
Edwd.Geo. 1
Eli 1
Enoch 1
Eveline 1
Jas. 1
Wm.Fredk. 1

FAQ

Wakeford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wakeford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,026 people were recorded with the Wakeford surname. That placed it at #3,825 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wakeford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,047 in 2016. That gives Wakeford a modern rank of #5,569.

What does the Wakeford surname mean?

A habitational name for someone from a place called Wakeford or Wakefield.

What does the Wakeford map show?

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