NameCensus.

UK surname

Warford

An English locational surname derived from a place meaning "ford by a weir or dam."

In the 1881 census there were 81 people recorded with the Warford surname, ranking it #22,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 165, ranked #22,234, down from #22,082 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dundry, Winford, Nempnett Thrubwell, Blagdon, Butcombe, Pakefield and Ware (Ware). Hertford St John, Hertford All Saints. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waveney, North Somerset and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Warford is 195 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 103.7%.

1881 census count

81

Ranked #22,082

Modern count

165

2016, ranked #22,234

Peak year

2002

195 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Warford had 81 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,082 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 165 in 2016, ranked #22,234.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 146 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Warford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Warford surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Warford 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 100 #17,164
1861 historical 146 #15,628
1881 historical 81 #22,082
1891 historical 94 #24,820
1901 historical 108 #21,836
1911 historical 106 #21,948
1997 modern 169 #19,578
1998 modern 184 #19,037
1999 modern 181 #19,380
2000 modern 186 #19,055
2001 modern 186 #18,773
2002 modern 195 #18,590
2003 modern 183 #19,152
2004 modern 181 #19,363
2005 modern 173 #19,851
2006 modern 171 #20,131
2007 modern 170 #20,471
2008 modern 176 #20,224
2009 modern 182 #20,201
2010 modern 180 #20,812
2011 modern 183 #20,425
2012 modern 177 #20,836
2013 modern 175 #21,320
2014 modern 172 #21,731
2015 modern 172 #21,649
2016 modern 165 #22,234

Geography

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Where Warfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dundry, Winford, Nempnett Thrubwell, Blagdon, Butcombe, Pakefield, Ware (Ware). Hertford St John, Hertford All Saints, Steynton, Walwins Castle and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waveney, North Somerset and County Durham. 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 Dundry, Winford, Nempnett Thrubwell, Blagdon, Butcombe Somerset
2 Pakefield Suffolk
3 Ware (Ware). Hertford St John, Hertford All Saints Hertfordshire
4 Steynton, Walwins Castle Pembrokeshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waveney 003 Waveney
2 North Somerset 013 North Somerset
3 Waveney 006 Waveney
4 County Durham 059 County Durham
5 Waveney 012 Waveney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Warford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Warford

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Professional Periphery

Within London, Warford is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Warford is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Warford

The surname Warford has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "waer" meaning "aware" or "cautious," and "ford," referring to a shallow river crossing or a ford. This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a ford or who was responsible for maintaining it.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Warford can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions a landowner named Warford in the county of Warwickshire.

In the 13th century, records show a William de Warford who was a prominent landowner and nobleman in the county of Staffordshire. He held significant estates in the areas now known as Warford and Warford Bank.

During the 14th century, the Warford family established themselves as a notable lineage in the county of Cheshire. John Warford, born in 1325, was a respected member of the local gentry and served as a magistrate in the region.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Warford surname was Sir Thomas Warford (1490-1558). He was a prominent lawyer and served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Coventry during the reign of King Henry VIII.

Another significant individual with the Warford name was Captain John Warford (1625-1701), who fought in the English Civil War and later became a successful merchant and landowner in the county of Somerset.

Throughout the centuries, the Warford surname has been associated with various place names in England, such as Warford Hall in Cheshire, Warford Park in Staffordshire, and the village of Warford in Warwickshire. These place names likely originated from the Warford family's landholdings or settlements in those areas.

It is worth noting that the spelling of the surname has varied over time, with alternative spellings such as Warforde, Worforde, and Wareford appearing in historical records. However, the core elements of the name, reflecting its Old English origins, have remained consistent.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Warford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Warford 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. Suffolk leads with 37 Warfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.93x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 37 39.93x
Middlesex 10 1.31x
Somerset 8 6.53x
Warwickshire 7 3.65x
Gloucestershire 4 2.68x
Kent 3 1.16x
Bedfordshire 2 5.08x
Hertfordshire 2 3.81x
Derbyshire 1 0.84x
Durham 1 0.44x
Pembrokeshire 1 4.14x
Shropshire 1 1.52x
Surrey 1 0.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kirkley in Suffolk leads with 25 Warfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 3205.13x.

Place Total Index
Kirkley 25 3205.13x
Pakefield 11 4782.61x
Birmingham 6 9.38x
St Pancras London 3 4.90x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 2 73.26x
Gravesend 2 90.91x
Hammersmith London 2 10.67x
Hertford St John 2 256.41x
Luton 2 29.33x
Nempnett Thrubwell 2 3333.33x
Poplar London 2 13.93x
St Giles In Fields 2 76.34x
Walcot 2 30.67x
Wrington 2 487.80x
Bubbenhall 1 1428.57x
Chew Magna 1 232.56x
Chew Stoke 1 555.56x
Derby St Werburgh 1 14.53x
Hampstead London 1 8.44x
Lowestoft 1 22.83x
Pembroke St Mary 1 32.15x
Plumstead 1 11.56x
Shifnal 1 56.18x
Stoke 1 57.14x
Stranton 1 13.12x
Westbury On Trym 1 19.80x
Yate 1 303.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 7
Mary 5
Emily 4
Elizabeth 3
Jane 3
Elisabeth 2
Eliza 2
Rachel 2
Susannah 2
Agnes 1
Antrinette 1
Blanche 1
Caroline 1
Charity 1
Charlotte 1
E.M.J. 1
Emline 1
Emma 1
Griselda 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Jemima 1
Kate 1
Marianne 1
Milly 1
Rosetta 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 5
George 4
William 4
Alfred 2
Charles 2
Henry 2
John 2
A.G.S. 1
Benjamin 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Goddard 1
Harry 1
Jeremiah 1

FAQ

Warford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Warford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 81 people were recorded with the Warford surname. That placed it at #22,082 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Warford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 165 in 2016. That gives Warford a modern rank of #22,234.

What does the Warford surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place meaning "ford by a weir or dam."

What does the Warford map show?

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