Byford
A name of Old English origin meaning "dwelling by the ford".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Byford. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Byford today is around 88 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Byford births was 1915 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Byford. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Byford is about 88 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Byfords were born before 1948.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Byford. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1915
11 babies that year
Average age
88
years old
1943 SSA rank
#3,610
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Byford: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Byford from the 1910s through to the 1940s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 36 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Byford by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Byford during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Byfords live
Origin
Meaning and history of Byford
The name Byford is believed to have its origins in Old English, with the earliest recorded use dating back to the 11th century. It is thought to be derived from the combination of the Old English words "by" meaning "dwelling" or "settlement" and "ford" meaning "a shallow river crossing." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a ford or a settlement located near a ford.
One of the earliest documented individuals with the name Byford was William Byford, a landowner and nobleman who lived in Hertfordshire, England, in the late 12th century. Records show that he held significant landholdings in the region and played a role in local governance.
In the 13th century, a notable figure named Robert Byford was a monk and scholar at the Benedictine monastery in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. He is known for his contributions to the study of theology and for his writings on monastic life.
During the Renaissance period, a painter named Thomas Byford (c. 1515-1590) gained recognition for his religious artworks, particularly his altarpieces commissioned by churches in the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk.
In the 17th century, a prominent figure named John Byford (1620-1688) was a English Puritan minister and author. He served as a chaplain during the English Civil War and later became a influential preacher and writer, known for his sermons and theological treatises.
Another notable individual with the name Byford was Sir William Byford (1789-1867), a British military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament representing the county of Norfolk. He was recognized for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield and his commitment to public service.
While the name Byford has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, these examples demonstrate its long-standing presence and usage across various contexts, from landownership and religious life to the arts and military service.
People
Byford + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Byford as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Byford: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Byford?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Byford going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Byford a common name?
We classify Byford as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 109 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Byford most popular?
The single biggest year for Byford was 1915, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Byford is about 88 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Byford a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Byford in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.