Find out how popular the last name Buford is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Buford.

Buford, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Buford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Buford in America

Buford is the 3907th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Buford surname appeared 9,089 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Buford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Buford to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Buford

The surname Buford has its origins in England and traces back to the late 11th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the town of Buford in Oxfordshire, which was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Bugeforde." The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "bugan" meaning "to bend" and "ford" referring to a ford or river crossing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Buford can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1191, where a Roger de Bugeford is mentioned. Another early reference is in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a William de Bugeford.

During the Middle Ages, the spelling of the name varied considerably, with forms such as Buggeford, Buggeforde, and Bugforde appearing in various records. In the 16th century, the spelling began to settle into its modern form of Buford.

One notable historical figure with the surname Buford was William Buford (1651-1728), an English writer and philosopher who was a member of the Royal Society. Another was Abraham Buford (1747-1833), an American Revolutionary War officer who fought in the Battle of Waxhaws.

In the 19th century, Napoleon Buford (1807-1883) was a prominent American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Illinois. Thomas Buford (1834-1920) was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War, known for leading the Buford's Scouts cavalry unit.

More recently, Steve Buford (1925-2019) was an American baseball player who played for the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers in the 1950s. Mary Buford (1910-1995) was an American actress and singer who appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout her career.

While the surname Buford has English origins, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through migration and colonization. However, its roots can be traced back to the small town of Buford in Oxfordshire, where the name first emerged centuries ago.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Buford

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Buford.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Buford was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Buford has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Buford was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Buford, please contact us.

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