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

DeFord, 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 DeFord surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of DeFord in America

DeFord is the 13153rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The DeFord surname appeared 2,327 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname DeFord.

We can also compare 2010 data for DeFord 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 DeFord

The surname DEFORD is of Anglo-Norman French origin, derived from the Old French words "de" meaning "of" and "ford" meaning a shallow place where a river or stream can be crossed. It is believed to have originated in the 12th century when many Norman nobles and soldiers settled in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

The name was likely first used to identify someone who lived near a ford or crossing point on a river or stream. It may have been adopted as a surname to distinguish people from different locations who shared the same first name. The earliest recorded instances of the name appear in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire from the late 12th century.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are references to various places called "ford" or containing the word "ford" in their names, suggesting the presence of fords or river crossings in those areas. However, the specific surname DEFORD is not mentioned in the Domesday Book.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname DEFORD was Sir John Deford, a knight who fought in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346. Another notable figure was William Deford, a merchant and alderman in the City of London in the late 14th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname DEFORD appeared in various records across England, including parish registers and tax rolls. Some variations in spelling were common, such as Defford, Deeford, and Deaford.

In the 18th century, John Deford (1698-1770) was a prominent landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire. Another notable bearer of the name was George Deford (1754-1832), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.

In the 19th century, James Deford (1818-1892) was a well-known artist and painter who exhibited his works at the Royal Academy in London. His contemporary, William Deford (1827-1901), was a respected architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the English Midlands.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name DeFord

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

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 DeFord 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 DeFord 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 DeFord was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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