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

Efford, 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 Efford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Efford in America

Efford is the 78567th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Efford surname appeared 243 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Efford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Efford 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 Efford

The surname Efford is of English origin, originating from the county of Devon in the southwest of England. The name is derived from the place name "Efford," which was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Eforde." This place name is thought to have originated from the Old English words "ēa," meaning river, and "ford," meaning a shallow crossing point in a river.

The earliest known recorded instance of the surname Efford dates back to the 13th century. One of the earliest documented references is found in the Pipe Rolls of Devonshire from 1242, which mentions a "Richard de Efford." This suggests that the surname likely emerged from the place name and was adopted by individuals who either lived in or were associated with the town of Efford.

Over the centuries, the surname has been spelled in various ways, such as Efforde, Edforde, and Edforth, reflecting the variations in local dialects and scribal practices. These variations were common before the standardization of spelling in the modern era.

One notable individual bearing the Efford surname was John Efford, a 15th-century English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Salisbury from 1427 until his death in 1443. Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Efford (1525-1590), an English soldier and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the Efford family held significant landholdings in Devonshire. One member of this family, Sir John Efford (1620-1685), was a prominent lawyer and served as the High Sheriff of Devon in 1673.

During the 18th century, the surname Efford appeared in various records, including parish registers and legal documents. One notable individual from this period was William Efford (1732-1809), an English merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to charitable causes in his hometown of Plymouth.

In the 19th century, the surname Efford continued to be found in various parts of England, particularly in the southwest. One notable bearer of the name was Reverend James Efford (1818-1892), an English clergyman and author who wrote several books on religious subjects.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have borne the surname Efford throughout history, highlighting its long-standing presence and significance within English culture and society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Efford

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

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

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

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