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

Elford, 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 Elford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Elford in America

Elford is the 44576th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Elford surname appeared 482 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 Elford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Elford 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 Elford

The surname Elford is of English origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "eld" meaning "old" and "ford" referring to a shallow river crossing or a place where a river could be forded. This suggests that the name may have originated as a place name, indicating a settlement near an old ford or river crossing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Elford can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Elleford" in the county of Staffordshire. This entry suggests that the name was already well-established in this region by the late 11th century.

During the medieval period, the name Elford was primarily concentrated in the Midlands region of England, particularly in Staffordshire and the surrounding counties. Several villages and hamlets in this area bear the name Elford, further reinforcing its connection to place names.

In the 13th century, a notable figure by the name of William de Elford was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire, indicating that the surname was in use among the local gentry during this time.

The Elford family of Elford Hall in Staffordshire can trace their ancestry back to the 16th century, with Sir John Elford (born around 1530) being one of the earliest recorded members of this lineage.

Another noteworthy individual with the surname Elford was Sir William Elford (1749-1837), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He was knighted in 1815 for his distinguished service.

In the literary world, the name Elford is associated with the poet and writer William Elford Leach (1790-1836), who wrote several works on English literature and language.

The Elford surname has also been carried by individuals such as John Elford (1776-1837), a British architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, and Reverend Walter Elford (1623-1674), an English clergyman and author of theological works.

While the name Elford has its roots in the English Midlands, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and exploration, with bearers of this surname found in various countries and regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Elford

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

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

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

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