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

Gafford, 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 Gafford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gafford in America

Gafford is the 12059th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gafford surname appeared 2,586 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 Gafford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gafford 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 Gafford

The surname Gafford is believed to have originated in England, likely in the late medieval period or the early modern era. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "gæf," meaning "fruitful" or "prosperous," and "ford," which refers to a shallow river crossing.

This surname may have initially been used as a descriptive name for someone who lived near a prosperous or fruitful ford or river crossing. It could also have been a locational surname, referring to a specific place with a name containing these elements.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gafford can be found in the Hertfordshire Subsidy Rolls of 1523, which mention a John Gafford. The surname also appears in various parish records and tax rolls from the 16th and 17th centuries, with spellings such as Gaffort, Gaforde, and Gayforde.

Notable individuals with the surname Gafford include William Gafford (1622-1681), an English Puritan clergyman and author, and John Gafford (1792-1868), an early settler in Illinois who played a role in the state's territorial government.

Other historical figures with this surname include:

• Thomas Gafford (1610-1677), an English landowner and member of the gentry in Gloucestershire.
• Elizabeth Gafford (1756-1823), a British writer and philosopher known for her work on ethics and morality.
• James Gafford (1845-1924), an American Civil War veteran and later a prominent businessman in Texas.
• Harriet Gafford (1868-1951), an American educator and women's rights activist in the early 20th century.

While the surname Gafford is not among the most common in English-speaking countries, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gafford

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

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

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

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