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

Jefford, 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 Jefford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jefford in America

Jefford is the 93921st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jefford surname appeared 195 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 Jefford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jefford 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 Jefford

The surname Jefford is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "ge" meaning "near" and "ford" referring to a shallow place where a river or stream could be crossed. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a ford or crossing point over a body of water.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. Variations of the name such as "Gefford" and "Jefforth" appear in this historical record, indicating the name's long-standing presence in the region.

During the 13th century, the name Jefford was associated with various places in England, including Jefford in Somersetshire and Gefford in Worcestershire. These place names likely contributed to the spread and establishment of the surname in different parts of the country.

One notable figure with the surname Jefford was Sir John Jefford (c. 1420-1489), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament during the Wars of the Roses. He served as a knight of the shire for Somersetshire and played a role in the conflict between the houses of York and Lancaster.

Another individual of historical significance was William Jefford (c. 1550-1615), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. He is best known for his published works on theology and religious matters.

In the 17th century, the name Jefford was associated with the Jefford family of Wigan, Lancashire. This family owned substantial landholdings and contributed to the local community. One notable member was Robert Jefford (1635-1702), a wealthy merchant and landowner who served as the Mayor of Wigan in 1677.

The name Jefford also appeared in Scotland, where it was sometimes spelled as "Jeffray" or "Jeffery." One prominent bearer was Sir George Jeffray (1638-1705), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland and later as a Lord of Session.

Lastly, in the 19th century, the Jefford surname was found in various parts of England and Wales, with families residing in counties such as Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, and Monmouthshire. Individuals like Thomas Jefford (1802-1876), a farmer and landowner in Gloucestershire, carried on the legacy of the name during this period.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jefford

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

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

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

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