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

Langford, 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 Langford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Langford in America

Langford is the 1870th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Langford surname appeared 19,208 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Langford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Langford 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 Langford

The surname Langford has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "lang" meaning long and "ford" meaning a shallow place where a river can be crossed. This suggests that the name likely originated from a settlement near a long ford or crossing point over a river.

Langford is found in various counties across England, including Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire, and Somerset, indicating that the name arose independently in different locations. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Langeford" in reference to a place in Wiltshire.

In the 13th century, a notable bearer of the name was Walter de Langford, who served as Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield from 1292 to 1321. Another early record is that of Ralph de Langford, who held lands in Somerset in the late 13th century.

During the 14th century, the name appears in various forms such as Langeford, Langforde, and Longford. A prominent figure from this time was Sir John Langford (c. 1330-1404), a knight and supporter of Richard II who fought in the Hundred Years' War.

In the 15th century, a notable bearer was Sir Ralph Langford (c. 1430-1495), who served as a Member of Parliament and played a role in the Wars of the Roses. He was granted lands in Wiltshire by Edward IV.

The 16th century saw the emergence of John Langford (c. 1510-1578), an English Protestant reformer and Church of England clergyman who served as Bishop of Norwich and later as Bishop of Ely.

As the name spread across England, various place names associated with Langford emerged, such as Langford in Bedfordshire, Langford Budville in Somerset, and Langford Hill in Somerset. These place names further solidified the connection between the surname and its geographic origins.

Throughout its history, the surname Langford has been borne by notable individuals in various fields, including politics, religion, and military service. While the spelling has evolved over time, the name's roots remain firmly grounded in the English landscape, reflecting the importance of geographic features in the development of surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Langford

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

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

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

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