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

Rushford, 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 Rushford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rushford in America

Rushford is the 24124th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rushford surname appeared 1,043 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 Rushford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rushford 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 Rushford

The surname Rushford is of English origin, originating from the village of Rushford in Norfolk, England. The name is derived from the Old English words "rysc" meaning "rush" and "ford" meaning "a shallow place where a river can be crossed." This suggests that the name likely referred to a ford or crossing point where rushes grew abundantly.

The earliest recorded instance of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Risceford." This entry suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 11th century.

During the medieval period, the name appears in various records with slight variations in spelling, such as "Rushforde," "Russhford," and "Rusford." These variations reflect the inconsistencies in spelling and record-keeping practices of the time.

One notable bearer of the Rushford name was John Rushford, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Norwich in the late 15th century. He was involved in the wool trade and served as the city's mayor in 1487.

Another historical figure with this surname was William Rushford, a Puritan clergyman who lived in the 17th century. He was a prominent figure in the English Reformation and served as a minister in several parishes in Essex and Suffolk.

In the 18th century, a family of Rushfords settled in the American colonies, with records indicating their presence in Virginia and Pennsylvania. One member of this family, Samuel Rushford (1722-1795), was a farmer and landowner in Pennsylvania.

A more recent historical bearer of the name was Sir Alfred Rushford (1856-1932), a British businessman and philanthropist. He made his fortune in the textile industry and was known for his charitable contributions to various educational and medical institutions.

Another noteworthy individual with the Rushford surname was Margaret Rushford (1908-1998), an Australian writer and poet. Her works often explored themes of nature, and she was recognized for her contribution to Australian literature.

While the Rushford name may have originated from a specific location in Norfolk, it eventually spread to other parts of England and beyond, with bearers of this surname contributing to various fields throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rushford

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

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

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

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