2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Stopford
An English surname originating from a place name referring to a "stopford" or road barrier.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Stopford. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Stopford surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Stopford with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Stopford in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Stopford, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.0%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Stopford
The surname Stopford originated in England, specifically in the county of Cheshire. It is believed to have emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century, derived from the Old English words "stopp" meaning a stump or post, and "ford" referring to a shallow river crossing.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Stopford name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Cheshire from 1260, where a Robert de Stopford is listed as a landowner in the area. This suggests that the family had already established itself in the region by that time.
The Stopford name is also associated with the historic township of Stopford in Cheshire, which likely took its name from the same linguistic roots. This connection to a specific place further reinforces the name's origins in that part of England.
In the 14th century, a notable figure named William de Stopford was recorded as serving as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Wigan in 1324 and 1325. This early appearance of the name in official records underscores its longevity and significance within English history.
During the 15th century, the Stopford family maintained a presence in Cheshire, with records indicating that a John Stopford held lands in the area in 1459. This continuity suggests that the family had established itself as a respected local lineage over several generations.
One of the most prominent individuals bearing the Stopford name was Sir Robert Stopford (1768-1847), a British naval officer who played a significant role in the Napoleonic Wars. He achieved the rank of Admiral and was also a Member of Parliament for Ipswich from 1835 to 1837.
Another notable figure was Sir Montagu Stopford (1892-1971), a British Army officer who served in both World Wars and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his military service. He later became the Governor of Malta from 1949 to 1953.
The Stopford surname has also been associated with several places and placenames throughout England, such as Stopford Hall in Cheshire, Stopford Brook in Derbyshire, and the former Stopford Manor in Yorkshire, reflecting the family's historical presence and influence across various regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Stopford
Among Census respondents with the surname Stopford, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.0%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Stopford bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Stopford surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.7% · 96
- Two or more races8.0% · 9
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.7% · 3
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Stopford
Stopford appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+6 bearers (+5.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,357 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+3 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,498 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.8%) | Down 3,357 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.8%) | Up 2,498 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Stopford surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #150,452 | #147,954 | 1.7% |
| Count | 109 | 112 | 2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Stopford bearers went from 109 to 112 (+2.8% change). The surname moved up 2,498 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #147,954.
FAQ
Stopford surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Stopford?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Stopford. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Stopford?
Stopford ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 112 people with the surname Stopford. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Stopford.
Has Stopford become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Stopford went from 109 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 3 (+2.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #150,452 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Stopford?
Among Census respondents with the surname Stopford, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.0%) and Hispanic (2.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Stopford in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.7% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Stopford appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.7%), Two or More Races (8.0%), Hispanic (2.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Stopford (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Stopford mean?
An English surname originating from a place name referring to a "stopford" or road barrier. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Stopford (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Stopford?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Stopford is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.