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

Telfort, 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 Telfort surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Telfort in America

Telfort is the 39659th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Telfort surname appeared 554 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 Telfort.

We can also compare 2010 data for Telfort 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 Telfort

The surname TELFORT is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to have derived from an Old English place name, potentially something like "Telfordes-tun" or a similar variation, which would have been a settlement belonging to someone named Telford or a similar name.

The earliest known recorded example of the surname TELFORT dates back to the 13th century, appearing in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273. This entry lists a Robert de Telford, suggesting a connection between the surname and the town of Telford in Shropshire.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there is no direct mention of the surname TELFORT itself, but there are references to settlements that may be related to the name's origins, such as Telforde in Buckinghamshire and Telford in Shropshire.

During the 14th century, the surname TELFORT began to appear more frequently in various records across England. One notable bearer of the name was John Telfort, a merchant and alderman in the city of London, who lived from around 1340 to 1410.

In the 16th century, the surname TELFORT was found in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Shropshire. One notable example is William Telfort, a clergyman and author who lived from 1534 to 1601 and wrote several religious works.

Over the centuries, the surname TELFORT has been subject to various spelling variations, including Telford, Telforde, Telforde, and Telfforde, among others. These variations reflect the regional dialects and linguistic changes that occurred over time.

Other notable bearers of the surname TELFORT throughout history include:

1. Thomas Telfort (1683-1754), an English architect and surveyor known for his work on several churches and public buildings in London.
2. Elizabeth Telfort (1705-1783), a British writer and poet who published several volumes of poetry and translations.
3. James Telfort (1773-1834), a Scottish engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of the steam engine and road construction.
4. Henry Telfort (1818-1892), a British explorer and naturalist who conducted extensive expeditions in Africa and published several books about his travels.
5. Mary Telfort (1865-1942), an American educator and civil rights activist who fought for equal educational opportunities for African American students.

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

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Telfort

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

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

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

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