History of your Surname
Get access to Dunford family records.Start a free trial

Dunford Family History

Dunford Name Meaning

English:: habitational name from Dunford Bridge in Thurlstone (Yorkshire) so called from the river Don (a British name possibly meaning ‘river’) + Old English ford ‘ford’ or from Dunford House in Methley (Yorkshire) named in Old English as ‘Dunn's ford’ (see Dunn ). variant of Durnford a habitational name from Durnford in Wiltshire arising from Old English dierne + ford ‘hidden ford’. Alternatively the name may perhaps arise from Dunford alias Durnford in Addlestone (Surrey).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Dunsford, Munford, Lunsford, Winford, Fulford, Binford, Duford

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Dunford family from?

You can see how Dunford families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dunford family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dunford families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 344 Dunford families living in Dorset. This was about 16% of all the recorded Dunford's in United Kingdom. Dorset had the highest population of Dunford families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dunford surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Dunford ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Dunford. 10% of Dunford men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Dunford women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dunford were Builders Labourer and Domestic Servant. .

View Census Data for Dunford | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    10%
  • Incapacitated
    6%
  • Farmer
    5%
  • Builders Labourer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Dunford family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 52,000 census records available for the last name Dunford. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dunford census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dunford

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Dunford. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Dunford immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Dunford. For the veterans among your Dunford ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dunford military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dunford family history

Discover More

What is the average Dunford lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Dunford life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Dunford in 1949 was 64, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dunford

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Dunford family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Dunford last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial