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Hereford Family History

Hereford Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Hertford (Hertfordshire) (in which the t was lost early as in the modern pronunciation Harford) Hereford (Herefordshire) or Harford (Devon Gloucestershire).

The Devon and Herefordshire placenames derive from Old English here ‘army’ + ford ‘ford’ while the Gloucestershire and Hertfordshire placenames derive from Old English heorot ‘hart stag’ + ford.

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


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Where is the Hereford family from?

You can see how Hereford families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Hereford family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Hereford families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 13 Hereford families living in Lancashire. This was about 22% of all the recorded Hereford's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Hereford families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Hereford surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Hereford ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Hereford. 62% of Hereford women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Hereford | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    62%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dut
    10%
  • Housewife
    10%
  • Private Means
    10%

What Hereford family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 9,000 census records available for the last name Hereford. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Hereford census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Hereford

Passenger Lists

There are 826 immigration records available for the last name Hereford. 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 Hereford immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Hereford. For the veterans among your Hereford ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Hereford military records

You've only scratched the surface of Hereford family history

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What is the average Hereford lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Hereford life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1966. The average life expectancy for Hereford in 1952 was 48, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Hereford

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Hereford ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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