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Spafford Family History

Spafford Surname Meaning

English (Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire) is a habitational name usually derived from Spalford in Nottinghamshire. The placename may originate from Old English Spaldas, the name of an Anglian tribe that primarily settled in the fen-lands of Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire.

Alternatively, it could stem from spald, meaning 'ditch' or 'trench', combined with ford, which means 'ford'. This indicates a geographical feature significant to the name's origin and its connection to the landscape.

The name is also a variant of Spofforth, a habitational name from Spofforth in Yorkshire. This variant likely comes from Old English spot, meaning 'small piece' or 'plot of land', together with ford, which again highlights the importance of local geography in naming.

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


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Where is the Spafford family from?

You can see how Spafford families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Spafford family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Spafford families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 51 Spafford families living in Lincolnshire. This was about 20% of all the recorded Spafford's in United Kingdom. Lincolnshire had the highest population of Spafford families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Spafford 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 Spafford ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Joiner and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Spafford. 22% of Spafford men worked as a Joiner and 80% of Spafford women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Spafford were Retired Dyers Labourer and House Wife.

View Census Data for Spafford | 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

  • Joiner
    22%
  • General Labourer
    22%
  • Wheelwright
    15%
  • Retired Dyers Labourer
    15%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Private Means
    6%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    3%
  • House Wife
    3%

What Spafford family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 19,000 census records available for the last name Spafford. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Spafford census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Spafford

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Spafford. 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 Spafford immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Spafford. For the veterans among your Spafford ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Spafford military records

You've only scratched the surface of Spafford family history

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What is the average Spafford lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Spafford life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1985. The average life expectancy for Spafford in 1944 was 34, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Spafford

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Spafford 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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