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Wilford Family History

Wilford Surname Meaning

English (Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire): habitational name from either of two places called Wilford in Nottinghamshire and Suffolk both probably named with an Old English wilig ‘willow tree’ + Old English ford ‘ford’.

Americanized form of German Wilfert.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Wilford family from?

You can see how Wilford families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wilford family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wilford families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 333 Wilford families living in Leicestershire. This was about 23% of all the recorded Wilford's in United Kingdom. Leicestershire had the highest population of Wilford families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wilford 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 Wilford ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Gardener and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Wilford. 6% of Wilford men worked as a Gardener and 74% of Wilford women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wilford were Dairy Farmer and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Wilford | 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

  • Gardener
    6%
  • General Labourer
    5%
  • Farmer
    5%
  • Dairy Farmer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Domestic Duties
    2%

What Wilford family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 33,000 census records available for the last name Wilford. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wilford census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Wilford

Passenger Lists

There are 31,000 immigration records available for the last name Wilford. 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 Wilford immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Wilford military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wilford family history

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What is the average Wilford lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Wilford life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1963. The average life expectancy for Wilford in 1950 was 57, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wilford

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wilford 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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