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Walford Family History

Walford Name Meaning

English:: habitational name from one or more of several places so named such as Walford (Herefordshire) Walford in Leintwardine (also Herefordshire) Walford in Baschurch (Shropshire) and possibly Walford Hall in Hampton in Arden (Warwickshire) though this last may be a manorial placename deriving from the surname. The Herefordshire placenames probably derive from Old English walh ‘foreigner Welshman’ (genitive plural wala) + ford ‘ford’. The Shropshire placename derives from Old English wella ‘well spring stream’ + ford. If it does not derive from the surname the Warwickshire placename probably has the same etymology as the Herefordshire placenames. perhaps occasionally a habitational name from Walford in Wimborne Minster (Dorset). The placename probably derives from Old English walt ‘unsteady’ + ford ‘ford’.

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


Similar surnames: Welford, Alford, Halford, Wilford, Galford, Watford, Wolford, Warford

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Where is the Walford family from?

You can see how Walford families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Walford family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Walford families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 8 Walford families living in New York. This was about 50% of all the recorded Walford's in USA. New York had the highest population of Walford families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Walford surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Walford ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Walford. 23% of Walford men worked as a Farmer and 15% of Walford women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Walford were Labor and Maid. .

View Census Data for Walford | 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 1940

  • Farmer
    23%
  • Laborer
    18%
  • Miner
    5%
  • Labor
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    15%
  • Housewife
    9%
  • New Worker
    8%
  • Maid
    7%
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What Walford family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 51,000 census records available for the last name Walford. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Walford census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Walford

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Walford. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

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

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What is the average Walford lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Walford life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Walford in 1947 was 39, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Walford

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