The Stafford surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 46,394 people carried this name — #747 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 6,360 people counted. That is up 2% from 45,349 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Stafford surname

An English habitational surname from the place name.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Stafford» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Stafford’.

An early record he cites: Martin de Stafford, Suffolk, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 711 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 33 births for the Stafford name in 1890.

Most were registered in Leinster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 1,500 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Wexford and Dublin.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Leinster 22
Ulster 9
Munster 2

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 28 people named Stafford.

Most of them — 21 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 2 départements, most often Ille-et-Vilaine.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 21
Ille-et-Vilaine 6
Côtes-d’Armor 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Stafford was found among the farmers of 2 counties.

It was most frequent in Derbyshire: 23 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 435. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Derbyshire 23
Leicestershire and Rutland 17

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In Scotland’s registers today

Stafford was recorded 12 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1665th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 28. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

104 Stafford families were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 597 people lived in those households, 5.7 to a family on average. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

North Carolina 26
Rhode Island 19
Vermont 16
South Carolina 12
New York 10
Maryland 7
Virginia 5
New Hampshire 3
Massachusetts 2
Connecticut 2
Pennsylvania 2

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 263 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Stafford in American newspapers,
1910–1922.

Newspaper page from The Pacific Commercial Advertiser carrying the name Stafford
The Pacific Commercial Advertiser 1910-05-03
Newspaper page from The Weekly Iberian carrying the name Stafford
The Weekly Iberian 1922-02-25

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 6,068 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Stafford in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2000s.

72,527 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Stafford. The most, 14,297, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Queensland, at 1.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 21,331
Queensland 18,291
Victoria 15,443
Western Australia 8,048
South Australia 6,268
Tasmania 2,737
ACT (Canberra) 243
Northern Territory 23

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Stafford.

Who carried it

People named Stafford,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Dora B. Stafford d. 1939 · photographer
  • Inácio Stafford d. 1642 · scientist
  • John Stafford d. 1781 · Catholic bishop
  • Humphrey Stafford d. 1413 · politician
  • Susanna Stafford d. 1743
  • George Stafford d. 1955

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Stafford,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States4,346 records

4,346 records of the Stafford name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,511
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 835
  • Other U.S. records 2,000
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record James Hubert Stafford

    Born 1937; from Oakland, California. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1971 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam. Buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Walter H. Stafford

    Born 1918 in Mississippi. Enlisted 1944 at Camp Shelby; auto mechanic from Lafayette County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1967, buried at Memphis National Cemetery, Tennessee.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Annie Stafford

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Britannic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 20; servant. From Roscommon, Ireland; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 4,346 records for Stafford in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · Ramsey County, Minnesota (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia1,548 records

1,548 records of the Stafford name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 757
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 313
  • Other Australian records 478
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Margaret Stafford

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Lord Auckland, sailing from Dublin in 1848. Native of Cork. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1850.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Ellen Stafford

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1854. Married 1854 in Richmond, Tasmania, aged 21.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Emily Stafford

    Arrived in Victoria in 1887 aboard the Habsburg, aged 4; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,548 records for Stafford in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada196 records

196 records of the Stafford name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 103
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 23
  • Other Canadian records 70
  1. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Bob Stafford

    Left New York in 1783 aboard the Aurora, bound for St. Johns, aged 20.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jas Stafford

    Came to Ontario in 1879 aboard the Hibernian, landing at Halifax, bound for St. Catharines, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Steadman Stafford

    Buried in 1960 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 50.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.

Showing 3 of 196 records for Stafford in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom55 records

55 records of the Stafford name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 43
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 7
  • Stirling Council burial records 5
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Stafford

    Died 1975, aged 62; buried at Bannockburn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Sarah Stafford

    Buried in 1798 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 60.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. J. Stafford

    Yorkshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 55 records for Stafford in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand21 records

21 records of the Stafford name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 13
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 5
  • Other New Zealand records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Monica Josephine Stafford

    Died 1980, aged 75; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jane Alma Stafford

    Buried in 1894 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 38.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Rora Stafford

    Died 1921, aged 26; buried at Havelock Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 21 records for Stafford in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands13 records

13 records of the Stafford name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 9
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 3
  • Dutch population registers 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Amy Frances Stafford

    Died 1959 in Rotterdam, aged 68.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Mary Stafford

    Died 1831 in Delft; born in Londen.

    Open Archives, Archief Delft (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Thomas Stafford

    Married in 1945 in Eindhoven.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 13 records for Stafford in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

France5 records

5 records of the Stafford name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Nigel Brent Stafford

    Born 1953 in the United Kingdom; died 1991 in Saint-Tropez (Var).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Sally Joy Stafford

    Born 1946 in the United Kingdom; died 1990 in Grand-Brassac (Dordogne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Stafford in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Stafford.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Stafford is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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