Alford is a name of English origin that has been used throughout history. The name comes from the Old English words "alf" meaning elf or warrior and "fordin" meaning ford or river crossing. Therefore, Alford can be interpreted as "elf ruler" or "warrior at the river crossing".
The name was first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was listed as Alvred. Over time, the spelling evolved into Alfurd, Alfred and finally Alford.
Alford has been used consistently throughout history, with notable bearers including Alford de Lisle, a knight who fought in the Battle of Hastings in 1066, and Sir Alford Truman, an English politician and merchant who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1427.
Today, Alford is still used as a given name but has become less common. It is considered a strong and distinctive name with a rich history behind it.
These statistics show that the name Alford had varying popularity over time, with significant fluctuations in the number of births per year. The peak years were 1915 and 1917, with 72 births each, while the lowest points occurred recently, with only 5 births in 2000, 2001, and 2017. Overall, there were 4790 births named Alford between 1880 and 2019.