Finding Keffords & Kiffords on the Census
1841 to 1901
With most Censuses now indexed and available online through various family history websites, this page is a brief introduction to the difficulties you may encounter finding "your" Kefford or Kifford ancestor.
On the Kefford Name Variants & Origins page there is an analysis of the 1881 Census and some of the variant spellings that can turn up. The first pitfall is an error on the original census return. The second more common one is an indexing or transcription error by those creating the online sites, but considering the sometimes very unclear handwriting on the census pages, we should not judge them too harshly! For links to the various sites, go to the Links page.
The excellent ancestry. co.uk site now contains all available census returns for England and Wales from 1841 to 1901. On this site there are many search options which means with a little creativity and lateral thinking it is possible to find most missing ancestors. Other sites have more limited search facilities becuase they make certain search fields mandatory - which does not help much if it is the surname field and the transcription has completely altered the surname beyond the "soundex" capacities of the search. For example, Hefford/Hifford, Refford/Rifford, Shefford, Threfford. Conversely, some Heffords have been transcribed as Kefford, so not all Keffords returned on a search are necessarly genuine!
The most common variants are those replacing the first vowel as in: Kafford, Kefford, Kifford, Kofford & sometimes, Kufford. Occasionally the first letter is a C. The ending sometimes appears as "ard" or "erd". Sometimes there is only one "f" and other variations replace one "f" with another consonant such as in Kepford, Kelford/Kilford, Kesford/Kisford or Kayford/Keyford.
Some families or individuals seem impossible to find. This may be because they managed to elude the census, or else they have been indexed under completely the wrong surname by the indexers or transcribers. For example, The family of Thomas and Jane Kifford at Hemel Hempstead in 1841 appears as Killorn on the Genealogist site and Bittorf on Ancestry.
Alternatively, they may have been listed under the surname of the household above them on the census return. In some cases, certain individuals have only been found because their exact whereabouts were already known - rather defeating the point of the indexes and not much help if you don't know where to look!
Peter Kefford
23 April 2006
To illustrate just what fun and games can be had finding the Keffords, I have chosen William Kefford who was born at Bengeo, Hertfordshire in the September quarter 1839 at Bengeo, Hertford, the son of John Kefford and Lucinda (nee Kingsley). There is no particular reason for chosing him other than that his life span covers all the census returns from 1841 to 1901. William became the father of the two Kefford clergymen. (See Kefford & Kifford Clergy page). Only on the 1901 Census index has he been correctly indexed, although in 1891 the error was on the original census return. What is slightly surprising is that the KIFFORD variant does not feature, although this usually comes up in soundex searches, as did KOFFORD in 1861 on the Ancestry site.
I have submitted corrections to the various websites, so hopefully these will come right in due course!
1841 Census - Ancestry site
William (aged 2), his parents and siblings have been indexed as HUFFORD in the Portvale area of Hertford
1841 Census - S&N's "The Genealogist" site
William (aged 2), his parents and siblings have been indexed as SHEFFORD in the Portvale area of Hertford
1851 Census - Ancestry site
William (aged 11) his parents and siblings have been indexed as REFFORD at Bengeo, Hertfordshire.
1861 Census - Ancestry site
William (aged 21) has been indexed as KOFFORD at Walsham le Willows, Rickinghall, Suffolk.
1861 Census - 1837online site
William (aged 21) has been indexed as ............. Presumably the indexer could not read his name at all!
1871 Census - Ancestry site
William (aged 31) and his family have indexed as HEFFORD at Rickinghall Inferior, Suffolk.
1881 Census - Ancestry site (in conjunction with the Mormon Church - LDS index)
William (aged 41) and his family have been indexed as RUFFORD Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
1891 Census - Ancestry site
William (aged 51) appears as Kefford WILLIAM at Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. In other words he and his family are shown under the surname William due to the names being reversed on the original census.
1901 Census - Ancestry site & National Archives / Genes Reunited site
William (aged 61) and his family have at last been indexed as KEFFORD at Tottenham, Middlesex. Correct after 60 years!