Explore the Family Name Bedford
The meaning of Bedford
English: habitational name from the county seat of Bedfordshire, or a smaller place of the same name in Lancashire, or from Bedforth in Thornhill, Yorkshire. Both of the former are named with the Old English personal name Bēda + Old English ford ‘ford’. The name is now very common in Yorkshire as well as Bedfordshire.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bedford in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Bedford changed marginally between 2000 and 2010. The rank of Bedford as a surname slipped from 3764 in 2000 to 4029 in 2010, translating to a decline of 7.04 percent. However, the count of individuals bearing the name increased by approximately 1.88 percent, rising from 8651 in 2000 to 8814 in 2010. The proportion per 100k people also slightly decreased from 3.21 in 2000 to 2.99 in 2010, reflecting a drop of 6.85 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,764 | #4,029 | -7.04% |
| Count | 8,651 | 8,814 | 1.88% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.21 | 2.99 | -6.85% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bedford
The ethnicity distribution for the surname Bedford also showed certain changes according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In terms of specific ethnic identities, there was an increase in those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Hispanic, and Black between 2000 and 2010. The most significant change was seen among those identifying as Two or more races, with an increase of 61.87 percent. Similarly, individuals identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native showed an increase of 59.18 percent. Conversely, there was a slight decrease by 3.58 percent in individuals identifying as White over this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 67.92% | 65.49% | -3.58% |
| Black | 27.52% | 27.96% | 1.6% |
| Hispanic | 2.01% | 2.71% | 34.83% |
| Two or More Races | 1.6% | 2.59% | 61.87% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.49% | 0.78% | 59.18% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.46% | 0.48% | 4.35% |
Bedford ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Bedford is British & Irish, which comprises 52.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (20.6%) and Nigerian (4.3%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Italian, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, and Angolan & Congolese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 52.7% |
| French & German | 20.6% |
| Nigerian | 4.3% |
| Other | 22.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Bedford
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Bedford have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 80.40% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 79.90% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 79.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 79.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 79.50% |
What Bedford haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Bedford is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and I-L22, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Hills, Gaines, Gary, O'Neal, Keyes, Powell, Sanderson, Sexton, Parris, Murrell.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Bedford surname are: H1, J1c, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Bedford have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Bedford" Surname 45.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Bedford" Surname 25.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Bedford" Surname 22.4%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Bedford" Surname 14.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Bedford?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Bedford are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition