Telford is a unique and distinctive name of English origin. It is derived from an Old English personal name, Telford, which was composed of two elements: "Þegel", meaning "thorn bush", and "ford", indicating a river crossing. Therefore, the name Telford literally translates to "thorn bush ford".
The name Telford has a rich history that dates back to medieval England. It was primarily used as a surname, but over time it has evolved into a given name as well. Some of the earliest records of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as a landowner's name in several counties throughout England.
The town of Telford in Shropshire, England, was named after Thomas Telford, a renowned Scottish engineer and architect who designed many notable structures in the area during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Although there is no direct connection between the town's name and its original meaning as "thorn bush ford", it is worth noting that this association has contributed to the name's popularity in recent years.
Today, Telford is still a relatively rare given name, but it has gained some recognition due to its unique sound and historical significance. It is often chosen by parents looking for distinctive names with a strong English heritage. Overall, Telford is an interesting and meaningful name with a rich history that spans centuries of English culture.
Based on the statistics provided, it appears that the name Telford has had varying popularity over the years in the United States. The highest number of babies named Telford was born in 1925 with a total of 12 births. This trend continued until 1927 with another peak at 10 births each year.
However, after the late 1920s, the popularity of the name Telford began to decline significantly. Between 1930 and 1955, there were only a handful of births each year ranging from 5 to 14. It wasn't until 1964 that we saw another slight increase with 9 births.
From 1975 onwards, the name Telford seems to have fallen out of favor completely as there was only one birth recorded in that year and no further data is provided beyond this point. Overall, over the course of these years, a total of 348 babies were named Telford in the United States. While it may not be one of the most popular names today, it's clear that at certain points in history, it was quite common among parents choosing names for their newborns.