Duffield Genealogical Records

Duffield Birth & Baptism Records

England & Wales Birth Index (1837-2006)

An index to births registered throughout England & Wales. Provides a reference to order copies of birth certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.

Duffield, Shottle Baptisms (1863-1911)

Baptism registers are the primary source of birth details before 1837, though are useful to the present. Records include child's, parents' names and date of birth and/or baptism.

Duffield Baptisms (1598-1887)

Baptism registers are the primary source for birth documentation before 1837, though are relevant to the present. They record the date a child was baptised, their parents' names, occupations, residence and more.

Derbyshire Baptisms (1538-1990)

A searchable database containing over 230,000 baptisms, providing proof of parentage, occupations and residence.

Derbyshire Registrar's Birth Index (1837-2008)

An index of Derbyshire births recording the sub-registration district the birth was registered in.

Duffield Marriage & Divorce Records

England & Wales Marriage Index (1837-2008)

An index to marriages registered throughout England & Wales. This is the only national marriage index that allows you to search by both spouse's names. Provides a reference to order copies of marriage certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.

Duffield Marriage Records (1598-1812)

A searchable transcript recording marriages solemnised at Duffield between 1598 and 1812. Details may include residence, marital status and witnesses.

Duffield Marriage Index (1691-1768)

An index to marriages recorded by the church, listing the date of marriage and the names of the bride and groom.

Duffield Marriages (1598-1885)

An index to marriages recorded by the church, listing the date of marriage and the names of the bride and groom.

Duffield Marriage Index (1584-1825)

Marriage records from people who married at the church between 1584 and 1825.

Duffield Death & Burial Records

England & Wales Death Index (1837-2006)

An index to deaths registered throughout England & Wales. Provides a reference to order copies of death certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.

Duffield Burials (1598-1911)

An index of burials recorded at the church. The index includes the name of the deceased and the date of burial.

Hazelwood St John the Evangelist, Duffield Burials (1846-1904)

An index of burials recorded at Hazelwood St John the Evangelist, Duffield_. The index includes the name of the deceased, the date of burial, age (where available) and occasionally other notes.

St Alkmund, Duffield Burial Records (1795-1831)

Burial records covering those buried at St Alkmund, Duffield_. This resource is an index and may not include all the details that were recorded in the burial registers from which they were extracted.

Derbyshire Burials (1566-1972)

A searchable database containing over 53,000 burials. They may provide age and residence.

Duffield Census & Population Lists

1939 Register (1939)

An index to and digital images of records that detail 40 million civilians in England and Wales. Records list name, date of birth, address, marital status, occupation and details of trade or profession.

England, Wales, IoM & Channel Islands 1911 Census (1911)

The 1911 census provides details on an individual's age, residence, place of birth, relations and occupation. FindMyPast's index allows searches on for multiple metrics including occupation and residence.

Derbyshire Hearth Tax Assessments (1662-1670)

Transcriptions of hearth tax records for the county of Derbyshire.

1901 British Census (1901)

The 1901 census provides details on an individual's age, residence, place of birth, relations and occupation. FindMyPast's index allows searches on for multiple metrics including occupation and residence.

1891 British Census (1891)

The 1891 census provides details on an individual's age, residence, place of birth, relations and occupation. FindMyPast's index allows searches on for multiple metrics including occupation and residence.

Newspapers Covering Duffield

Derby Daily Telegraph (1879-1950)

A local paper including news from the Derby area, legal & governmental proceedings, family announcements, business notices, advertisements and more.

Nottingham Evening Post (1878-1944)

A local paper including news from the Nottingham area, legal & governmental proceedings, family announcements, business notices, advertisements and more.

Derby Mercury (1727-1900)

A record of births, marriages, deaths, legal, political, organisation and other news from the Derby area. Original pages of the newspaper can be viewed and located by a full text search.

Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald (1854-1950)

A database allowing full text searches of a newspaper covering regional news, family announcements, obituaries, court proceedings, business notices and more in the Derbyshire area.

The Daily Herald (1926)

A London newspaper that later became The Sun.

Duffield Wills & Probate Records

England & Wales National Probate Calendar (1858-1966)

Searchable index and original images of over 12.5 million probates and administrations granted by civil registries. Entries usually include the testator's name, date of death, date of probate and registry. Names of relations may be given.

Lichfield and Coventry Diocese Probate Index (1650-1760)

An index to wills, administrations and inventories proved by the Diocese of Lichfield and Coventry. Copies of wills can be ordered or viewed at the record office in Lichfield.

Derbyshire Will Index (1858-1928)

An index to wills, proved by the Derby Probate Registry. Index includes name, residence and year of probate. Contains entries for Yorkshire, Cheshire, Lancashire, Staffordshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and other counties.

Prerogative Court of Canterbury Admon Index (1559-1660)

An index to estate administrations performed by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. The index covers the southern two thirds of England & Wales, but may also contain entries for northerners.

Derbyshire Probate Index (1519-1928)

An index to wills and administrations, largely for residents of Derbyshire.

Duffield Immigration & Travel Records

Derbyshire Settlement Examinations (1704-1860)

A calendar to documents that granted a person settlement in a parish so long as they did not become a financial burden.

Derbyshire Removal Index (1687-1864)

A calendar to documents detailing the removal of a person or family from one parish to another.

Derbyshire-Australia Transportations (1784-1788)

A calendar to documents detailing the transportation of people from Derbyshire to Australia.

Derbyshire Transportation Index (1720-1772)

A calendar to records detailing the transportation of people from Derbyshire to parts of the British Empire.

Passenger Lists Leaving UK (1890-1960)

A name index connected to original images of passenger lists recording people travelling from Britain to destinations outside Europe. Records may detail a passenger's age or date of birth, residence, occupation, destination and more.

Duffield Military Records

Sherwood Foresters, Notts. and Derbyshire Regiments (1771-1936)

Articles relating to a Midlands infantry regiment and its predecessors

Derbyshire Militia - Army Enlistments (1813)

The names of Derbyshire militia-men who joined the regular Army in 1813.

Derbyshire WWI Memorials (1914-1918)

A list of names found on World War One monuments in Derbyshire, with some service details.

Derbyshire WWII Memorials (1914-1918)

A list of names found on World War Two monuments in Derbyshire, with some service details.

Prisoners of War of British Army (1939-1945)

A searchable list of over 100,000 British Army POWs. Records contains details on the captured, their military career and where they were held prisoner.

Derbyshire Bastardy Index (1718-1860)

A calendar to documents detailing the birth and administration of illegitimate children.

Derbyshire Settlement Examinations (1704-1860)

A calendar to documents that granted a person settlement in a parish so long as they did not become a financial burden.

Derbyshire Removal Index (1687-1864)

A calendar to documents detailing the removal of a person or family from one parish to another.

Derbyshire Criminal Index (1634-1825)

A calendar to criminal cases in Derbyshire, such as from quarter sessions.

Rolls of the 1281 Derbyshire Eyre (1281)

Transcriptions of pleas brought before a court. They largely concern land disputes.

Duffield Taxation Records

Derbyshire Hearth Tax Assessments (1662-1670)

Transcriptions of hearth tax records for the county of Derbyshire.

Tithe Apportionments (1836-1856)

An index to 11,000,000 parcels of land and property, connected to digital images of registers that record their owner, occupier, description, agricultural use, size and rateable value.

Land Tax Redemption (1798-1811)

This vital collection details almost 1.2 million properties eligible for land tax. Records include the name of the landowner, occupier, amount assessed and sometimes the name and/or description of the property. It is a useful starting point for locating relevant estate records and establishing the succession of tenancies and freehold. Most records cover 1798, but some extend up to 1811.

Duties Paid for Apprentices' Indentures (1710-1811)

An index linked to original images of registers recording apprenticeship indentures. Details are given on the trade and nature of apprenticeship. Many records list the parents of the apprentice.

Red Book of the Exchequer (1066-1230)

A compilation of records from the Court of the Exchequer primarily dealing with taxes and land. These records are in Latin.

Duffield Land & Property Records

Derbyshire Domesday Records (1086)

An English translation of Derbyshire domesday records. This transcripts details the county's landowners in 1086.

Tithe Apportionments (1836-1856)

An index to 11,000,000 parcels of land and property, connected to digital images of registers that record their owner, occupier, description, agricultural use, size and rateable value.

Land Tax Redemption (1798-1811)

This vital collection details almost 1.2 million properties eligible for land tax. Records include the name of the landowner, occupier, amount assessed and sometimes the name and/or description of the property. It is a useful starting point for locating relevant estate records and establishing the succession of tenancies and freehold. Most records cover 1798, but some extend up to 1811.

UK Poll Books and Electoral Rolls (1538-1893)

Poll books record the names of voters and the direction of their vote. Until 1872 only landholders could vote, so not everyone will be listed. Useful for discerning an ancestor's political leanings and landholdings. The collection is supplemented with other records relating to the vote.

Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem (1236-1291)

Abstracts of records detailing the estates and families of deceased tenants from the reigns of Henry III and Edward I.

Duffield Directories & Gazetteers

Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire (1941)

An exhaustive gazetteer, containing details of settlement's history, governance, churches, postal services, public institutions and more. Also contains lists of residents with their occupation and address.

Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire (1932)

A comprehensive place-by-place gazetteer, listing key contemporary and historical facts. Each place has a list of residents and businesses. Contains details on local schools, churches, government and other institutions.

Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire (1928)

A directory of settlements in the county detailing their history, agriculture, topography, economy and leading commercial, professional and private residents.

Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire (1925)

A comprehensive place-by-place gazetteer, listing key contemporary and historical facts. Each place has a list of residents and businesses. Contains details on local schools, churches, government and other institutions.

Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire (1912-1941)

A collection of directories detailing the history, agriculture, topography, economy and leading commercial, professional and private residents of Derbyshire.

Duffield Cemeteries

Deceased Online (1629-Present)

Images of millions of pages from cemetery and crematoria registers, photographs of memorials, cemetery plans and more. Records can be search by a name index.

Billion Graves (1200-Present)

Photographs and transcriptions of millions of gravestones from cemeteries around the world.

Mausolea and Monuments (1500-Present)

Profiles of several hundred mausolea found in the British Isles.

Maritime Memorials (1588-1950)

Several thousand transcribed memorials remembering those connected with the nautical occupations.

Rail & Canal Photographs Catalog (1880-1970)

A searchable database of photographs relating to railways and canals in Britain.

Duffield Obituaries

iAnnounce Obituaries (2006-Present)

The UKs largest repository of obituaries, containing millions of searchable notices.

United Kingdom and Ireland Obituary Collection (1882-Present)

A growing collection currently containing over 425,000 abstracts of obituaries with reference to the location of the full obituary.

Quakers Annual Monitor (1847-1848)

A collection of 364 obituaries of Quakers from the British Isles. The volume was published in 1849 and includes obituaries of those who died in late 1847 through 1848.

Musgrave's Obituaries (1421-1800)

This transcribed and searchable work by Sir William Musgrave contains 10,000s of brief obituaries. The work is a reference point for other works containing information on an individual.

British Medical Journal (1849-Present)

A text index and digital images of all editions of a journal containing medical articles and obituaries of medical practitioners.

Duffield Histories & Books

Notes & Queries for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire (1893-1898)

Selected issues of a periodical which contains many historical and genealogical tracts relating to the counties of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

Derbyshire Domesday Records (1086)

An English translation of Derbyshire domesday records. This transcripts details the county's landowners in 1086.

Victoria County History: Derbyshire (1086-1900)

A detailed history of the county's hundreds, parishes and religious houses.

Magna Britannia: Derbyshire (1066-1817)

A general and parochial history of the county, with sections for each parish.

Picture the Past (1485-Present)

A collection of over 100,000 images, such as portraits, postcards and photographs, largely covering the counties of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

Duffield School & Education Records

Derbyshire Schools Registers (1870-1905)

Transcriptions of school registers, which may include date of birth, name of parent(s) or guardian(s), residence and other details.

National School Admission & Log Books (1870-1914)

A name index connected to digital images of registers recording millions of children educated in schools operated by the National Society for Promoting Religious Education. Records contain a variety of information including genealogical details, education history, illnesses, exam result, fathers occupation and more.

Teacher's Registration Council Registers (1870-1948)

A name index linked to original images of registers recording the education and careers of teachers in England & Wales.

Oxford University Alumni (1500-1886)

A name index linked to original images of short biographies for over 120,000 Oxford University students. This is a particularly useful source for tracing the ancestry of the landed gentry.

Cambridge University Alumni (1261-1900)

A transcript of a vast scholarly work briefly chronicling the heritage, education and careers of over 150,000 Cambridge University students. This is a particularly useful source for tracing the ancestry of the landed gentry.

Duffield Occupation & Business Records

Derbyshire Photographers (1844-1964)

An index to photographers and photographic studios operating in Derbyshire. Contains biographical information and examples of work.

Derbyshire Apprenticeship Index (1650-1869)

A calendar to documents recording the apprenticeship of children to masters. They often contain genealogical information.

Derbyshire Mines Index (1896)

Profiles of Derbyshire coal and metal mines.

Lost Pubs of Derbyshire (1750-Present)

Short histories of former public houses, with photographs and lists of owners or operators.

British Trade Union Membership Registers (1870-1999)

An index to and images of registers recording over 3.7 million trade union members.

Pedigrees & Family Trees Covering Duffield

Victoria County History: Derbyshire (1086-1900)

A detailed history of the county's hundreds, parishes and religious houses.

British & Irish Royal & Noble Genealogies (491-1603)

Extensive and impeccably sourced genealogies for British, Irish & Manx royalty and nobility. Scroll down to 'British Isles' for relevant sections.

FamilySearch Community Trees (6000 BC-Present)

A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.

Debrett's Peerage (1923)

A searchable book, listing pedigrees of titled families and biographies of their members.

Dod's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage of Britian (1902)

A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.

Duffield Royalty, Nobility & Heraldry Records

Victoria County History: Derbyshire (1086-1900)

A detailed history of the county's hundreds, parishes and religious houses.

British & Irish Royal & Noble Genealogies (491-1603)

Extensive and impeccably sourced genealogies for British, Irish & Manx royalty and nobility. Scroll down to 'British Isles' for relevant sections.

FamilySearch Community Trees (6000 BC-Present)

A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.

Visitation of England and Wales (1700-1899)

Over 600 pedigrees for English and Welsh families who had a right to bear a coat of arms.

Knights of England (1127-1904)

The most comprehensive listing of Knights of the Crown, listing details where known to the order, date, place and reason for elevation.

Duffield Church Records

Derbyshire Church Histories (850-Present)

Histories of Anglican churches in the county of Derbyshire, illustrated with exquisite photographs. Maintained by the Diocese of Derby.

Lichfield Diocese Parish Clerk Nomiations (1691-1916)

An index to surviving nominations of parish clerks. The index may contain: parish, surname, forename, year, the reason for the appointment (e.g. death, ill-health, retirement or dismissal of predecessor), and occasionally further information, such as occupation or age.

Derbyshire Churches (900-Present)

Profiles of Derbyshire parish churches, including photographs.

Act Books of the Archbishops of Canterbury (1663-1859)

An index to names and places mentioned in act books of the Province of Canterbury. It records various licences and conferments, such as marriage and physician licences.

Derbyshire Parish Registers (1538-1910)

An index to 190,000 baptisms, marriages and burials recorded in some of Derbyshire's Anglican churches.

Biographical Directories Covering Duffield

Debrett's Peerage (1923)

A searchable book, listing pedigrees of titled families and biographies of their members.

Dod's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage of Britian (1902)

A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.

Dod's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage of Britian (1885)

A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.

Crockford's Clerical Directories (1868-1914)

Brief biographies of Anglican clergy in the UK.

The Concise Dictionary of National Biography (1654-1930)

A directory containing lengthy biographies of noted British figures. The work took over two decades to compile. Biographies can be searched by name and are linked to images of the original publication.

Duffield Maps

Maps of Derbyshire (1610-1900)

A collection of digitalised maps covering the county.

UK Popular Edition Maps (1919-1926)

Detailed maps covering much of the UK. They depict forests, mountains, larger farms, roads, railroads, towns, and more.

Ordnance Survey 1:10 Maps (1840-1890)

Maps showing settlements, features and some buildings in mainland Britain.

Tithe Apportionments (1836-1856)

An index to 11,000,000 parcels of land and property, connected to digital images of registers that record their owner, occupier, description, agricultural use, size and rateable value.

Parish Maps of Britain (1832)

Maps of parishes in England, Scotland and Wales. They are useful in determining which parish records may be relevant to your research.

Duffield Reference Works

England Research Guide (1538-Present)

A beginner’s guide to researching ancestry in England.

Parish Register Abstract (1538-1812)

Compiled in 1831, this book details the coverage and condition of parish registers in England & Wales.

Building History Research Guide (1066-Present)

A comprehensive guide to researching the history of buildings in the British Isles.

Surname Origins (1790-1911)

A service that provides advanced and custom surname maps for the British Isles and the US.

British Family Mottoes (1189-Present)

A dictionary of around 9,000 mottoes for British families who had right to bear arms.

Historical Description

The village of Duffield, pleasantly situated on the Derwent. At the north-west end of the village, on a rising ground, was formerly a castle, which in the fourteenth century belonged to the Ferrers’, aarls of Derby. Robert de Ferrers, the second earl, in the nineteenth year of the reign of Henry II. hearing that the territories of the King of France were invaded by the adherents of young. Henry, whom his father caused to be crowned during his own life, joined in rebellion against his sovereign, and garrisoned his castle at Duffield. However, some time afterwards, to obtain pardon and favour, he surrendered his fortress to the king, who commanded it to be immediately demolished, which was effected in August, 1325.

Such is the state of the health and the morals of the manufacturers employed at the cotton-works here, that among so mixed a body as 1500, we find according to Mr. John Ashton Yates, that the nonattendance from sickness, has been only six hours a day yearly, for each, on an average, although the number of working hours is above eleven daily. The size of the rooms is ample, and fresh air may be transmitted into them constantly at the rate of not less than 150 gallons per minute for each person ; the consequence of which is, that the complexion of the manufacturer, instead of manifesting the paleness of most sedentary persons, has much of the freshness of the labourer in the open air. Schools are provided for the children, and none are allowed to labour under the age of nine.

Topography of Great Britain (1829) by George Alexander Cooke

DUFFIELD, delightfully situated in a valley, on the banks of the river Derwent and Ecclesbourne brook, is a township, extensive parish and station on the Midland railway, 5 ¼ miles north from Derby by the railway and 5 by road, 2 ½ south from Belper and 132 from London, in the Mid division of the county, Appletree hundred, Belper union, Belper and Ilkeston county court district, petty sessional division of Belper, rural deanery of Duffield, archdeaconry of Derby and diocese of Southwell. The township is lighted with gas by a company formed in 1866. By Local Government Board Order, Farnah Green was in 1886 transferred from Hazlewood to Duffield, and at the same date Cow Ways was transferred from Duffield to Hazlewood, and part of Cowhouse Lane to Shottle and Postern. The church of St. Alkmund is a building of stone in mixed styles, from Early English to Perpendicular, consisting of chancel with a north aisle, clerestoried nave of three bays, aisles, north transept, vestry, south porch and an embattled western tower with lofty spire, containing a clock and 10 bells, 8 of which were hung in 1885 and 2 others in 1887: no traces now exist of the ancient Saxon church of St. Alkmund, but the corbel table of the north chapel affords sufficient evidences of the former existence of a Norman edifice, and some sepulchral slabs of that date, with incised crosses, have been built in above the windows of the belfry: the arcade on the south side of the nave is Late Decorated: the north arcade has semi-circular arches with classic capitals: all the piers lean towards the east or river front, a circumstance attributed to the washing of the alluvial subsoil into the graves during floods: in 1620 the church was new-roofed and the names of the churchwardens carved on the western truss: in the chancel aisle is an altar tomb of alabaster, with recumbent effigies, to Sir Roger Mynors and his lady (1536), the former in a complete suit of plate armour, girt with a sword, his gauntlets lying by his side, his bare hands placed together in the attitude of prayer, and round his neck a collar of SS; the lady wears an angular-shaped head dress, a broad collar, gown and mantle; only the latter part of the inscription is now visible; in the transept is a large arid quaint monument with effigies, dated 1603 and erected by himself, to Anthony Bradshaw, of the Inner Temple, great-uncle of the regicide, John Bradshaw (whose family possessed considerable property in this parish), his two wives and 20 children; the 3 children by the second wife, however, do not appear on the monument: the font is octagonal and dates from about 1662: the edifice underwent extensive restoration in 1847, and in 1897 the interior was renovated at a cost of about £4,500: there are 578 sittings, 218 being free. The situation of the churchyard on the banks of the Derwent is extremely picturesque, and a fine yew tree of great age stands to the north-east of the church. The registers date from the year 1598, and are in very fair condition, some portions, however, being imperfect. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £150, including 12 acres of glebe, with a vicarage house, in the gift of Rowland Smith esq. and held since 1898 by the Rev. John Clement Primrose Aldous M.A. and fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge. Earl Beauchamp is lay rector, and receives the great tithes commuted at £660. There are Baptist, Wesleyan Methodist and Free Methodist chapels: £270 was left by Richard Holden, in 1832, to the trustees of the Wesleyan chapel; £9 is distributed in bread to the poor on the first Monday in the year, and the remainder is applied to repairing the chapel. A cemetery, of 3 ½ acres, was opened March the 9th, 1880, at a cost' of £7,500: it has two mortuary chapels and superintendent’s house, and is under the control of the Parish Council. Edward Potterell, in 1667, built two almshouses for four poor people, who receive is per week, with an extra payment at March and Christmas. The late Sir Richard Paul Jodrell bart. left, in 1861, £100 Consols, the interest to be distributed in clothing among those who have had the largest families and have been least burdensome to the parish. The Rev. Francis Gisborne, formerly rector of Staveley, left in 1817 £7 5s. yearly, to be laid out by the vicar in coats and flannel for the poor. Webster’s charity, left in 1699 and 1703, is a fund derived from two-thirds of the interest of £5,089 18s. 9d. now standing in £2 ¾ Consolidated Stock, producing £93 7s. 4d. distributed half-yearly to 100 poor persons not in receipt of parish relief in the district of Duffield, Milford, Belper, Holbrooke, Hazelwood and Heage: the management of the funded property is, by an order of the Court of Chancery, in the hands of 19 co-optative trustees. The Old Almshouses Fund charity, produced by the sale of some old almshouses, consists of £333 3s. 4d. invested in £2 ¾ per Cent. Consols; the dividends are distributed half-yearly among four poor persons. About a mile from the village is Farnah Hall, an elegant mansion belonging to Lord Scarsdale, now occupied by E. Percy Shepherd esq. Duffield Hall is the seat of Rowland Smith esq. J.P., D.L. Duffield Park is the residence of the Hon. Frederick Standish O’Grady; the park consists of 30 acres; the river Ecclesbourne passes through the grounds and includes a trout hatchery. The Lilies, Windley, is the residence of John Gilbert Crompton esq. D.L., J.P.; the house is situated on a rising ground in the centre of a park, and commands extensive views of the neighbouring country. There are several other good houses in the township. Duffield Castle has been ascertained, through excavations carried on by Mr. W. Bland, late headmaster of the endowed school here, in the early part of 1886, to have existed on what is known as Castle Hill; the foundations, as now laid bare, through the aid of the Derbyshire Archaeological Society, exhibit the basement of a rectangular Norman keep, 98 feet by 95, with two rooms of unequal size, surrounded by concrete walls 15 feet thick: in the larger room is the well 4 feet in diameter and 80 feet deep, without any stone lining, with the shales through which it was sunk, 800 years ago, still firm, and 18ft. of water within it; the bucket has been restored from the staves found in the well: the mound on which the castle stood is 70 feet above the river Derwent, encircled by a moat now filled in, except on the west side, where it is, in places, 16 feet across the bottom, 32 feet at the top and 7 feet deep, and it inclosed an area of 5 acres: many relics have been exhumed, such as a Norman spur, a spear head, bridle-bit and three knives, besides human bones, and from a trench cut through the mound a quantity of pottery was taken, which, upon competent authority, was declared to be Roman and indicating that the building stood upon the site of a Roman station: the castle was erected by Henry de Ferrars, who rendered service to William the Conqueror, by whom he was granted 114 lordships in Derbyshire, besides estates elsewhere, and it remained with this family until Robert de Ferrars, Earl of Derby, engaged in rebellion against King Henry III. and, being captured, was tried for high treason (1266), and, though his life was spared, the estates were confiscated and conferred on Prince Edmund, Earl of Lancaster: subsequently the Royal army destroyed the castle by fire, and ultimately all remains of it disappeared. The site was purchased about 1899 by the Hon. F. Strutt and G. H. Strutt esq. with the intention of presenting it as a free gift to the parish. On Burley Hill, about a mile and a half from the castle, a potter’s kiln of the Norman period was discovered, in 1862, and found to contain pitchers, small porringers and dishes, the most important being a pitcher 16 inches high, now in the possession of Lord Scarsdale and marked with the horse-shoe badge of the family of Ferrars. George Herbert Strutt esq. V.D. of Bridge Hill, Belper, Lord Scarsdale, Lord Belper, the Hon. F. Strutt, of Milford House, Derby, and Rowland Smith esq. are the principal landowners. The Duffield Inclosure award was made in 1791, under an Act passed in 1786; it occupies upwards of 200 large sheets of parchment, and is kept with the parish registers and Tithe Commutation award in a fire-proof safe at the vicarage. The soil is mixed; subsoil, clay and sandstone. The chief crops are wheat and barley, and about three quarters pasture. The area is 3,383 acres of land and 38 of water; rateable value, £14,057; the population in 1891 was 2,704 in the civil and 2,099 in the ecclesiastical parish.

Schools

Free, erected in 1869, for 180 boys; average attendance, 128; endowed with the rent of 13a. 1r. 32p. of land, left in 1565 by William Gilbert, for the building of premises, the free education of a certain number of boys & the payment of a master; the yearly value of this endowment is about £35, in addition to which the school receives an annual sum of £50 from Webster’s charity, making the total income about £85; 36 children from the village of Duffield & several other places in the old parish of Duffield have a claim to free education here on account of the above charities.

National Church of England, erected in 1870, for 100 girls; average attendance, 86.

National School (infants’), erected in 1896 for 110 children; average attendance, 89.

Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire (1899)

Most Common Surnames in Duffield

RankSurnameIncidenceFrequencyPercent of ParentRank in Appletree Hundred
1Walker791:542.77%4
2Cooper721:603.56%15
3Smith661:650.79%1
4Taylor571:751.33%2
5Slater531:814.25%33
6Street451:9512.06%218
7Hitchcock431:10024.29%466
8Winson401:10716.06%346
9Goodwin391:1103.75%45
10Yeomans381:1138.07%161
11Allsop361:1195.41%101
12Brown341:1261.12%3
12Butler341:1265.67%113
14Booth331:1302.00%25
15Spendlove321:13420.13%536
16Bates311:1383.68%68
16Hodgkinson311:1384.10%81
18Harrison301:1431.26%8
18Land301:14319.61%554
20Gregory281:1531.94%30
20Rodgers281:1533.94%94
20Beardsley281:1535.10%122
23Jackson271:1591.36%17
23Ball271:1592.97%61
25Hall251:1710.96%6
26Brooks241:1793.37%92
27Watson231:1861.99%38
28Wood221:1950.87%7
28Clark221:1952.06%41
28Davis221:1952.85%76
28Redfern221:1952.95%83
32Ward211:2041.13%20
32Shaw211:2040.92%10
32Downing211:20417.21%675
32Wass211:2048.61%352
36Spencer201:2141.29%27
36Sims201:2143.87%144
36Cheetham201:2147.58%324
36Cash201:21419.05%761
36Garton201:21415.38%644
36Oldknow201:21423.81%921
42White191:2251.06%21
42Tomlinson191:2251.54%34
42Seal191:22513.29%585
42Wheeldon191:2254.04%162
42Bowmer191:22510.56%458
47Clarke181:2381.18%28
47Ford181:2382.10%64
47Sutton181:2384.18%180
47Bunting181:2382.53%93
51Fletcher171:2520.86%18
51Dawson171:2522.76%110
51Day171:2526.27%314
51Woodward171:2522.59%104
51Slack171:2521.94%62
56Cross161:2686.02%320
56Warren161:2683.22%149
56Hague161:2687.02%375
56Mosley161:2683.28%156
56Morrell161:26810.81%568
56Kiddy161:26821.33%1,001
62Allen151:2860.87%23
62Holmes151:2860.70%12
62Hudson151:2861.92%74
62Mellor151:2861.42%43
62Bacon151:2862.09%90
62Haywood151:2862.76%126
62Woolley151:2862.83%137
62Smedley151:2862.06%84
62Moreton151:28613.51%731
62Keeton151:2868.33%458
62Banbridge151:28693.75%2,887
73Barker141:3060.86%26
73Stone141:3061.32%44
73Blackwell141:3064.24%249
73Ratcliff141:3068.00%473
73Tempest141:30630.43%1,423
73Fowke141:30626.42%1,289
73Rainsford141:306100.00%3,164
73Hoolbrook141:30658.33%2,181
81Parker131:3301.35%51
81Chadwick131:3304.47%290
81Haynes131:3302.65%153
81Eyre131:3301.69%77
81Sneap131:33026.53%1,358
86Jones121:3570.79%29
86Wright121:3570.43%5
86Richardson121:3571.28%55
86Hunt121:3570.96%32
86Morley121:3571.81%103
86Salt121:3572.71%174
86Eley121:3573.40%234
86Alton121:3575.06%361
86Blaud121:357100.00%3,486
95Thompson111:3890.62%22
95Turner111:3890.48%9
95Marshall111:3891.07%47
95Barnes111:3892.02%125
95Webster111:3890.79%31
95Needham111:3891.37%72
95Wheatley111:3892.07%136
95Lovatt111:38922.00%1,344
95Kerry111:3892.77%202
95Hallsworth111:3898.15%622
105Green101:4280.60%24
105Swift101:4282.16%165
105Swan101:4287.30%613
105Lancaster101:4289.01%731
105Moseley101:4286.45%546
105Meakin101:4281.96%147
105Hickling101:4286.94%583
105Fowkes101:4286.99%585
105Flinders101:42816.39%1,165
105Godbehere101:42829.41%1,738
105Berrey101:428100.00%3,962
116Robinson91:4760.42%13
116Moore91:4760.84%40
116Lee91:4760.75%36
116Mills91:4761.69%134
116Knight91:4762.17%186
116Barton91:4761.87%158
116Briggs91:4761.62%120
116Thorpe91:4761.09%69
116Bryan91:4763.78%358
116Beck91:4767.38%675
116Clifford91:4764.57%432
116Mansfield91:4762.41%218
116Hallam91:4760.97%59
116Lomas91:4760.98%60
116Wakefield91:47610.00%871
116Lester91:4766.43%595
116Grace91:4767.76%704
116Hawley91:4762.39%216
116Cocker91:4765.14%473
116Ashmore91:4762.20%191
116Statham91:4762.69%242
116Waterfield91:4768.57%761
116Abell91:47610.34%898
116Wildsmith91:47614.06%1,124
116Illsley91:4769.57%832
116Tatam91:47640.91%2,325
116Knifton91:47616.07%1,244
143Scott81:5361.97%194
143Bradley81:5360.79%48
143Lowe81:5360.65%35
143Frost81:5361.02%73
143Kent81:5362.48%254
143Terry81:53622.86%1,711
143Clough81:53611.27%1,048
143Bamford81:5362.01%200
143Gamble81:5363.83%409
143Travis81:53610.39%986
143Millward81:5362.40%242
143Dakin81:5361.51%137
143Wilmot81:5363.17%341
143Collard81:53614.81%1,276
143Murfin81:5363.45%369
143Birkin81:5366.67%688
143Byard81:5366.67%688
143Jebb81:53633.33%2,181
143Dyche81:53615.09%1,289
143Whysall81:5366.56%675
143Lichfield81:53627.59%1,921
143Greaterex81:53672.73%3,711
143Blanchon81:53647.06%2,776
143Whalthall81:536100.00%4,674
167Johnson71:6120.31%11
167Simpson71:6120.74%55
167Foster71:6120.98%91
167Walton71:6121.34%142
167Ashton71:6121.51%164
167Austin71:6122.34%282
167Lucas71:6125.65%665
167Haigh71:6125.00%595
167Kershaw71:6129.46%1,012
167Sadler71:6124.19%503
167Stafford71:6121.15%111
167Heywood71:6125.38%644
167Bainbridge71:6127.78%871
167Mayes71:61236.84%2,577
167Aldred71:6125.22%627
167Crooks71:6124.29%521
167Kelsey71:61236.84%2,577
167Musgrove71:6128.64%952
167Allsopp71:6123.21%395
167Beeson71:6124.49%543
167Blackham71:6127.53%840
167Ludlam71:6125.83%688
167Alvey71:6126.36%738
167Moorley71:6126.80%778
167Thrall71:61235.00%2,489
167Berkin71:61219.44%1,669
167Alleyne71:61277.78%4,269
194Edwards61:7141.10%126
194Oliver61:7142.13%297
194Stevenson61:7140.60%49
194Gilbert61:7141.46%188
194Townsend61:7141.92%264
194Davison61:7143.55%495
194Rice61:7141.95%273
194Ogden61:7145.13%700
194Eaton61:7141.14%140
194Goodall61:7141.33%172
194Cowley61:7142.38%341
194Nightingale61:7143.73%529
194Sheldon61:7141.30%166
194Dawes61:7142.39%345
194Kirkland61:7141.29%163
194Brindley61:7143.02%430
194Fearn61:7140.74%71
194Vale61:71418.75%1,799
194Stoker61:71475.00%4,674
194Gillott61:7143.59%503
194Malin61:71411.76%1,326
194Scattergood61:7143.97%563
194Hingley61:71418.18%1,770
194Walbank61:71446.15%3,305
194Wayne61:71410.53%1,228
194Alldred61:71412.77%1,405
194Riggott61:7149.09%1,100
194Wathall61:71411.76%1,326
194Waldrom61:71454.55%3,711
194Ashover61:71426.09%2,248
194Hany61:714100.00%5,875
194Westridge61:71435.29%2,776
194Horgh61:714100.00%5,875
194Ibatt61:714100.00%5,875