| ![Show Contents]() Commerford History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The 12th century Anglo-Norman Conquest of Ireland lead by Strongbow introduced the first non-Gaelic elements into Irish nomenclature. The surname Commerford came to Ireland from England at that time. It came originally from the name of a village in Staffordshire, and as such belongs to the category of Anglo-Norman habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Early Origins of the Commerford familyThe surname Commerford was first found in Kent, England before making its way to Ireland. The name has become almost nonexistent in England. There are Domesday references to the surname in Kent. 1 Later, just over a century later the name moved to Oxfordshire, and Staffordshire, where there is a village of Comerford. In the year 1210, soon after the invasion of Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke, in 1172, the Comerfords were granted land in Kilkenny and Wexford, in Ireland. The family is listed as 'New Settlers' who joined Strongbow and got large grants of land in the County of Wexford. Early History of the Commerford familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Commerford research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1542, 1558, 1562, 1575, 1585, 1586, 1599, 1604, 1625, 1652, 1762 and 1832 are included under the topic Early Commerford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Commerford Spelling VariationsMedieval scribes and church officials spelled the names as they sounded, so a name was often spelled many different ways during the lifetime of a single person. The investigation of the origin of the name Commerford revealed many spelling variations including Comerford, Comfort, Comport, Comberford, Cummerford, Cumerford, Commerford, Cumfort, Cumport, Comfurt, Compart, Cumberford and many more. Early Notables of the Commerford familyNotable amongst the family up to this time was Dr. Nicholas Quemerfod, Comberford, Comerford (c.1542-1599) of Waterford, religious scholar and lecturer, who was the first of sixteen Jesuits of the name. Born in Waterford, he took the degree of B.A. at Oxford in 1562, after he had spent at least four years in that university. "After completing his degree by determination he returned to Ireland, was ordained priest, and obtained some ecclesiastical preferment from which he was ejected on account of his...
Another 82 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Commerford Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Commerford migration to the United States | + |
The Irish emigration during the late 18th and 19th century contributed to the melting pot of nationalities in North America, and the building of a whole new era of industry and commerce in what was seen as a rich, new land. Ireland'sGreat Potato Famine resulted in the worst economic and social conditions in the island's history. And in response to the hunger, disease, and poverty, during this decade the total number of emigrants to leave for North America rivaled all the previous years combined. Those from this decade that arrived on North American shores were not warmly welcomed by the established population, but they were vital to the rapid development of the industry, agriculture, and infrastructure of the infant nations of the United States and what would become Canada. Research into early immigration and passenger lists has shown many people bearing the name Commerford:
Commerford Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- E Commerford, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 2
| Commerford migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Commerford Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century- Mr. Michael Commerford who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Wellington" departing 29th July 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 20th September 1847 but he died on board 3
| Contemporary Notables of the name Commerford (post 1700) | + |
- Thomas Commerford (1855-1920), American actor on stage and in silent films from New York City, New York, known for Frauds (1915), Graustark (1915) and The White Sister (1915)
- Tim Robert Commerford (b. 1968), American sound engineer and composer, best known for his work on The Matrix (1999) and The Matrix Reloaded (2003) 4
- Thomas Commerford Martin (1856-1924), English-born, American electrical engineer and editor; he was associated with Thomas A. Edison in his work in 1877–1879 and was executive secretary of the National Electric Light Association, and in 1900–1911
| Historic Events for the Commerford family | + |
- Noel Patrick Commerford (d. 1942), British Able Seaman aboard the HMS Cornwall when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 5
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: So ho ho dea ne
Motto Translation: God will perform it.
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 69)
- Tim Commerford. (Retrieved 2013, May 13) Tim Commerford. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0173876/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
- Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A
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Commerford migration to the United States 
Commerford migration to Canada 
Ireland
England
