Danford History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Danford surname is thought to have been a habitational name taken on from a place name; possibly from Darnford in Suffolk, Great Durnford in Wiltshire, or from Dernford Farm in Sawston, Cambridgeshire. These place names are derived from the Old English words "dierne," meaning "hidden" and "ford," or in other words "a ford across a river." 1

Of all these parishes Durnford, Wiltshire is the largest and dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was recorded as Diarneford. 2 Denford, Northamptonshire was listed in the Domesday Book as Deneforde. 2

Early Origins of the Danford family

The surname Danford was first found in Northamptonshire at Denford, a parish, in the union of Thrapston, hundred of Huxloe. 3 Upper Denford is a hamlet in Berkshire, England, and part of the civil parish of Kintbury and this may the source of the family too. 4

Early rolls revealed early spellings used at that time: Nicholas de Darneford in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1279; Robert de Derneforde in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327; and James Danford in Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1568. 5

Framlingham, Suffolk would prove to be the homestead for an important branch of the family. It was here that Nicholas Danforth (1589-1639) and his wife, Elizabeth Symmes Danforth (c.1596-1629) would raise six surviving children who as a family emigrated to Massachusetts aboard the Griffin in 1634. This family was the progenitors of the Danforths in Massachusetts including Thomas Danforth (1623-1699), the English-born, politician, magistrate, and landowner who was a magistrate and leading figure in the colony at the time of the Salem Witch Trials.

Early History of the Danford family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Danford research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1279, 1327, 1455, 1487, 1568, 1570, 1622, 1626, 1634, 1639, 1643, 1650, 1657, 1658, 1659, 1674, 1679, 1681, 1686, 1692 and 1699 are included under the topic Early Danford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Danford Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Danforth, Danford, Danforde, Danforthe, Damforth and many more.

Early Notables of the Danford family

Distinguished members of the family include Samuel Danforth (1626-1674), an American Puritan minister, poet, and astronomer born in Framlingham, Suffolk, arriving in Massachusetts in 1634.Thomas Danforth (1622-1699), born in Framlingham, Suffolk, emigrated to New England in 1634 with his family and later became a judge for the 1692 Salem witch trials. He was son of Nicholas Danforth of Framlingham and was "taken by his father to America in 1634, and became an inhabitant of Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was admitted a freeman of that town in 1643, and elected...
Another 87 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Danford Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Danford Ranking

In the United States, the name Danford is the 8,953^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Danford migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Danford Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Nicholas Danford, who settled in Massachusetts in 1634
Thomas Danford, who settled in New England in 1650
Samuel Danford, who settled in Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1674
Mary Danford, who settled in Virginia in 1699

Danford Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Danford, who arrived in America in 1718

Danford Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Danford, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816
George Danford, who settled in New York, NY in 1822
George Danford, who arrived in San Francisco in 1851
Amy Danford, aged 19, who landed in America, in 1893
Nita Danford, aged 17, who immigrated to America from Dublin, in 1893
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Danford Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Edwin Danford, who settled in America, in 1905
Michael Danford, aged 28, who immigrated to the United States from Dunganan, Ireland, in 1906
Monford Danford, aged 42, who landed in America, in 1920
Mary R. Danford, aged 40, who settled in America, in 1920
Mary Danford, aged 19, who immigrated to the United States from Limerick, Ireland, in 1922
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Danford (post 1700) +

Lorenzo Danford (1829-1899), American politician, U.S. Representative from Ohio (1873-1879)
Major-General Robert Melville Danford (1879-1974), American Chief of Field Artillery (1938-1942) 7
Harry Danford (b. 1939), Canadian farmer and politician, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for Hastings-Peterborough from 1995 to 1999
David Joel Danford (b. 1984), British percussionist

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, January 10) Robert Danford. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Danford/Robert_Melville/USA.html