Herfurth History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Herfurth is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Herfurth family lived in Herefordshire, which is in west central England, between Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Shropshire and Wales. The county is known for its moderate climate, rich soil, and ancient castles. Hereford is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word Hereford which means "the Military Ford" and the Old English "here, army + ford." 1

Early Origins of the Herfurth family

The surname Herfurth was first found in Herefordshire where Ilbert de Hertford, de Hereforda was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. 2 Later, Walter de Hereford was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Wales in 1158 and Richard de Herfordia was a Knights Templar in 1185. 3

"The Herefords of Sufton Court, co. Hereford, claim from Boger de Hereford, a famous philosopher of the XII. century. The town and county of Hertford are so pronounced, but there is a parish of Harford in Devonshire with which however the family do not appear to have been connected. According to Burke, "the cunabula (earliest) gent was in Bosbury, co. Hereford, in the church of which parish there are several ancient monuments of the family." 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included entries for: Warin de Hereford, Cambridgeshire; Roger de Herford, Huntingdonshire; and Walter de Herford, Cambridgeshire. 5 In Somerset, early rolls listed Margery Herford and John de Hareford, 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III) 6

Early History of the Herfurth family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Herfurth research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the year 1766 is included under the topic Early Herfurth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Herfurth Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Hereford, Herford, Herreford and others.

Early Notables of the Herfurth family

More information is included under the topic Early Herfurth Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Herfurth family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Herfurth or a variant listed above: Peter Hereford settled in Virginia in 1623; Francis Herford settled in Philadelphia in 1683; Christian Herford arrived in Philadelphia in 1744.

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.