| ![Show Contents]() Mefford History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Mefford first arose amongst the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from their having lived in one of the various settlements called Milford in Derbyshire, Hampshire, Wiltshire, and the West Riding of Yorkshire, or in the place called Long Melford in the county of Suffolk. The surname Mefford belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Early Origins of the Mefford familyThe surname Mefford was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, as Lords of the manor of Milford, in the diocese of York. This did not appear in the Domesday Book in 1080, and it must be assumed that the manor emerged about the 12th or 13th century. Early History of the Mefford familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mefford research. Another 84 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1292, 1379, 1618, 1644, 1704 and 1725 are included under the topic Early Mefford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Mefford Spelling VariationsOne relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Mefford has appeared include Milforde, Milford, Millford, Millforde, Melford and many more. Early Notables of the Mefford familyDistinguished members of the family include Samuel "Fish Hook" Mulford (1644–1725), an American who went to London in 1704 to protest the tax on whale oil, which he used in farming. Warned beforehand of the sly workings of pickpockets in...
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mefford Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Mefford RankingIn the United States, the name Mefford is the 6,686th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1  Migration of the Mefford family to Ireland
Some of the Mefford family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Mefford familyAt this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Mefford arrived in North America very early: David Milford who settled in Annapolis Maryland in 1729; Sarah Milford settled in Virginia in 1653; Samuel and Elizabeth Milford settled in New York State in 1820.
| Contemporary Notables of the name Mefford (post 1700) | + |
- Michael Mefford, American member of the United States Antarctic Research Program from 1971-1972, eponym of Mefford Knoll, Antarctica
| Historic Events for the Mefford family | + |
Fraterville mine - Mr. Thomas Mefford (d. 1902), American coal miner at Fraterville mine in Tennessee, on the 19th May 1902 when an explosion collapsed the mine; he died 2
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England
Ireland
