Thetford History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThetford is one of the thousands of new names that the Norman Conquest brought to England in 1066. The Thetford family lived in Lincolnshire, at Tetforde. Early Origins of the Thetford familyThe surname Thetford was first found in Lincolnshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the manor of Tetforde from very ancient times, some say from the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 A.D. They were conjecturally descended from Gilbert of Tetford who held his lands from the Archbishop of York at the time of the Domesday Book Survey in 1086. At that time the village consisted of a church, a mill, and nine outlying mills. Early History of the Thetford familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Thetford research. Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Thetford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Thetford Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Thetford are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Thetford include Tetford, Thetford, Titford, Thetforde and others. Early Notables of the Thetford familyMore information is included under the topic Early Thetford Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Thetford RankingIn the United States, the name Thetford is the 14,737th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1
Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Thetford, or a variant listed above: Thetford Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Thetford Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Thetford Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
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