Contents [hide]

Burford History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Burford History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the name Burford date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The surname is generally thought to have come from a place name, such as from Burford in Oxfordshire, or Burford in Shropshire. 1

These place names are derived from the Old English words "burh," meaning "stronghold," or a "fortified manor," and "ford," a location where a river can be crossed. Some variations of this surname, no doubt come from the Old French word "buffet," meaning "table" or "cupboard." 2

Early Origins of the Burford family

The surname Burford was first found in Shropshire where two of the first listings of the family were listed there in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273: Hugo de Bureford: and Roger de Bureford. 3 William le Burford and Walter le Boreforde were both listed in Kirby's Quest as holding lands in Somerset, 1 Edward III (during the first year's reign of King Edward III.) 4

Early History of the Burford family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burford research. Another 58 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1329 and 1620 are included under the topic Early Burford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burford Spelling Variations

Burford has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Burford, Bareford, Berford, Barford, Buford, Burfort and many more.

Early Notables of the Burford family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Peter Burford of Salop
Rose de Burford (Roesia de Boreford) (d.1329), 14th century merchant and business woman in London

Burford Ranking

In the United States, the name Burford is the 5,590^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Burford family to Ireland

Some of the Burford family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burford migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Burfords to arrive on North American shores:

Burford Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Burford, who settled in Virginia in 1637
William Burford, who arrived in Virginia in 1637 6
George Burford, who settled in Virginia in 1643
Geo, Burford Jr., who landed in Virginia in 1643 6
Georg Burford, who arrived in Virginia in 1643 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Burford Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Gervaise Burford, who settled in Annapolis in 1773
Edward Burford who settled in Maryland in 1775

Burford Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joseph Burford, aged 54, who landed in New York in 1812 6
Peter Burford, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1823 6
Josiah Burford, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1844 6
Eli Burford, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1844 6
N Burford, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Burford migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Burford Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Burford, British Convict who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Earl Spencer" in May 1813, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 7
Jabez Burford, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lady Emma" in 1837 8
Rebecca Burford, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lady Emma" in 1837 8
Emma Burford, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lady Emma" in 1837 8
Thomas Burford, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Eden" in 1838 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Burford migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Burford Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Robert Burford, aged 18, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Birman" in 1842

Contemporary Notables of the name Burford (post 1700) +

Nathaniel Macon Burford (1824-1898), American politician, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives between 1866 and 1869
Chris Burford (b. 1938), American professional (AFL) football player
W. H. Burford, American Republican politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Mississippi, 1956 10
Rose Ferguson Burford, American Republican politician, Member of West Virginia Republican State Executive Committee, 1937-41 10
Robert F. Burford (1923-1993), American politician, Member of Colorado State House of Representatives, 1975-80; Speaker of the Colorado State House of Representatives, 1979-80 10
John Henry Burford (1852-1922), American politician, Member of Oklahoma State Senate, 1912-15 10
J. M. Burford, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 1916 10
Frank Burford, American Republican politician, Candidate for Circuit Judge in West Virginia for the 12th Judicial Circuit, 1968 10
Elizabeth S. Burford, American Republican politician, Candidate for West Virginia State House of Delegates from Fayette County, 1970 10
Dorothy Wright Burford, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Missouri, 1956 10
... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Burford family +

Halifax Explosion

Miss Elsie May Burford (1908-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 11
Mr. Frank Sr Burford (1873-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 11
Mrs. Ethel Burford (1873-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 11
Mr. Thomas Burford (1904-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 11

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. 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.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-spencer
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) LADY EMMA 1837. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1837LadyEmma.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) EDEN 1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1838Eden.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 29) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance