First found in Lancashire, where they held a family seat from ancient times, long before the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the oppurtunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Bamford or a variant listed above: John Bamford, who settled in Virginia in 1624; John Bamford, who settled in Jamaica in 1685.

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