Calfy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Calfy is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from Calf, a variant of the Old Norse personal name Kalfr, which means calf. However, several alternative interpretations exist. The name may be of nickname origin, derived from the Old English cealf which means calf, indicating one thought to possess the characteristics of a calf. 1

Early Origins of the Calfy family

The surname Calfy was first found in various counties throughout old Britain as by the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, the following listings were found: Reginald Cauf, Yorkshire; John le Cauf, Lincolnshire; and Nicholas Calf, Gloucestershire. 2

Early History of the Calfy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Calfy research. Another 240 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1163, 1176, 1273, 1500, 1560, 1580, 1597, 1605, 1657 and 1738 are included under the topic Early Calfy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Calfy Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Calfy include Calf, Calfe, Cauf, Caufe, Calffe and others.

Early Notables of the Calfy family

Notables of the family at this time include Abraham Colfe or Calf (1580-1657), English divine, son of the Rev. Richard Colfe, D.D., prebendary of Canterbury, by his first wife, whose maiden name was Thorneton, was born at Canterbury, 7 Aug. 1580, of a family that had settled...
Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Calfy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Calfy family to Ireland

Some of the Calfy 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 Calfy family

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: William Calfe who arrived in Virginia in 1637 and Daniel Calf in Boston in 1765.

Citations +

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)