Show ContentsCosford History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon name Cosford comes from when the family resided in the parish of Cottesford, which is in the diocese of Oxford. 1

Early Origins of the Cosford family

The surname Cosford was first found in Oxfordshire, at Cottesford, a small parish, in the union of Bicester, hundred of Ploughley. 2

Early History of the Cosford family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cosford research. Another 74 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1540, 1555, 1567 and 1593 are included under the topic Early Cosford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cosford 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 Cosford include Cottesford, Cosford, Cotesford, Cosforde, Cotesforde, Cotsford and many more.

Early Notables of the Cosford family

Another 46 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cosford Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


New Zealand Cosford 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:

Cosford Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • James Cosford, aged 26, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1879
  • Alice Cosford, aged 20, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1879

Contemporary Notables of the name Cosford (post 1700) +

  • Paul Anthony Cosford CB (1963-2021), British Director for Health Protection and Medical Director for Public Health England
  • Becky Cosford (b. 1986), Canadian silver medalist pair skater at the 2007 Ondrej Nepela Memorial


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


Houseofnames.com on Facebook