Elfords History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The lineage of the name Elfords begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It is a result of when they lived in a region called Elford in the county of Northumberland and in Staffordshire. The surname Elfords is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties. As a general rule, the greater the distance between an individual and their homeland, the larger the territory they were named after.

Early Origins of the Elfords family

The surname Elfords was first found in Northumberland at Elford, which dates back to at least 1256 when it was listed as Eleford and had two possible origins: having derived from the Old English personal name Ella or Ellen + ford as in "ford of a man called Ella"; and "ford where elder-trees grow." 1 2

Elford is also a village and civil parish in Lichfield District of Staffordshire that dates back to 1002 when it was listed as Elleford and later was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Eleford. 3

While this latter village is older, the Northumberland village is where the first records of the name were found.

Early records of the family were also found in Kent, where William de Elleford was listed in the Pipe Rolls for 1195. Years later, Thomas de Eleford was found in the Feet of Fines for Oxfordshire in 1291 and later again, Thomas Elleford was listed in the Feet of Fines for Warwickshire 1410-1411. 4

Sheepstor, Devon "was the ancient home of the Elfords, and one of these, a staunch Royalist, is said to have found refuge from his enemies in a cavity amidst the confused heap or 'clatter ' of detached rocks that clothes the precipitous side of Sheepstor Hill, and possibly named it Schittis or Schattis Tor the older form from its shattered aspect. The cavity is now commonly called the Pixies' Hole. Elford is said to have employed his time in painting its rocky sides, but of this there is no trace." 5

Early History of the Elfords family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Elfords research. Another 128 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1677, 1703, 1706, 1714, 1720, 1733, 1749, 1796, 1797, 1798, 1800, 1806, 1807, 1808, 1833 and 1837 are included under the topic Early Elfords History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Elfords Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Elfords has undergone many spelling variations, including Elford, Elfords, Elfford, Elffords and others.

Early Notables of the Elfords family

Distinguished members of the family include Richard Elford (1677?-1714) English singer, lay vicar at St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, he sang before Queen Anne at St. James's Palace on her birthday in 1703. He "became famous in London as a singer of sacred music at the beginning of the seventeenth century. In his youth he belonged to the choirs of Lincoln and Durham cathedrals, and came to London to display his fine counter-tenor on the stage. His success at the theatres was small, owing to his awkward and ungainly appearance. Elford was also admired in profane music; he was chosen...
Another 434 words (31 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Elfords Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Elfords family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Elfords were among those contributors: John Elford, who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1628; Richard Elford, who came to Jamaica in 1657; James Elford, who arrived in America in 1685; another James Elford who settled in St. John's, Newfoundland, in 1757.

The Elfords Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Difficilia quae pulchra
Motto Translation: Beautiful things are difficult.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital