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![Show Contents]() Gainforthy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The name Gainforthy has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived in the region of Gaye which was located in France. The surname Gainforthy was also a nickname which described someone with a happy or light spirited character. Early Origins of the Gainforthy familyThe surname Gainforthy was first found in Durham at Gainford, a parish, in the unions of Teesdale, Darlington, and Auckland. "This place was anciently a seigniory detached from the palatinate jurisdiction of the county, and invested with several valuable privileges and immunities. It appears to have been indebted for its origin to Egfrid, Bishop of Lindisfarne, who founded a church, which in 830 he gave to the see, together with the lands annexed to it, and which continued to form part of the episcopal possessions till the commencement of the 11th century." 1 Early History of the Gainforthy familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gainforthy research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1599, 1601, 1610 and 1624 are included under the topic Early Gainforthy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Gainforthy Spelling VariationsSpelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Gainforthy have been found, including Gainsford, Gaynesford, Gainford, Gaynsford, Ganesford and many more. Early Notables of the Gainforthy familyDistinguished members of the family include Thomas Gainsford (d. 1624?), English author who belonged to the Surrey family of Gainsford. "He with Edward Stene apparently purchased of the crown Alne manor, Warwickshire, and a cottage in Stutton, Yorkshire, 27 Nov. 1599. He is known to have served in Ireland under Richard...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gainforthy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Gainforthy familyFamilies began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Gainforthy, or a variant listed above: Mathias Gainsford who settled in Maryland in 1774 and Arthur Gainsford, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1876.
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
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