Gayford History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The origins of the Gayford name come from when the Anglo-Saxon tribes ruled over Britain. The name Gayford was originally derived from a family having lived in the region of Gaye which was located in France. The surname Gayford was also a nickname which described someone with a happy or light spirited character.

Early Origins of the Gayford family

The surname Gayford 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 Gayford family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gayford research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1599, 1601, 1610 and 1624 are included under the topic Early Gayford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gayford 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 Gayford include Gainsford, Gaynesford, Gainford, Gaynsford, Ganesford and many more.

Early Notables of the Gayford family

Distinguished 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 Gayford Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gayford migration to the United States +

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:

Gayford Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

W. Gayford, aged 42, who arrived in America, in 1893

Gayford Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Dorothy C Gayford, aged 3, who arrived in America from Bury St. Edmunds, in 1905
Harriet Gayford, aged 30, who arrived in America from Bury St. Edmunds, in 1905
Muriel J Gayford, aged 2, who arrived in America from Bury St. Edmunds, in 1905
George Gayford, aged 44, who arrived in America from Bristol, England, in 1907
Margaret Gayford, aged 31, who arrived in America from London, England, in 1909
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gayford migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gayford Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Blanche Muriel Gayford, aged 34, who arrived in Lloydminster, Sask., Canada, in 1920

Contemporary Notables of the name Gayford (post 1700) +

Christopher Gayford (b. 1963), English conductor of the BBC Philharmonic, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Vienna Chamber Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia and more
Squadron Leader O Gayford, British officer in charge of the RAF Long Range Development Unit who flew non-stop from Cranwell, Lincolnshire to Walvis Bay, South West Africa in 1933 aboard a Fairey Long-range Monoplane
Thomas Gayford (b. 1928), Canadian gold medalist equestrian at the 1968 Summer Olympics
Clarke Timothy Gayford (b. 1977), New Zealand former music show presenter for the New Zealand music channel C4

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.