Halferd History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the Halferd family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living in Halford, a place-name found in Devon, Shropshire, or Warwickshire, or in Haleford, a lost place in Kent. Despite the similarity of the place-names, they are derived from different sources. The Halford name which was found in Salop (now called Shropshire), for example, is derived from the Old English words haforce, which means "hawk," and ford, a word that means "shallow place where a river may be crossed by wading." 1

It was rendered as Hauerford in 1155. Another Halford, this one in Warwickshire, was listed as Halchford sometime in the 12th century; it is derived from the Old English words halh, which meant "remote nook or corner of land," and ford, a shallow place where a river could be crossed without a bridge. 1

"Halford was a Devonshire surname in the reign of Edward I. (H. R.). There is a Warwickshire parish of the name." 2 3

Early Origins of the Halferd family

The surname Halferd was first found in Kent where Thomas de Haleford was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1200. Later, Robert de Halford was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Leicestershire in 1327. 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had two listings for the family: William de Halford, Devon; and William de Holeford, Oxfordshire. 5

Robert de Haleford, was listed in Warwickshire, Henry III-Edward I, according to the source Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I. 6

Early History of the Halferd family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Halferd research. Another 238 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1580, 1641, 1658, 1663, 1679, 1689, 1690, 1695, 1727 and 1844 are included under the topic Early Halferd History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Halferd Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Halferd include Halford, Hallford, Halforde and others.

Early Notables of the Halferd family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir Richard Halford, 1st Baronet (c.?1580-1658), Sheriff of Leicestershire in the 19th year of James I's reign, created a Baronet on 18 December 1641, notable for his allegiance to Charles I...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Halferd Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Halferd migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Halferd or a variant listed above:

Halferd Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Henry Halferd, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1822

The Halferd 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: Virtus in actione consistit
Motto Translation: Virtue consists in action.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)