Halfurth History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Halfurth belongs to the early history of Britain, it's origins lie with the Anglo-Saxons. It is a product of their having lived 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 Halfurth family

The surname Halfurth 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 Halfurth family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Halfurth 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 Halfurth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Halfurth Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Halfurth include Halford, Hallford, Halforde and others.

Early Notables of the Halfurth 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 Halfurth Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Halfurth family

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Halfurth were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: Henry Halferd, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1822; Thomas Halford, who settled in Boston, Massachusetts in 1634; Nancy Halferty, who came to St. John, N.B. in 1838.

The Halfurth 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)