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![Show Contents]() Letford History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Letford surname lived in the area of Latchford in the parish of Grappenhall in Chester. Letford is a habitation name from the 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. Early Origins of the Letford familyThe surname Letford was first found in Chester at Latchford, a chapelry in the union of Grappenhill, in the hundred of Bucklow. There is no mention in the Domesday Book of the place so presumably it was either of little significance or was established at a later time. Latchford had anciently two weekly markets and two annual fairs, granted to it by Edward III. The township is included in the parliamentary borough of Warrington, and comprises 731 acres. The family is believed to have originated here. Latchford is also a hamlet, in the parish of Great Haseley, poor-law union of Thame, hundred of Ewelme, in Oxfordshire, but this hamlet remained small through the ages as by 1890 it containing only 32 inhabitants whereas at that time the former Latchford had 2,361. 1 The Lackford variant is believed to have originated in Lackford, Suffolk, a parish, in the union and hundred of Thingoe. 1 Today, the parish contains the Lackford Lakes nature reserve and SSSI, created from reclaimed gravel pits. Lackford Hall was built around 1570, but the parish dates back much further than that. In fact, the Domesday Book of 1086 lists the place as Lecforda and probably meant "ford where leeks grow," from the Old English "leac" + "ford." 2 The Lackford hundred consisting of 83,712 acres and is similarly listed in the Domesday Book. 3 Early History of the Letford familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Letford research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1630 is included under the topic Early Letford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Letford Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Letford are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Letford include: Latchford, Latchforde, Lashford, Lashforde and others. Early Notables of the Letford familyMore information is included under the topic Early Letford Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Letford family to Ireland
Some of the Letford family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Letford migration to New Zealand | + |
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: Letford Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- Mr. William Letford, (b. 1839), aged 23, British labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "Echunga" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 24th December 1862 4
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
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Letford migration to New Zealand 
England
Ireland
