Melfearde History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The history of the Melfearde family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living in one of the various settlements called Milford in Derbyshire, Hampshire, Wiltshire, and the West Riding of Yorkshire, or in the place called Long Melford in the county of Suffolk. The surname Melfearde belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Melfearde family

The surname Melfearde was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, as Lords of the manor of Milford, in the diocese of York. This did not appear in the Domesday Book in 1080, and it must be assumed that the manor emerged about the 12th or 13th century.

Early History of the Melfearde family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Melfearde research. Another 84 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1292, 1379, 1618, 1644, 1704 and 1725 are included under the topic Early Melfearde History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Melfearde 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 Melfearde include Milforde, Milford, Millford, Millforde, Melford and many more.

Early Notables of the Melfearde family

Distinguished members of the family include Samuel "Fish Hook" Mulford (1644–1725), an American who went to London in 1704 to protest the tax on whale oil, which he used in farming. Warned beforehand of the sly workings of pickpockets in...
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Melfearde Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Melfearde family to Ireland

Some of the Melfearde family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Melfearde family

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 Melfearde or a variant listed above: David Milford who settled in Annapolis Maryland in 1729; Sarah Milford settled in Virginia in 1653; Samuel and Elizabeth Milford settled in New York State in 1820.