Spaford History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the name Spaford date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Spaford family lived in the parish of Spofforth in Knaresborough in Yorkshire.

Early Origins of the Spaford family

The surname Spaford was first found in the West Riding of Yorkshire at Spoffarth, a parish, in the Upper division of the wapentake of Claro. "This place was the residence of the Percy family previously to their settlement at Alnwick, and possessed a formidable castle, their baronial seat, which was demolished by the Yorkists after the battle of Towton, in which the Earl of Northumberland, and his brother Sir Charles Percy, were slain. The remains consist chiefly of the grand hall, which, though a ruin, retains much of its ancient magnificence. The church is a spacious and handsome structure, partly in the Norman and early English styles, and contains a monument with a recumbent figure of a Knight Templar. " 1

Listed as Spoford in the Domesday Book of 1086, by 1218 the parish was known as Spotford. Literally the place name means "ford by a small plot of ground," from the Old English words "spot" + "ford." 2

Early History of the Spaford family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Spaford research. Another 49 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1421 and 1448 are included under the topic Early Spaford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Spaford Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Spaford 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 Spaford include: Spaford, Spafford, Spafforde, Spafforth and others.

Early Notables of the Spaford family

More information is included under the topic Early Spaford Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Spaford family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Spaford or a variant listed above: John, Sr. Spafford, who settled in New England in 1643; John Spofford, who settled in Massachusetts in 1638; George Spafford, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1779.

Contemporary Notables of the name Spaford (post 1700) +

Ranson Spaford, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Otsego County, 1834 3

The Spaford 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: Fidelis ad extremum
Motto Translation: Faithful to the extreme.

Citations +

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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html