Wilford History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought much change to the island nation, including many immigrants with new names. Among these immigrants were the ancestors of the Wilford family, who lived in Nottinghamshire, at Wilford. This placename is derived from the name Norman-French name Will, a pet form of William and the word ford, meaning a river crossing, and indicates that the ford in question belonged to William. Early Origins of the Wilford familyThe surname Wilford was first found in Nottinghamshire at Wilford (also known as Wilfrids Ford) a parish and village in the union of Basford, in the north division of the wapentake of Rushcliffe. The village dates back to at least the Domesday Book when it was listed as Wilesford [1] and literally meant "willow-tree ford," from the Old English words "wilig" + "ford." [2] At that time, the land was held William Peverel, a Norman Baron, who was granted the fishery in the district of Clifton. Wilford House was built by Henry Smith, Esq. in 1828. [3] Saint Wilfrid or Wilfrith (634-709), was Bishop of York, the son of a Northumbrian thegn. "In his fourteenth year he was a handsome and well-mannered lad, fond of arms, horses, and fine clothes, but he was not happy, for he had an unkind stepmother, and he wished to enter a monastery. His father sent him to the court of Oswy [q. v.], where he pleased the queen, Eanflaed. After spending a year in Kent he left England in 653 in company with Benedict Biscop. " [4] Wulfred (d. 832), was Archbishop of Canterbury and "first appears as Archdeacon under Archbishop Ethelhard. He had large estates in Kent, and was probably a Kentish man. " [4] Early History of the Wilford familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wilford research. Another 57 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1395, 1397, 1404, 1411, 1413, 1414, 1418, 1450, 1479, 1499, 1507, 1516, 1544, 1545, 1547 and 1550 are included under the topic Early Wilford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Wilford Spelling VariationsA multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Wilfoord, Williford, Wilfort, Wilford and others. Early Notables of the Wilford familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was
Wilford RankingIn the United States, the name Wilford is the 8,336th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [5]
Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Wilford or a variant listed above: Wilford Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Wilford Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Wilford Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Wilford Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
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: Wilford Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
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