Wofford History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The roots of the Anglo-Saxon name Wofford come from when the family resided in one of the settlements called Walford in Dorset, Herefordshire, or Shropshire, or in Walford Hall in Warwickshire. 1

"The Somerset Walford occurs as Weala-ford in a charter dated A.D. 682 while the Herefordshire place is Walforde in Domesday Book, and the Shropshire township Waleford and Waliforde in Domesday Book." 2

Another source notes the Herefordshire and Worcestershire place names were recorded as Walorecford in the Domesday Book of 1086. 3

As far as the etymology of the place names are concerned, one source claims the place names mean "Briton ford," 4 while another claims the place names mean "the Welshmen’s Ford [Old English Weála, genit. pl. of Weal(h, a Welshman + ford]". 2

Early Origins of the Wofford family

The surname Wofford was first found in Warwickshire where William de Waleford listed in the Assize Rolls of 1221. Over in Gloucestershire, Henry de Walford was listed there in 1279 and in Somerset, Gilbert Walford was listed there in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327. 5

Ricardus de Walleford was listed in the Charter Rolls for Shropshire (Salop), 1316-1317. 2

Early History of the Wofford family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wofford research. Another 138 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1572, 1663, 1672, 1752, 1756, 1777, 1778, 1787, 1797, 1823, 1833, 1855 and 1897 are included under the topic Early Wofford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wofford Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Wofford has been recorded under many different variations, including Walford, Wallford and others.

Early Notables of the Wofford family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Thomas Walford (1752-1833) was an English antiquary. Born on 14 September 1752, he was the only son of Thomas Walford (d. 1756) of Whitley, near Birdbrook in Essex. He was an officer in the Essex militia in 1777, and was appointed deputy lieutenant of the county in 1778. In March 1797 he was nominated captain in the provisional cavalry, and in May following...
Another 71 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wofford Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wofford Ranking

In the United States, the name Wofford is the 2,783^rd most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 6

Wofford migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Wofford or a variant listed above:

Wofford Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Chas. P. Wofford, aged 36, who settled in America, in 1906
John W Wofford, aged 25, who landed in America, in 1919

Contemporary Notables of the name Wofford (post 1700) +

Chloe Anthony Wofford (1931-2019), birth name of Toni Morrison, an American novelist, known for her first novel, The Bluest Eye, published in 1970 and the critically acclaimed Song of Solomon (1977), winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award and 1988 and the Pulitzer Prize for Beloved (1987)
Benjamin Wofford (1780-1850), American Methodist minister, co-founder and eponym of Wofford College in South Carolina in the United States
John William Wofford (1898-1955), American equestrian who competed in two events at the 1932 Summer Olympics
Norma-Jean Wofford (1942-2005), American guitarist who played with Bo Diddley and his band from 1962 to 1966
Mike Wofford (b. 1938), American jazz pianist, known for his work with Sarah Vaughan (in 1979) and Ella Fitzgerald (1989–1994)
James Cunningham Wofford (1944-2023), American gold, two-time silver and bronze medalist equestrian and trainer of both horses and riders, President of the AHSA and vice-president of the USET
William Tatum Wofford (1824-1884), American politician, Delegate to Georgia secession convention, 1861; General in the Confederate Army during the Civil War; Delegate to Georgia State Constitutional Convention, 1877
Thomas Albert Wofford (1908-1978), American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from South Carolina, 1948, 1956; U.S. Senator from South Carolina, 1956
S. O. Wofford, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Arkansas, 1912 (Honorary Vice-President; Member, Committee to Notify Vice-Presidential Nominee)
Rob Wofford, American politician, Representative from Texas 15th District, 1996
... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Wofford 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: Nosce teipsum
Motto Translation: Know thyself.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/