The earliest origins of the name Allfray date back to the time of the
Anglo-Saxons. The name is derived from the Old English
personal name Alvred. This name was popular in
England because of the fame of Alfred the Great (849-899), who was the
Anglo-Saxon King of Wessex.
Early Origins of the Allfray family
The surname Allfray was first found in
Worcestershire, where they held a
family seat from ancient times.
Early History of the Allfray family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Allfray research.
Another 299 words (21 lines of text) covering the years 1275, 1296, 1317, 1379, 1666 and 1679 are included under the topic Early Allfray History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Allfray 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 Allfray include Alfray, Alfraye, Alfrey, Aufrey, Aufray, Alphrey, Alphray, Alferry, Allfree and many more.
Early Notables of the Allfray family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Allfray Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Allfray family to the New World and Oceana
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 Allfray or a variant listed above: Thomas Alferry, who sailed to Philadelphia in 1685; and M. Alfrey, who was recorded in
Essex County, Ontario in 1883.