Beresford History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Ireland 


Of all the Anglo-Saxon names to come from Britain, Beresford is one of the most ancient. The name is a result of the original family having lived in Beresford, in Staffordshire. The name is derived from the word beris, which means bear.

Early Origins of the Beresford family

The surname Beresford was first found in Staffordshire, where the family held "a manor and township in Alstonfield, possessed by the ancestors of the several noble families of this surname for centuries." 1 It is generally thought that John de Beresford, Lord of Beresford held a manor "in the best part of the Moorlands" in 1087.

"The manor [of Fenny Bentley, Derbyshire] belonged to a branch of the Beresfords of Staffordshire, who settled at this place in the reign of Henry VI. The elder branch of the Beresfords of Bentley, soon became extinct in the male line, and the manor came, by marriage with their heiress, to the Beresfords of Staffordshire, from whom it passed into various hands." 2

"Beresford Hall, an ancient mansion now partly in ruins, stands on the west bank of the Dove, about two miles above Alstonfield. The Beresford Hall estate gives the title of Viscount to William Carr Beresford, general in the army, and Duke of Elvas, in Portugal, whose family has possessed this manor from the time of the Conquest." 2 Years later, Adam de Beresford was listed in the Subsidy Rolls in Staffordshire in 1327. 3 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list William de Beresford in Cambridgeshire. 4 Iselhempstead Latimer in Buckinghamshire was another ancient family seat. "This place, with the surrounding estate, belonged in the reign of Edward III. to Simon Beresford." 2

Ralph de Bereford (fl. 1329), was an English judge and "was of a legal family possessing large estates in the midland counties. He may have been a son of Osbert de Barford, or Bereford, chief gentleman to Ranulf of Hengham, justice of the common pleas, who was probably son of Walter de Barford of Langley in Warwickshire, and brother of Sir William de Bereford (d. 1326), Chief Justice of the Common Pleas in 1309. " 5

Early History of the Beresford family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beresford research. Another 122 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1588, 1669, 1673, 1681, 1694, 1701, 1746, 1763, 1768, 1773, 1854, 1862 and 1893 are included under the topic Early Beresford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beresford Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Beresford has been spelled many different ways, including Beresford, Berresford, Berrisford, Berisford, Bereford and many more.

Early Notables of the Beresford family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Beresford Ranking

In the United States, the name Beresford is the 17,880th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Beresford family to Ireland

Some of the Beresford family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 119 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Beresford migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Beresfords to arrive in North America:

Beresford Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Beresford Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Beresford migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Beresford Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
Beresford Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Beresford migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Beresford Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Beresford migration to New Zealand +

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:

Beresford Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Beresford migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 14
Beresford Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
Beresford Settlers in West Indies in the 18th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Beresford (post 1700) +


The Beresford 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: Nil nisi cruce
Motto Translation: Nothing unless by the cross.
Fastest Delivery Possible

Digital Products on Checkout, all other products filled in 1 business day

Money Back Guarantee

Yes, all products 100% Guraranteed

BBB A+ Rating

The Best Rating possible

Secure Online Payment

Entire site uses SSL / Secure Certificate