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| Origins Available: |
| | England |
The Dumford surname is thought to have been a habitational name taken on from a place name; possibly from Darnford in Suffolk, Great Durnford in Wiltshire, or from Dernford Farm in Sawston, Cambridgeshire. These place names are derived from the Old English words "dierne," meaning "hidden" and "ford," or in other words "a ford across a river." 1
Of all these parishes Durnford, Wiltshire is the largest and dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was recorded as Diarneford. 2 Denford, Northamptonshire was listed in the Domesday Book as Deneforde. 2
The surname Dumford was first found in Northamptonshire at Denford, a parish, in the union of Thrapston, hundred of Huxloe. 3 Upper Denford is a hamlet in Berkshire, England, and part of the civil parish of Kintbury and this may the source of the family too. 4
Early rolls revealed early spellings used at that time: Nicholas de Darneford in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1279; Robert de Derneforde in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327; and James Danford in Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1568. 5
Framlingham, Suffolk would prove to be the homestead for an important branch of the family. It was here that Nicholas Danforth (1589-1639) and his wife, Elizabeth Symmes Danforth (c.1596-1629) would raise six surviving children who as a family emigrated to Massachusetts aboard the Griffin in 1634. This family was the progenitors of the Danforths in Massachusetts including Thomas Danforth (1623-1699), the English-born, politician, magistrate, and landowner who was a magistrate and leading figure in the colony at the time of the Salem Witch Trials.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dumford research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1279, 1327, 1455, 1487, 1568, 1570, 1622, 1626, 1634, 1639, 1643, 1650, 1657, 1658, 1659, 1674, 1679, 1681, 1686, 1692 and 1699 are included under the topic Early Dumford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Spelling variations of this family name include: Danforth, Danford, Danforde, Danforthe, Damforth and many more.
Distinguished members of the family include Samuel Danforth (1626-1674), an American Puritan minister, poet, and astronomer born in Framlingham, Suffolk, arriving in Massachusetts in 1634.
Thomas Danforth (1622-1699), born in Framlingham, Suffolk, emigrated to New England in 1634 with his family and later became a judge for the 1692 Salem witch trials. He was son of Nicholas Danforth of Framlingham and was "taken by his father to America in 1634, and became an inhabitant of Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was admitted a freeman of that town in 1643, and elected...
Another 87 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dumford Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In Newfoundland, Canada, the name Dumford is the 406th most popular surname with an estimated 116 people with that name. 6