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Origins Available: |
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Today's generation of the Ponford family bears a name that was brought to England by the migration wave that was started by the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Ponford family lived in Gloucestershire, where the family was found since the early Middle Ages.
The surname Ponford was first found in Gloucestershire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Hasfield. At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book in the year 1086 A.D., a survey of England initiated by Duke William of Normandy after his conquest of England in 1066, the chief tenant of Hasfield was Westminster Abbey and holding the land from the Abbey was Thurstan FitzRolf. It is from this latter Norman noble that the Paunceforts are conjecturally descended. Pancevold was a tenant-in-chief at the survey, and Pancefolt was an under-tenant. They held this manor until 1598. The name is derived from the French Pancevolt. 1
"The first of the name on record is Bernard Pancevolt, a Domesday tenant-in-chief in Hampshire. Geoffrey de Pauncevote was steward to the household of King John." 2Samual Pancevot was listed in Hampshire, Henry, Edward I. 3
In 1165 Humphrey Paunevolt held fiefs in Gloucester from Newmarch 4. Humphrey Pancevolt witnessed the foundation of Shireburn Abbey, Hants. The name long continued in Gloucester and elsewhere. 1
The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included Grimbald Pancefot, Hertfordshire; and Walter Pancevot, Somerset. 5 In Somerset, John Paucefot was registered there 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 6
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ponford research. Another 125 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1383 and 1437 are included under the topic Early Ponford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Ponford include Pauncefoot, Pauncefort, Pauncefoote, Pauncefote and others.
Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ponford Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Ponfords to arrive on North American shores: John Pauncefoot who landed in North America in 1750.