Westfield History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Westfield surname is derived from the Old English words "west" meaning "west," and "feld," meaning "open country;" it was likely taken on as a habitational name from either of two places, Westfield, in Norfolk and Westfield, in Sussex; or it may have been a name for someone who lived to the west of an open field. 1
Early Origins of the Westfield family
The surname Westfield was first found in Bedfordshire (Old English: Bedanfordscir), located in Southeast-central England, formerly part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia, where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1276 when John Westfield held estates in that shire. 2
Early History of the Westfield family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Westfield research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1376, 1455, 1487, 1573, 1600, 1640, 1642 and 1644 are included under the topic Early Westfield History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Westfield Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Westfield, Westerfill, Westerfeild, Westfield, Westfill, Westfill and many more.
Early Notables of the Westfield family
Distinguished members of the family include
- Thomas Westfield (1573-1644), Bishop of Bristol, born in the parish of St...
Westfield Ranking
In the United States, the name Westfield is the 11,126th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3
Westfield migration to the United States +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Westfield Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Grace Westfield, who settled in America in 1716
- Richard Westfield, who settled in America in 1745
- Elizabeth Westfield, a bonded passenger, who settled in America in 1775
Westfield 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:
Westfield Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Jane Westfield, aged 37, a nurse, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Hindostan" in 1875
Contemporary Notables of the name Westfield (post 1700) +
- George Westfield, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Michigan State Senate 7th District, 1962 4
- Mervyn Westfield (b. 1988), English cricketer
- John Westfield, Physical Education Department Chairperson at St. John's Preparatory School, MA
- Oliver Westfield Claffey (b. 1990), better known by the ring name Jack Gallagher and "Gentleman" Jack Gallagher, an English professional wrestler and mixed martial artist
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)
- 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/
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html