| ![Show Contents]() Banford History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The history of the Banford family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living in one of two places named Bamford in the counties of Derbyshire and Lancashire. 1 2 Later records show the name in Yorkshire as well. Checking further we found the name was derived from the Old English words beam, meaning tree or plank, and ford, meaning river crossing. In this case the name referred to a settlement near which there was a tree or plank laid across a river to make a dry crossing. 3 Early Origins of the Banford familyThe surname Banford was first found in Lancashire, where "the estate of Bamford was granted to Thomas de Bamfordby, Sir Adam de Bury, temp. Henry III, for his homage and services." 4 As noted above, Yorkshire was later a stronghold of family as noted by early rolls. The Hundredorum Rolls list Richard de Bamford there in 1273 and later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list: Adam Bamforth and Adam de Baumford. 4 Another source notes: "In the 17th century there was an old family of Bamford of Bamford House; there was also another family of Bamford Hall. Jerome Bamford held land in the Mealegate in the manor of Manchester during the reign of Elizabeth. The name was well established in Rochdale parish in the 16th century, and still occurs there. There is a Lancashire village thus called." 5 Early History of the Banford familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Banford research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1556, 1593, 1594, 1602, 1612, 1613, 1657, 1659, 1738 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Banford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Banford Spelling VariationsUntil 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 Banford include Bamford, Banford, Banforth, Balmforth and others. Early Notables of the Banford familyDistinguished members of the family include William Bamford, last of the Bamford Hall line, Sheriff of Lancaster. James Balmford (b. 1556), was an English divine who published in 1593-1594, a 'Short and Plaine Dialogue concerning the unlawfulness of playing at cards,' London. 6Samuel Balmford...
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Banford Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Banford family to Ireland
Some of the Banford family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Banford migration to the United States | + |
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 Banford or a variant listed above:
Banford Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Thomas Banford, who landed in Maryland in 1675 7
Banford Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Tho Banford, who arrived in Virginia in 1706 7
- William Banford, who arrived in Virginia in 1715 7
Banford Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- John Banford, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1808 7
| Banford migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Banford Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- Miss Martha Banford, (b. 1774), aged 38, English servant who was convicted in Essex, England for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Emu" in October 1812, the ship was captured and the passengers put ashore, the convicts were then transported aboard the "Broxburnebury" in January 1812 arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
- John Banford, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Simlah" in 1849 9
| Contemporary Notables of the name Banford (post 1700) | + |
- Robert Banford, American actor, known for Minute Matrimony (2002)
- Allan Banford, American composer, known for A Landscape of Lies-Directors Cut (2011)
- Guler Banford, American producer, known for Just Like You (2010)
- Howard Banford Siler Jr. (1945-2014), American bronze medalist bobsledder at the 1969 World Championships
- James Banford Thompson (1832-1901), Irish-born, Australian politician, Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Queanbeyan (1877–1881)
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Emu
- State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The SIMLAH 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Simlah.htm
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Banford migration to the United States 
Banford migration to Australia 
England
Ireland
