Bashforth History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

Etymology of Bashforth

The ancestry of the name Bashforth dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in Nottinghamshire having derived from the Old English word basaforde, which means the dweller by the birch-ford. Another reference suggests that the names was derived from the ford near the home of Bassa (Bassa's ford) or from the French expression le bas ford, meaning the lower ford. Today there are also towns named Basford in Cheshire, Nottinghamshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire and the surname may indicate a person's residence in one of these places.

Early Origins of the Bashforth family

Early History of the Bashforth family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bashforth research. Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bashforth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bashforth Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Bashforth have been found, including Bassford, Basford, Bassforde, Basforde, Bashford, Bashforde, Bashfield, Bashfeild and many more.

Early Notables of the Bashforth family

More information is included under the topic Early Bashforth Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bashforth family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Bashforth, or a variant listed above: Ann Basford who settled in Virginia in 1677; William Basford settled in Virginia in 1635; John Basford arrived in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1866. Ann Bashfield settled in Virginia in 1650.