Biford History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the name Biford date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Biford family lived near a ford, a shallow place in a river or stream which could be crossed by wading. The surname Biford is derived from the Old English words bi, which means by, and ford, which means ford, collectively "ford near the river-bend."1. The surname Biford may also be derived from residence in the settlement of Byford in Hertfordshire. 2

Early Origins of the Biford family

The surname Biford was first found in Herefordshire at Byford, a parish, in the union of Weobley, hundred of Grimsworth. 3

The name is derived from Beeford or Beeforth (Buiforde in the Domesday Book) 4 in Holderness in the East Riding of Yorkshire, on the east coast of England. Baldwin de Biford, between 1182 and 1189, "gave as much land on each side of their grange on the moor as was equal to the previous grant of Acer de Biford to Beverley Abbey; Nicholas, his son, gave an oxgang and a toft in Beeford; and Stephen, son of Thomas de Biford, the same." 5

Following this early entry, we must look to Essex for the next registered entry for the family. For it is there that Geoffrey de Biford was listed in the Feet of Fines for 1222-1223. Later, again in Essex, John Byfordim was listed in the Feet of Fines for 1381. 2

Early History of the Biford family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Biford research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Biford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Biford Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Biford are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Biford include: Biford, Biforde, Byford, Byforde, Bifford, Byfford, Biffard, Biffort, Byfford and many more.

Early Notables of the Biford family

Notables of the family at this time include

William Byford of Biford Hereford

Biford migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Biford or a variant listed above:

Biford Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Sarah Biford, who landed in Maryland in 1674 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Biford (post 1700) +

Charles Biford, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Kentucky 4th District, 1898 7

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html