Bigerfithey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Bigerfithey first arose amongst the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from their having lived in Bickford, which was the name of several places in England. The surname Bigerfithey is derived from the Old English words becca, which refers to a type of ax, and ford, which refers to a shallow place in a river.

Early Origins of the Bigerfithey family

The surname Bigerfithey was first found in Devon at Bickford Town in Plympton St. Mary parish or from Beckford Farm in Membury. 1

"The manor of Carburrow, [in the parish of Warleggon. Cornwall] and the barton of Trevedoc, have been for a considerable time in the family of their present proprietor Arscott Bickford, Esq. of Dunsland in Devonshire. The old mansion still remains; but it is no longer the abode of grandeur." 2

Some sources note that the family could have originated in Beckford, Gloucestershire. This parish, in the union of Winchcomb, partly in the hundred of Tibaldstone dates back to Saxon times when it was known as Beccanford in 803. 3 By the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, the parish was known as Beceford. 4

In the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, there was a strong presence of the family in Gloucestershire where (Prior) de Bekeford; Adam de Beckeford; and Henry de Beckeford were listed at that time. Alex, de Bikeford was listed in Staffordshire in the same rolls. 5 Of the latter, the village of Bickford in Staffordshire survives today.

Early History of the Bigerfithey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bigerfithey research. Another 60 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1050, 1709, 1774 and 1834 are included under the topic Early Bigerfithey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bigerfithey Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Bigerfithey has appeared include Bickford, Bickerford and others.

Early Notables of the Bigerfithey family

Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bigerfithey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bigerfithey family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Bigerfithey arrived in North America very early: Stephen Bickford who settled in Warren, Maine, in the year of 1640; and other members of the family settled in New Hampshire at Henniker, Sabornton, and Nottingham..

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)