Show ContentsBlanforth History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Blanforth

What does the name Blanforth mean?

The Anglo-Saxon name Blanforth comes from when the family resided in the region of Blandford. Further research revealed that the name is derived from ford where gudgeons abound around the county of Dorset or it may be "taken by post-Conquest scribes to mean 'White Ford,' as evidenced by the Latinization Blancoforda. " 1

Early Origins of the Blanforth family

The surname Blanforth was first found in Dorset at Blandford, a parish, in the union of Blandford, hundred of Coombs-Ditch, Blandford division. Abut three quarters of mile south lies Blandford-Forum. This latter parish "derived its name from its situation near an ancient ford on the river Stour, called by the Romans Trajectus Balaniensis. It was nearly destroyed by an accidental fire in 1579, but was soon afterwards rebuilt. " 2

Henry Blaneforde (fl. 1330), was an ancient English chronicler and monk of St. Albans. "A fragment of his chronicle has been preserved. Beginning with the year 1323 he possibly intended to continue the work of Trokelowe, which ends at 1330. What we have of his chronicle, however, ends in 1324, though it contains a reference to an event of 1326. The only manuscript of Blaneforde now known to exist is in the British Museum. " 3

Early History of the Blanforth family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blanforth research. Another 58 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1616, 1619, 1635, 1638, 1662, 1665, 1671 and 1675 are included under the topic Early Blanforth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blanforth Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Blanforth has been recorded under many different variations, including Blandford, Blandeford, Blanford and others.

Early Notables of the Blanforth family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Walter Blandford (1616-1675), an English academic and bishop, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford in 1662, Bishop of Oxford in 1665 and Bishop of Worcester in 1671. He...
Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Blanforth Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Blanforth family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Blanforth or a variant listed above: Alexander Blandford settled in New England in 1699; John Blandford settled in Jamaica in 1684; John Blandford settled in Boston, Massachusetts in 1620..



  1. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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