Donford History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England
• Ireland

Etymology of Donford

The ancestors of the Donford surname lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. The name comes from when they lived in the town of Dunford in the northern county of Yorkshire. This West Riding town was first inhabited by the Dunford name in the early 1200's. One of the first records of the name was William de Dunneford who was listed in the Feet of Fines in 1332. A few years later William Dinford was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1332.

Early Origins of the Donford family

Early History of the Donford family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Donford research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1273 and 1379 are included under the topic Early Donford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Donford Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Donford include Dunsford, Downford, Dounsford, Duinsford, Duneford and many more.

Early Notables of the Donford family

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

Migration of the Donford family to Ireland

Some of the Donford family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Donford family

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Thomas Taylor Dunford married Elizabeth Keeling in Cumberland County, Va. in 1712; John Dunford purchased land on the eastern seaboard in 1718. James Dunford brought the family name to New York City in 1820 and other Dunfords made Pennsylvania their home in later years. In Labrador, John Dunford settled in Battle Harbour in 1795.