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![Show Contents]() Gainfork History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The name Gainfork is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in the region of Gaye which was located in France. The surname Gainfork was also a nickname which described someone with a happy or light spirited character. Early Origins of the Gainfork familyThe surname Gainfork was first found in Durham at Gainford, a parish, in the unions of Teesdale, Darlington, and Auckland. "This place was anciently a seigniory detached from the palatinate jurisdiction of the county, and invested with several valuable privileges and immunities. It appears to have been indebted for its origin to Egfrid, Bishop of Lindisfarne, who founded a church, which in 830 he gave to the see, together with the lands annexed to it, and which continued to form part of the episcopal possessions till the commencement of the 11th century." 1 Early History of the Gainfork familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gainfork research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1599, 1601, 1610 and 1624 are included under the topic Early Gainfork History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Gainfork Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Gainfork 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. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Gainfork include: Gainsford, Gaynesford, Gainford, Gaynsford, Ganesford and many more. Early Notables of the Gainfork familyDistinguished members of the family include Thomas Gainsford (d. 1624?), English author who belonged to the Surrey family of Gainsford. "He with Edward Stene apparently purchased of the crown Alne manor, Warwickshire, and a cottage in Stutton, Yorkshire, 27 Nov. 1599. He is known to have served in Ireland under Richard...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gainfork Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Gainfork familyMany 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 Gainfork or a variant listed above: Mathias Gainsford who settled in Maryland in 1774 and Arthur Gainsford, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1876.
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
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