The Gulliford family's name is derived from the ancient Norman culture that was established in Britain following the Norman Conquest of island in 1066. Their name originated with an early member who was a greedy person. It derives from the Old French word goulafre, which means glutton.
The surname Gulliford was first found in Suffolk, where they held lands after the Norman Conquest. Roger Gulafre, Lord of Mesnil Bernard, held property in St. Evroult, Normandy in 1061.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gulliford research. Another 113 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1130 and 1273 are included under the topic Early Gulliford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Gulliford include Gulliver, Gullever, Gullifer, Gulliford, Galliford, Galliver, Gilliver and many more.
More information is included under the topic Early Gulliford Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Gullifords to arrive on North American shores: