Herfer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Herfer

What does the name Herfer mean?

Herfer is one of the many new names that came to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Herfer family lived in Herefordshire, which is in west central England, between Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Shropshire and Wales. The county is known for its moderate climate, rich soil, and ancient castles. Hereford is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word Hereford which means "the Military Ford" and the Old English "here, army + ford." 1

Early Origins of the Herfer family

The surname Herfer was first found in Herefordshire where Ilbert de Hertford, de Hereforda was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. 2 Later, Walter de Hereford was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Wales in 1158 and Richard de Herfordia was a Knights Templar in 1185. 3

"The Herefords of Sufton Court, co. Hereford, claim from Boger de Hereford, a famous philosopher of the XII. century. The town and county of Hertford are so pronounced, but there is a parish of Harford in Devonshire with which however the family do not appear to have been connected. According to Burke, "the cunabula (earliest) gent was in Bosbury, co. Hereford, in the church of which parish there are several ancient monuments of the family." 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included entries for: Warin de Hereford, Cambridgeshire; Roger de Herford, Huntingdonshire; and Walter de Herford, Cambridgeshire. 5 In Somerset, early rolls listed Margery Herford and John de Hareford, 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III) 6

Early History of the Herfer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Herfer research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the year 1766 is included under the topic Early Herfer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Herfer Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Hereford, Herford, Herreford and others.

Early Notables of the Herfer family

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

Migration of the Herfer family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Herfer or a variant listed above were: Peter Hereford settled in Virginia in 1623; Francis Herford settled in Philadelphia in 1683; Christian Herford arrived in Philadelphia in 1744.

Sources +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.