Show ContentsHosfield History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Hosfield Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Hosfield

What does the name Hosfield mean?

The ancient history of the Hosfield name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided near a stable or horse pasture. The surname is derived from the Old English words hors, which means horse, and falod, which means enclosure or field. Hosfield may have also been given as an occupational surname to someone who worked at such a place. Early places names include: Horsford, Norfolk, 1 2 Horsford in East Worlington, Devon, and Horsforth in the West Riding of Yorkshire. 3

Horsford, Norfolk and Horsforth, Yorkshire both date back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where they were recorded as Hosforda and Horseford respectively. 4

Early Origins of the Hosfield family

The surname Hosfield was first found in Yorkshire where Nigel de Horsford was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls for 1209. John Horsfall was recorded in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 3

Other Poll Tax entries include: Johannes de Horsford; Robertus de Horseforth, of Horseforth; Alicia de Horseforth, of Horseforth; and Robertus de Horsford. 5

Norfolk records include an entry for James de Horsford, clerk, Norfolk and William de Horsford, who was Burgess in Parliament for Norwich, 4 Edward III (during the fourth year of King Edward III's reign.) 6

Early History of the Hosfield family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hosfield research. Another 61 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1682, 1751, 1759, 1768, 1771, 1773, 1817, 1818, 1837, 1840, 1859 and 1885 are included under the topic Early Hosfield History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hosfield Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Hosfield include Horsfield, Horsefield, Horsford, Horseford and many more.

Early Notables of the Hosfield family

Thomas Horsfield (1773-1859), American naturalist, born at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States, on 12 May 1773. His parents were Moravians, and he remained throughout life a member of that religious body. 7 Thomas Walker Horsfield (d. 1837) was an English topographer, who was for some years minister of a dissenting congregation meeting at the Westgate Chapel at Lewes, Sussex, and more popularly known as the "Bull Meeting." 7 General Sir Alfred Hastings Horsford (1818-1885), son of General George Horsford, a distinguished West India officer, once Lieutenant-Governor of...
Another 84 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hosfield Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hosfield family to Ireland

Some of the Hosfield family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 54 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hosfield family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Hosfield or a variant listed above: Joseph and Luke Horsefield settled in Maryland in 1774; William Horseford settled in Boston in 1633; John and Mary Horseford settled in New York in 1822..
  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  6. Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
  7. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print

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