Lachforthey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Lachforthey first arose amongst the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from their having lived in the area of Latchford in the parish of Grappenhall in Chester. Lachforthey is a habitation name from the broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties.

Early Origins of the Lachforthey family

The surname Lachforthey was first found in Chester at Latchford, a chapelry in the union of Grappenhill, in the hundred of Bucklow. There is no mention in the Domesday Book of the place so presumably it was either of little significance or was established at a later time. Latchford had anciently two weekly markets and two annual fairs, granted to it by Edward III. The township is included in the parliamentary borough of Warrington, and comprises 731 acres. The family is believed to have originated here. Latchford is also a hamlet, in the parish of Great Haseley, poor-law union of Thame, hundred of Ewelme, in Oxfordshire, but this hamlet remained small through the ages as by 1890 it containing only 32 inhabitants whereas at that time the former Latchford had 2,361. 1

The Lackford variant is believed to have originated in Lackford, Suffolk, a parish, in the union and hundred of Thingoe. 1 Today, the parish contains the Lackford Lakes nature reserve and SSSI, created from reclaimed gravel pits. Lackford Hall was built around 1570, but the parish dates back much further than that. In fact, the Domesday Book of 1086 lists the place as Lecforda and probably meant "ford where leeks grow," from the Old English "leac" + "ford." 2 The Lackford hundred consisting of 83,712 acres and is similarly listed in the Domesday Book. 3

Early History of the Lachforthey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lachforthey research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1630 is included under the topic Early Lachforthey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lachforthey Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Lachforthey has appeared include Latchford, Latchforde, Lashford, Lashforde and others.

Early Notables of the Lachforthey family

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

Migration of the Lachforthey family to Ireland

Some of the Lachforthey family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 36 words (3 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 Lachforthey family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Lachforthey arrived in North America very early: Thomas Lachford who settled in Boston, Massachusetts between 1630.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)