Latchfith History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The present generation of the Latchfith family is only the most recent to bear a name that dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name comes from having lived in the area of Latchford in the parish of Grappenhall in Chester. Latchfith 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 Latchfith family

The surname Latchfith 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 Latchfith family

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

Latchfith Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Latchfith include Latchford, Latchforde, Lashford, Lashforde and others.

Early Notables of the Latchfith family

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

Migration of the Latchfith family to Ireland

Some of the Latchfith 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 Latchfith family

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Latchfith were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: 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)