Longhearde History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe name Longhearde is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in the regions of Langford which were in eight counties throughout England. Longhearde 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 Longhearde familyThe surname Longhearde was first found in Bedfordshire at Langford, a village and civil parish alongside the River Ivel. With multiple listings of the same village throughout England (Bedfordshire, Essex, Nottinghamshire and as Langford Budville in Somerset), it is difficult to give a precise local for the surname's origin. However, of all of them, the village in Bedfordshire has traditionally had the highest population over the years. Some are listed in the Domesday Book as follows: Langeford, Bedfordshire; Langheforda, Essex; and Landeforde, Nottinghamshire. 1 The place name literally means "long ford" from the Old English lang + ford. But the Nottinghamshire village could have been derived from "ford of a man called Landa" from the Old English personal name + ford. 2 There are other villages and parishes named Langford, in England but these are the oldest. The Cornwall local cannot be found today, but it is from this local that many of the family originated. Roger de Langford was sheriff of Cornwall in 1225. He took his surname from the parish of Marham Church. 3 While the town or parish of Langford cannot be found today, historical evidence of the family exists. "In 1620 Emanuel Langford possessed five parts out of six [of the manor of Liskeard Coelsehill." and "Tremabe, in [the parish of Liskeard], which was formerly a seat of the Langfords, is now a farm house. Langford-Hill [in the parish of Marham-Church] was formerly a seat belonging to an ancient family called Langford, of whom the last lineal descendant, Mrs. Flizabeth Hammet, died in 1783." 4 Early History of the Longhearde familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Longhearde research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1229, 1625, 1652, 1656, 1683, 1713, 1716, 1725 and 1791 are included under the topic Early Longhearde History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Longhearde Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Longhearde are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Longhearde include: Langford, Langforde, Langfort, Longford and many more. Early Notables of the Longhearde familyMore information is included under the topic Early Longhearde Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Longhearde family to IrelandSome of the Longhearde family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Migration of the Longhearde familyMany English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Longhearde or a variant listed above: Abraham Langford, who settled in Barbados with his servants in 1680; Harry Langford settled in New York in 1679; John Langford settled in Virginia in 1651.
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