Manifold History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Manifold family

The surname Manifold was first found in Cheshire where the family name was first referenced in the 13th century. Literally the name means "many folds," from the Anglo-Saxon words "maning" +"folds."

In Yorkshire, early records there show Roger de Manfeld listed in the Feet of Fines for 1303; and Robert Manfeld in 1413-1414. 1

Early History of the Manifold family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Manifold research. Another 120 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487, 1595 and 1618 are included under the topic Early Manifold History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Manifold Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Manifold family name include Manfold, Manifold, Manyfold, Manefold, Manifolt and others.

Early Notables of the Manifold family

Distinguished members of the family include

the Manifold family of Cheshire

Manifold migration to the United States +

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Manifold surname or a spelling variation of the name include:

Manifold Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Jo Manifold, aged 17, who landed in Massachusetts Bay in 1635 aboard the ship "Blessing" 2
William Manifold, aged 20, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Globe" 2

Manifold Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Joseph Manifold, who arrived in Maryland in 1771

Manifold migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Manifold Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Walter Manifold (aged 34), a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Gomelza"

Contemporary Notables of the name Manifold (post 1700) +

Jay Manifold, American Libertarian politician, Candidate for Texas State House of Representatives 103rd District, 1992 3
Jay Manifold, American Libertarian politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Missouri 5th District, 1986 3
John Streeter Manifold AM (1915-1985), Australian poet and critic from Melborne, founder in 1950 of the Realist Writers Group
Sir Walter Synnot Manifold (1849-1928), Australian grazier and politician, born in Melborne, he was elected to the Legislative Council of Victoria for the Western Province in 1901, and held the seat until 1924

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html