The ancestors of the name Millford date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Millford family lived in one of the various settlements called Milford in Derbyshire, Hampshire, Wiltshire, and the West Riding of Yorkshire, or in the place called Long Melford in the county of Suffolk. The surname Millford belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.
The surname Millford was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, as Lords of the manor of Milford, in the diocese of York. This did not appear in the Domesday Book in 1080, and it must be assumed that the manor emerged about the 12th or 13th century.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Millford research. Another 84 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1292, 1379, 1618, 1644, 1725 and 1704 are included under the topic Early Millford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Millford 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. The variations of the name Millford include: Milforde, Milford, Millford, Millforde, Melford and many more.
Distinguished members of the family include Samuel "Fish Hook" Mulford (1644–1725), an American who went to London in 1704 to protest the tax on whale oil, which he used in farming. Warned beforehand of the sly workings of pickpockets in...
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Millford Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Some of the Millford family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Many 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 Millford or a variant listed above: