EnglandCornwall, one of the original six "Celtic nations" is the homeland to the surname Nantfeard. A revival of the Cornish language which began in the 9th century AD has begun. No doubt this was the language spoken by distant forebears of the Nantfeard family. Though surnames became common during medieval times, English people were formerly known only by a single name. The way in which hereditary surnames were adopted in medieval England is fascinating. Many Cornish surnames appear to be topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees, many are actually habitation surnames. The name Nantfeard is a local type of surname and the Nantfeard family lived in the village of Nanfan, in Cornwall. Members of the family were involved in the blacksmith trade and prior to the 18th century often went by the occupational name Trengove, from the Cornish words tren meaning strong, and angove, meaning smith. Many used the name Trengoff of Nance.
The surname Nantfeard was first found in Cornwall where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Nanfan.
"So early as the days of Henry VI. Trethewell [in the parish of St. Evall] was purchased by the family of Nanfan; who, during the preceding reign, were in a state of comparative obscurity, but were raised by the favour of the reigning monarch, as a reward for the services they rendered him in the foreign wars in which he was engaged. John Nanfan is the first gentleman, that, in the records of the Pipe Office, is distinguished with the appellation of Esquire. This was in the reign of Henry VI. when he was made sheriff of Cornwall, which appellation was not generally given to those who filled this office till the days of Henry VIII. Several of this family were sheriffs of this county in the fifteenth century. In the days of Henry VIII. this estate was carried in marriage by an heiress to Erisey." [1]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Nantfeard research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Nantfeard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Nanfan, Nanfant, Nantford and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Nantfeard Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Nantfeard were John Nanfant who settled in Carolina in 1710; and Francis Nantford who settled in Barbados in 1672.
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