Show ContentsRumfitt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient history of the Rumfitt name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in Middlesex, where they took their name from the place-name Romford, which means "wide ford," and was probably one of the principle crossings of the River Thames before Romford was absorbed by the Greater London. The place-name was recorded as Romfort in 1177. [1]

Early Origins of the Rumfitt family

The surname Rumfitt was first found in Essex at Romford, a market-town and parish, and the head of a union, in the liberty of Haveringatte-Bower. "It is supposed by Dr. Stukeley to occupy the site of the Roman station Durolitum, and he considers its name to be a contraction of Romanford." [2]

Early History of the Rumfitt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rumfitt research. Another 88 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1233 is included under the topic Early Rumfitt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rumfitt Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Rumfitt include Rumford, Romford, Rumfitt and others.

Early Notables of the Rumfitt family

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

Migration of the Rumfitt family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Rumfitt or a variant listed above: William Rumford, aged 22; settled in Maryland in 1775.



  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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