Show ContentsStafarde History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Stafarde

What does the name Stafarde mean?

Stafarde is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Stafarde family lived in Staffordshire, at Stafford, from where their name is derived.

Early Origins of the Stafarde family

The surname Stafarde was first found in Staffordshire where they were descended from Roger de Toeni, founder of the Abbey of Conches, who died in the Civil Wars in Normandy in 1038.

His son, Ralph de Toeni, was hereditary Standard Bearer to King William the Conqueror, at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. His brother, Robert de Toeni, built a castle in Stafford and was the first to be surnamed Stafford.

The family held eighty manors in thirteen Midland counties as recorded in the Domesday Book compiled in 1086, and from the senior line of this noble family descended the Dukes of Buckingham.

The parish of Mugginton, Derbyshire played an important part of the family's heritage. "The manor, in Domesday Book Mogintune, was anciently held under Earl Ferrers, and in the reign of Edward I. was in moieties between the families of Chandos and Stafford. One moiety passed by a female heir to the immediate ancestor of Edward Sacheverell C. Pole, Esq.; and the Staffords' moiety has been successively in the families of Dethick, Rolleston, and Hallowes." 1

Moving south to Cornwall, we found an interesting entry about the family. "The great manor or franchise of Callilond, or Kalliland, [in the parish of Southill, Cornwall] had formerly a very extensive jurisdiction, and which at present is far from being diminutive, originally belonged to the baronial family of Stafford. In the days of Richard III. this manor became divided, one third passing to the crown, and the other two thirds passing with an heiress of the Stafford family in marriage to Willoughby, Lord Broke." 2

Early History of the Stafarde family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stafarde research. Another 166 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1350, 1377, 1402, 1403, 1432, 1450, 1452, 1455, 1460, 1469, 1483, 1500, 1512, 1521, 1523, 1554, 1556, 1574, 1593, 1612, 1625, 1630, 1655, 1684 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Stafarde History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Stafarde Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Stafford, Staford, Strafford and others.

Early Notables of the Stafarde family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Katherine Swynford, Duchess of Lancaster (Catherine Synford), (1350-1403), daughter of Sir Payne (de) Roet originally a Flemish herald from County of Hainaut, later knighted; Edmund Stafford, 5th Earl of Stafford and 6th Baron Audley, (1377-1403), son of Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford and Philippa de Beauchamp, inherited the Earldom at the age of 17; John Stafford (d. 1452), English statesman, Lord Chancellor (1432-1450), and Archbishop of Canterbury; Humphrey Stafford (1402-1460), English...
Another 80 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Stafarde Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Stafarde family to Ireland

Some of the Stafarde family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 94 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Stafarde family

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, travelling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Stafarde or a variant listed above: William Stafford, who settled in Virginia in 1622; Thomas Stafford, who settled in Rhode Island in 1630; Christopher Stafford, who settled in Virginia in 1635.



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print


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