Surname Calford - Meaning and Origin
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Calford: What does the surname Calford mean?
The surname Calford is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is a locational name derived from any of the various places called Calford in the regions of Shropshire and Buckinghamshire. The component elements in the place name are either the Old English cælf, meaning a calf, or cealf, meaning "joint" or "cleft," and ford, an Anglo-Saxon word meaning a shallow place permitting the crossing of a river or stream.
Therefore, it is possible that the surname Calford may have been originally derived from someone who lived by or near a ford through which calves were driven to the other side. Alternatively, it could have been used to describe someone who lived in or near a place distinguished by a cleft or ravine.
The first recorded spelling of the surname Calford was in 1250, when William de Calforde was registered in the Pipe Rolls. In 1268, Thomas de Calford was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls, and in 1279, Agnes de Calford was in the Hundred Rolls of 1275.
In modern times. the surname Calford is found most commonly in the West Midlands in England, with the highest frequency being in the counties of Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire. It is also found in Scotland and Ireland.
Order DNA origin analysisCalford: Where does the name Calford come from?
The last name Calford is most common today in the United Kingdom. According to data from the 2011 UK Census, Calford is the 1,630th most common surname in England and Wales, with approximately 1,014 people recorded in the census using the name. It is more common in England than in Wales, with 836 people in England and just 172 in Wales.
Historically, the Calford name is derived from the Old English for 'A cowboy who herded calf on foot'. It was most commonly found in Lancashire and Yorkshire counties. In Lancashire, the Calford surname was first recorded in 1212 and later, in 1697 in Thornton-in-Craven, near Skipton, when a person using the name held a neighboring manor.
The distribution of the Calford surname today follows a similar pattern across England as evidenced by analysis of records from the 1881 UK Census. At that time, Calford was most commonly found in Lancashire, Yorkshire, and north Nottinghamshire, giving an indication of the ancestral origins of this surname.
Today, the Calford surname is rarely found outside of the UK. In fact, a Google search for the Calford name today reveals fewer than 500 results in the entire world. This further highlights the exceptional rarity of this surname in comparison to the more prolific surnames of the UK.
Variations of the surname Calford
The surname Calford is believed to be of English origin, and is primarily found in the United Kingdom. It is derived from Old English words meaning "cold" and "ford" which references a water crossing over a cold river.
Various variants and spellings of the Calford surname have developed over the centuries, including: Caulford, Calverd, Calverde, Calvert, Cowingford, Caleford, and Calforth.
Calford can also be an Anglicization of the Irish surname Mac Caoilte which is a patronymic form of Caoilte, a personal name derived from the Old Irish word “caol” meaning “slender” or “graceful.”
The Calford surname is also thought to be an Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Mac Giolla Phádraig, meaning "son of the follower of Patrick". The Gaelic form of this name is Mac Giolla Pháird which can be found in the counties of Donegal and Monaghan in Ireland.
The Calford surname is also believed to be derived from the Germanic personal name Kalfer which has the same meaning as Calford: cold and ford.
In conclusion, the surname Calford is likely to have been derived from multiple origins including the English, Irish, and Germanic languages. Variants and spellings of Calford include Calverd, Calverde, Calvert, Cowingford, Caleford, Caoilte, Mac Caoilte, Mac Giolla Pháird, and Mac Giolla Phádraig.
Famous people with the name Calford
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