Recorded as Beckford and Bickford, this is an ancient English surname. It is locational from Beckford, a parish in the county of Gloucestershire, near the town of Tewksbury. According to the Oxford Dictionary of English Place Names the place name means Becca's ford, from a pre 7th century personal name of unknown etymology, Becca, Bicca or Beocca, a short form of which appears in numerous English place names. Certainly whatever the meaning, the place itself is one of the earliest for which written records exist, it appearing as Beccanforda in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles of the year 803 a.d..
The surname being locational would usually be a "from" name. That is a name given as easy identification to a person who left his, or sometimes her, village, to move somewhere else. The alternative which may apply here, is when a nameholder was also the lord of the manor. In this case the first recorded nameholder was known as Prior de Bekeford. Whether Prior was his title or his personal name is not known for certain. He appears in the Hundred Rolls of landowners of Gloucester in 1273, as does Henry de Beckeford also of Gloucestershire, whilst Alex de Bikeford also appears in the Hundred Roll of 1273, but for the county of Staffordshire. Thse recordings were in the first year of the reign of King Edward 1st, (1273 - 1307), and known to history as "The hammer of the Scots", and pretty well everybody else!
Discovering the historical roots of beckford is deeply interesting, as it takes us back to the ancestors and relatives who established this lineage. The history of the surname beckford is, like that of most surnames, a complex and fascinating journey to ancient times with the aim of unraveling the origin of beckford.
Although surnames have a specific origin at a certain time and region of the planet, many of them have spread far and wide across the world for various reasons, as is the case with the surname beckford. It is common for surnames like beckford to become known in places far removed from their country or region of origin. Discover which ones.
The historical chronicle of beckford is based on a striking series of events that were led by those who have carried this surname throughout history. The historical journey of the surname beckford can be traced back to those who were the first bearers of beckford.
We suggest that if you want to learn more about the surname beckford, try to locate it through the bibliographic sources we suggest. You can visit us regularly to get more information about the origin of the surname beckford, as we frequently accept significant contributions from other individuals interested in heraldry and the history of surnames.
It's more than likely that there have been some distinguished beckfords throughout human history. Unfortunately, it's highly probable that not all beckfords who performed notable deeds have been included in historical chronicles and records. It is our desire to highlight in this section those individuals with the surname beckford who, for various reasons, have left their mark on the course of history.
Thanks to a significant bibliographic review, we have so far compiled information on the heraldry, history, and genealogy of beckford. It goes without saying that consulting bibliographic and documentary sources is essential when accessing information about the origins of the surname beckford.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of beckford, and at the same time, of surnames in general.