Staniforth

Staniforth is an English surname, a variation of the name "Stanford". Old English surnames were in particular a description of one's profession such as "Smith" or "Thatcher" or described an area in which one lived.

The Blackburn Brook, the likely origin of the Staniforth surname

The name of Stanford is believed to be of ancient Saxon origin and to have been derived from the words stan, meaning "stone", and ford, meaning "river-crossing". It was undoubtedly first given to a place answering that description (there were ten parishes of the name in England) and was taken therefrom by its first bearer because of his residence there at the time of the adoption of surnames in Great Britain. Sheffield historian David Hey writes about a potential location on the Blackburn Brook in Ecclesfield that contained a farm known as Stonyford Farm. The 1434 Ecclesfield court rolls mention John of Stannyford passing on land in 'Stanyford' to his son Richard further backs up this claim. It is found in ancient records in the various spellings of Staniford, Staniforth, Stanforth, Stamforth, Standiford, Stanniford, Staynfor, Stanforde, Stannyforthe, Standford and Stanford, of which the form last mentioned is that most generally used in North America today.

Among the early records of the family in England are those of Adam de Stanford, of Oxford County in 1273. Probably the first of the name in America were Richard and John Stanford of Virginia in 1635.

The Staniforth spelling in particular appears to be concentrated in Yorkshire. Many of the same spelling emigrated to Canada and America in the early-to-middle 19th century.

People named Staniforth include:

Places

Other
  • Hoole, Staniforth and Co
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