Wakeford History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Wakeford

What does the name Wakeford mean?

The origins of the Wakeford name come from when the Anglo-Saxon tribes ruled over Britain. The name Wakeford was originally derived from a family having lived at Wakefield in the West Riding of Yorkshire. "Its name, in the Domesday Survey Wachefeld, is of Saxon origin. In the reign of Edward the Confessor, it formed part of the royal demesnes; and, after the Conquest, was granted by Henry I. to William, Earl Warren, with whose descendants it remained till the reign of Edward III. " 1

However, the surname Wakeford is occasionally derived from another settlement by the same name in Northumberland. The surname Wakeford belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Wakeford family

The surname Wakeford was first found in Yorkshire where Wachefeld, being King William's land was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. 2

Early English rolls provide us a glimpse of the spelling variations used through Medieval times. Today we typically need to look beyond the spellings of these entries and concentrate on on a phonetic appreciation of the names. Lager de Wakfeld was listed in the Assize Rolls for Yorkshire in 1219; Thomas de Wakfeld in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1342; and Richard Wakefeld was found in Yorkshire in 1415. 3

One of the more interesting first mentions of the name was "Peter of Wakefield or Peter of Pontefract (died 1213), an English hermit. He prophesied that King John's crown would be passed to another by next Ascension Day, 23 May 1213. This prophecy spread throughout Britain, even to France. King John had him imprisoned and when the forecasted day came and went, had him "dragged by horses to Wareham and there hanged with his son. " 4

Early History of the Wakeford family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wakeford research. Another 88 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1375, 1537, 1575 and 1665 are included under the topic Early Wakeford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wakeford Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Wakeford include Wakefield, Wakefeild and others.

Early Notables of the Wakeford family

Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wakeford Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wakeford migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Wakeford Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Wakeford, aged 41, a mason, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Lady Macdonald" 5
Elizabeth Jane Wakeford, aged 16, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Lady Macdonald" 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Wakeford (post 1700) +

J. H. Wakeford, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Georgia, 1912 6
Captain Richard Wakeford (1921-1972), British soldier awarded the Victoria Cross during WWII 7

Historic Events for the Wakeford family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. Charles Wakeford, British Assistant Purser from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 8
Mr. Alfred Joseph Wakeford (1864-1914), English First Class Passenger from Liverpool, England, United Kingdom who survived the sinking on the Empress of Ireland 8

The Wakeford Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Arudua vinco
Motto Translation: I conquer difficulties.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
South Australian Register Monday 9th April 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Lady Macdonald 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/ladymacdonald1855.shtml
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
World War 2 Awards.com - WAKEFORD, Richard. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Richard Wakeford. Retrieved from http://www.ww2awards.com/person/174
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html