Pickford Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History

Pickford Origin:

England

Origins of Pickford:

This interesting name is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a geographical surname acquiring from either of the places called “Pickforde,” in Ticehurst, Sussex, or “Pitchford,” in Shropshire. The latter noted in the Domesday Book of 1086 as “Piceforde”, and in the Shropshire Fees Court documents of 1242 as “Picford”, and means “the ford where pitch could acquire”, evolved from the Olde English pre 7th Century “pic”, which means pitch, used here of the inclination, with “Ford”, which means castle. “Pickforde” in Sussex means “the pig crossing,” derived from the Olde English “picga,” which means pig, and “frod,” which means as before. Geographical names were frequently given to the king of the estate and to those old citizens who departed to live or work in another place. One Robert Picford was one of the early immigrants in the New World. He gave a ticket for Virginia from Barbadoes in September 1679.

Variations:

More common variations are: Pbickford, Pikford, Picford, Bickford, Packford, Peckford, Pickfard, Pikeford, Pickfort, Bickfordd.

England:

The surname Pickford first appeared in Shropshire at Pitchford, a small, Hamlet, and church, in the union of Atcham, Hundred of Condover where the hamlet acquires its name from the strong gloomy smell that originates from the oily substance that frequently covers the surface of the water. Hence the place means “fort near a place where pitch if found,” from the Old English words “pic” and “Ford.” The Domesday Book of 1086 lists the place as Piceforde and also recorded as Pitchford Hall as “Edric, and Leofric and Wulfric held it as three estates.

The very first recording spelling of the family was shown to be that of John de Picford, dated about 1273, in the “Shropshire Hundred Rolls.” It was during the time of King Edward I who was known to be the “The Hammer of the Scots,” dated 1272-1307. The origin of surnames during this period became a necessity with the introduction of personal taxation. It came to be known as Poll Tax in England.

Ireland:

Many of the people with surname Pickford had moved to Ireland during the 17th century.

United States of America:

Individuals with the surname Pickford landed in the United States in three different centuries respectively in the 17th, 18th, and 19th. Some of the people with the name Pickford who arrived in the United States in the 17th century included Susan Pickford, who came to Barbados in 1659. Mary Pickford, who came to Virginia in 1663 with her husband

People with the surname Pickford who landed in the United States in the 18th century included Joseph Pickford, a security passenger, who came to America in 1725. Mark Pickford, who settled in Maryland in 1737.

The following century saw much more Pickford surnames arrive. Some of the people with the surname Pickford who arrived in the United States in the 19th century included Isaac Pickford at the age of 28, landed in New York in 1812. Isaac and John Pickford, both arrived in New York in 1820. John Pickford, who came to Mississippi in 1844

Australia:

Some of the individuals with the surname Pickford who landed in Australia in the 19th century included Alfred Pickford at the age of 33 arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship “Marshall Bennett”

New-Zealand:

Some of the population with the surname Pickford who arrived in New Zealand in the 19th century included Rosa E. Pickford at the age of 21, arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship “Rimutaka” in 1885

Here is the population distribution of the last name Pickford: England 3,221; United States 1,288; Australia 691; South Africa 530; Canada 437; New Zealand 293; Wales 214; Germany 134; Scotland 105; France 73

Notable People:

Kevin Pickford is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher.

Lottie Pickford was a Canadian-American actress and sister of Mary Pickford.

Martin Pickford was a Kenyan-born paleoanthropologist.

Mary Pickford was a Canadian-American actress.

Olive Thomas Pickford was an American actress.

Blazons & Genealogy Notes

Chequy or and az. on a fess gu. three lions ramp. of the first. Crest—A lion’s head erased.