Surname Ekford - Meaning and Origin
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Ekford: What does the surname Ekford mean?
The last name Ekford is generally believed to be of English origin. Ekford is derived from Ecclesford, which comes from Eccles, which in Olde English means “church”. This suggests that the original name-holder lived close to or was employed by a church. While there is no definitive answer, the most likely origin of the name Ekford lies in the south of England, especially in the eastern parts of Devon and Cornwall, areas that were heavily populated by the Saxons.
An alternative source of the name suggests that it is derived from two Norse words – eik meaning oak, and fjord meaning river estuary. In this case, Ekford may have referred to someone who lived close to a river estuary by an oak tree or forest. This origin of the name is more likely to be found in Northern England, particularly around areas such as Yorkshire and Lancashire.
In general, the last name Ekford implies a person of modest means, likely to have been from an agricultural or pastoral background. The original name-holder would have probably been an important but humble member of their local community, and the name Ekford has been passed down through the generations, persevering through the ages.
Order DNA origin analysisEkford: Where does the name Ekford come from?
The last name Ekford is most often found in the United Kingdom, with many of its bearers living in Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. According to the research website Forebears, the surname has seen a 17% increase in popularity in the UK over the past decade.
It is believed to be an Anglicized spelling of the Gaelic name Echford, which was of Norman origin. This once affluent family lived in Scone Abbey near Perth in the 12th century, where the family name had become well established.
Elsewhere in Europe, the name is somewhat rarer. The same research suggests that the surname Ekford is most common in Switzerland, and there are also a few bearers of the name scattered across Germany, Norway, and Sweden.
In the United States, however, Ekford is nowhere near as common. It is estimated that there are fewer than 500 American citizens named Ekford, with the highest concentrations of people with the surname found in Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky.
The name Ekford does appear in Canada, but this is likely due to immigration from the UK, and not from independent origins. Fewer than 1,000 Canadians were found to have the name Ekford in 2019.
Overall, the Ekford family is still something of a rarity today, but it has maintained a strong presence in the British Isles over the centuries.
Variations of the surname Ekford
The surname Ekford, also spelled as Eckford, Eekford, and Eghford, all originated from the same source. This surname has extremely rare occurrence among many countries and has a small cluster of families in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia.
The surname Ekford is an occupational surname derived from the Old English word “ecg”, meaning “oak”, and “ford”, which refers to a shallow river crossing. Thus, the name initially referred to a person who lived, worked, or owned land near an oak ford.
The surname has been spelled in various ways, including Eckford, Ekford, Eekford, and Eghford, suggesting a common origin. The spelling of the surname could have been changed to suit local dialects, as well as through the effects of natural generational change.
The variants of Ekford that form the surnames of Eckford and Eghford may have evolved due to the lost letter “k” from the original spelling, making the spelling more or less the same as other similar-sounding surnames, such as Egerton and Everson.
The surname Ekford is also found in several other variations, such as Eikford, Echford, Aikford, Aichford, Aykford, Ilkford, Elkford, Olkford, Ulkford, Ockford, Ackford, Aukford, Oukford, LLPKforde, Ickford, and Ylkford, among others.
These alternate spellings, variants, and variations of the surname Ekford can be traced back to the Old English forms of the name, and reveal the shared ancestry that many of the branches of this family tree share.
Famous people with the name Ekford
- Lexee Ekford, country artist from the US
- Matt Ekford, American journalist, film producer, and entrepreneur
- Dmitry Ekford, Russian professional tennis player
- Joey Ekford, former Australian rules football player
- Gina Ekford, American television actress
- Warren Ekford, retired Canadian ice hockey player
- David Ekford, American screenwriter
- Lynn Ekford, American musician and folk singer
- Andrew Ekford, retired Canadian ice hockey player
- Lindsey Ekford, retired American figure skater
- Vanesa Ekford, British actress and playwright
- Tim Ekford, English professional golfer
- Wyatt Ekford, Canadian professional lacrosse player
- Cory Ekford, Canadian professional curler
- Brett Ekford, former Canadian ice hockey player
- Ariana Ekford, Swedish professional beach volleyball player