Map of England showing where the Cornford arms are recorded
The Cornford arms were recorded in Northampton, c. 1620.
Northamptonshire was grazing and hunting country in the middle of England, thick with manor houses. Its families were numerous and long-settled, and a settled landed family almost always ended up with arms.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Cornford arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Northampton.
Origin & History of the Cornford Family in England
The surname Cornford is a topographic name, meaning it was originally used to describe people who lived near a specific location. In Old English, the name likely refers to a ford, or a shallow river crossing, where corn was grown or traded nearby. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Cornford family were established in Northampton. During this period, families often settled in market towns like Northampton because these locations served as hubs for agriculture and local commerce. The name suggests that the earliest ancestors were likely farmers or laborers who lived near a waterway that defined their local landscape. Over time, as families moved for work or marriage, the name spread from these rural river crossings into the growing urban centers of England.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Cranford
A river crossing frequented by cranes or herons.
This name
CornfordDerived from a locational surname referring to a ford associated with the bird.
also spelled
Cranforth
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Reaney, Percy Hide, A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Northamptonshire Archives, Parish Registers of Northampton St Sepulchre, 1620
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chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
