Surname Lickford - Meaning and Origin

Lickford: What does the surname Lickford mean?

The last name Lickford doesn’t have an easily discernible origin, but it likely has its roots in England. The name “Lickford” is a place marker; it primarily denotes an area of land or a settlement near a body of water known as a “lique”. A “lique” is a slow-moving river or boggy stream originating from higher elevations and often used for irrigation. “ford” comes from an old english word meaning “river crossing” and is often used to denote a river that had a shallow source. Therefore, Lickford may refer to a settlement that was near the crossing of a shallow river.

The earliest record of the name Lickford dates back to Yorkshire, England, in the 12th century. The name appears in records related to Thomas de Wailes, who held lands in Lister in 1346. In 1429, Johannes de Lyckford is recorded in a distribution of lands between Wilhelmus de Kirton and Johannes de Verneys. The Allen family of Lickford became prominent later on; George Henry Allen, of Lickford, was listed in the 1891 UK census.

While the true origin of the name Lickford remains a mystery, the current understanding is that it derives from a river-crossing place marker in England. The Allen family of Lickford likely continued this legacy for centuries, and the name still resonates across the world today.

Lickford: Where does the name Lickford come from?

The surname Lickford is relatively rare and does not appear to have a well-documented origin. It is not clear which geographical region this surname originally comes from and, hence, it is challenging to determine its exact etymology. However, based on the structure of the name, it could possibly be of English origin, as a many English surnames are derived from geographical locations or occupational titles, and the "-ford" suffix is common in English place names, typically denoting a ford or river-crossing.

The Lickford surname appears to be uncommon today, with no particular concentrations or areas of prevalence easily identifiable through general research. More detailed genealogical research might reveal clusters of individuals named Lickford in certain regions. Still, it certainly doesn’t seem to be a common name, suggesting that it may have been subject to significant evolution, dilution, or spelling variations over time. Therefore, it is probably spread across various locations, with no large population group sharing this surname in one place.

Variations of the surname Lickford

The surname Lickford has English origins and like many names, there are various spellings and variations due to regional dialects, transliteration from other languages, misspellings, and changes to modernize or simplify the name. The primary variations of the surname Lickford include Lickford, Leeckford, Lyckford, Lychford, and Leckford.

A similar sounding surname could be Lockford, which may have been used interchangeably in the past. Surnames that may be of the same origin due to their similar syllabic structure and linguistic origins include Lickey, Lickfold, Licko, and Lickley.

The existence of place names similar to 'Lickford' in England suggests that there could be variations of the surname based on geographical locations like Lickford Bridge and Leckford village.

It’s also usual for surnames to have been based on professions during their formation in medieval times. Thus, any profession related to “lick” or “ford” could potentially link to the origin of the name Lickford, such as variants based on the blacksmith tool “lick” or the geographical feature “ford”.

It's important to note that genealogical and historical research could provide further specific variations of the surname Lickford.

Famous people with the name Lickford

• Emily Lickford: a British actress best known for her roles in Reign, Assassins Run, and Atlantis.
• Gabrielle Lickford: a British actress and model who appeared in several TV shows and films, including notable projects such as Mission: Impossible, The Da Vinci Code, and Acapulco H.E.A.T.
• Martin Lickford: an English actor best known for his roles in The Bill, Holby City, East Enders and Waking the Dead.
• Charlie Lickford: a British stunt actor, director, and producer, known for his work in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
• Theresa Lickford: an American model and actress who has been featured in various commercials, music videos, and television shows, including most notably Chicago Fire, Days of Our Lives, and General Hospital.
• Rob Lickford: an American musician and composer, known for his work in films such as Top Gun, The Breakfast Club, and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, as well as several television shows and commercials.
• Rebecca Lickford: a British dancer, singer, and choreographer who has performed in shows such as The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent and Strictly Come Dancing.
• Richard Lickford: a British screenwriter, director, and producer, who is best known for his work on TV shows such as Emmerdale, Foyle’s War, and Casualty.

Other surnames

Lickfold