Surname Munford - Meaning and Origin

Munford: What does the surname Munford mean?

The surname Munford is of Anglo-Saxon origin derived from the Old English pre 7th Century "mund" meaning "protection" and "ford", a ford, translating as "the ford used as a means of protection". This could refer to a naturally defensible crossing point in a river, or possibly an artificially created one. Surnames such as Munford emerged as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics, such as red hair. The practice of using surnames did not become common until after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Many of the early Munfords settled in areas like Norfolk, England. The surname has variations including Munford, Mundford, Munforth, and others.

Munford: Where does the name Munford come from?

The last name Munford is most commonly found in the United States today. According to the US Census from 2017, the Munford surname was found in 40 out of 50 states. The states where Munford was found most frequently were North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky.

In North Carolina, Munford was the 919th most common name, occurring only 0.0014% of the time. Virginia is the place where it is found most often, ranking 433rd with a rate of 0.005%. Tennessee is the third most common place, occurring at a rate of 0.0032%, while in Kentucky it ranks 744th with an occurrence rate of 0.0011%.

Outside of the United States, Munford is also found in the United Kingdom, specifically England and Wales. In England, it ranks as the 17,744th most common name with an occurrence rate of only 0.0002%. In Wales, it is slightly more common, coming in at 4,855th place with an occurrence rate of 0.0006%.

Overall, the surname Munford is most common in the United States today, with an overall occurrence rate of a little over 0.003%, the highest concentration being in the states of North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky.

Variations of the surname Munford

Munford is a surname with many variants, spellings, and alternate surnames. Some of the common variants include Mundford, Mundeford, Moldford, and Mouldford. The spelling may also be Anglicized to Mountford in some cases. Other surnames of the same origin include Manford, Monford, and even the more exotic Monferdini. Variations in spelling can occur for any of these, for example one may find Moundford, Mundforde, or Mongford.

Most of these surnames are derived from the Old English word mund which means protection or defense. This, combined with the anglicized ford which means a shallower crossing of a river or stream, give us the literal meaning of "protected crossing". This would have been an essential need in pre-industrial times, since crossroads were often both strategic locations and great unknowns in terms of what possibly lurked on the other side.

The name is most prevalently found in the United Kingdom, but is also common in the United States. It is especially popular in the states of Virginia, New Jersey, and North Carolina. As with many other surnames, the presence of the Munford name can be traced back to the early days of migration from England to America.

This particular surname has a varied past, with changes in spelling and sound as time has passed. The expansive list of spellings, variants, and other surnames of the same root make it a name with a rich family history.

Famous people with the name Munford

• Otis rush Munford: Otis Rush Munford Sr. was an American blues singer, songwriter and guitarist.
• Caleb Munford: Caleb Munford is an English actor, writer, and director known for his work in feature films, television, and theater.
• Raymond Munford: Raymond Munford was a jazz drummer and composer who was the bandleader and a member of the Count Basie Orchestra in the 1920s.
• Rufus Munford: Rufus Munford was an American lawyer, politician, and activist.
• Sidney Munford: Sidney Munford was an American art director who worked in films in the 1930s and 1940s.
• Ewart Munford: Ewart Munford was an English cricketer who played for Lancashire County Cricket Club and England during the early 20th century.
• Watson Melancthon Munford: Watson Melancthon Munford was an American clergyman, a Methodist Episcopal minister, and the president of the University of Mississippi.
• Jonathan Eric Munford: Jonathan Eric Munford is a British actor, best known for his role of Patrick Blake in the television series Hollyoaks.
• George Craig Munford: George Craig Munford was an American banker and was president of First Farm Bank in Marshallville, Georgia.
• John Faber Munford: John Faber Munford was an American lawyer, soldier, and politician who served as a United States Representative from Virginia for two non-consecutive terms from 1833 to 1837.

Other surnames

Munfort