Surname Tidford - Meaning and Origin
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Tidford: What does the surname Tidford mean?
The last name Tidford is of English origin and is a topographic name for someone who lived near a ford. This name is derived from the Middle English “tyd” and “ford” meaning “ford by the river”. A ford is a shallow part of a river or stream, which allows people to walk or ride across without a boat.
In England, the name Tidford may have referred to a specific ford, or it may have been a general name applied to any settlement near a ford. It is believed that the earliest bearers of this surname lived in the county of Devon.
Throughout history, the Tidford surname has been spelled multiple ways, including Tyttford, \Tytfothe and Tydfote. In some cases, the given name has been corrupted due to phonetic changes within different dialects. For example, the name Tytford has been phonetically corrupted to richness such as Titford, Tidforth, Piford, Sidebottom, Tidd and Todhunter.
Today, the Tidford surname can be found all over England and around the world. It is likely that bearers of the Tidford name have family origins dating back many centuries. Its popularity is likely linked to its geographical nature, as an increasing number of people formally change their usernames to more accurately reflect their own heritage and family history.
Order DNA origin analysisTidford: Where does the name Tidford come from?
The last name Tidford is uncommon today and most likely originated from the medieval English word "tide" or "tideford" meaning "ford by the tide." It is believed that the surname originated in the South West of England, with the earliest reference to it being found in Cornwall. It has since spread throughout the United Kingdom with a few families located in Canada and the United States.
In the United Kingdom, tidford is the 463,572nd most common surname, with an average of 6-7 persons per million population sharing the name. It is most commonly found in the border counties of England such as Gloucestershire, Leicestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, and Worcestershire, with counties such as Norfolk and Oxfordshire having a handful of people with the surname.
In Canada, the surname is not as common as it is in the UK, although some people with the last name have been recorded in the Ontario region.
The same case can be said for the United States, where the surname Tidford is much less common. Nevertheless, as of 2020 there are over 170 people with the surname currently living in the US. Interestingly, the most frequent addresses with the name Tidford are found in Louisiana, Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, and Kentucky.
Overall, the surname Tidford is an uncommon one, with most of its population and presence being found in the United Kingdom. Despite this, there are still individuals with this name living in Canada and the United States, although the numbers may be seen negligible when compared to the UK.
Variations of the surname Tidford
The surname Tidford is an English habitational origin derived from a place in Devon, England. This surname is also spelt as Tyedforde, Tidforde, Tydford, Tydforth, Tyddesford, Tydefford, and Tydysford.
One of the variants of the Tidford surname is Tidcombe. This variant is mostly found in Wiltshire, England. The name Tidcombe is believed to have come from a village in Wiltshire, which was originally called Tidescombe. This is derived from the Old English words “Tida” and “cumb” which mean tidal valley. Another variant of the Tidford surname is Tidmas. This variant is a combination of the Tidford surname and the English Mas, which is derived from a slavic word for spring.
The variants of the Tidford surname can also be found in other countries, such as Germany, where the name is spelt as Tyeford, and Tyedesford. In Scotland, the name is spelt as Tydesforth and in Ireland, the name is spelt as Tyddisford.
Over the years, several spellings of Tidford have been used, but the original spelling remains the same. The Tidford surname has also been used for several generations and in many countries, so it is not surprising that it has several variants. In fact, the Tidford surname is very common in different parts of the world, and its spellings have only added to the diversity of the surname.
Famous people with the name Tidford
- Alan Tidford, British actor and comedian best known for appearances in the film 'Quadrophenia' (1979) and TV series 'The Morecambe & Wise Show' (1968-1975)
- Arthur Tidford, British Supermarine Spitfire pilot of World War II
- David Tidford, British crown court judge
- Gordon Tidford, English football player who played for most of his career at West Bromwich Albion
- Martin Tidford, chair of the British Horticultural Council in 1999
- Patrick Tidford, editor of the philosophical journal 'Analysis' during the 1990s
- Peter Tidford, former chairman of the Rugby Football League
- Polly Tidford, sustainability specialist and author
- Sam Tidford, English cricketer who played for Warwickshire County Cricket Club between 1976 and 1982
- Stephen Tidford, competitive shooter and winner of two Commonwealth Games gold medals in trap shooting