Ford History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Ford has been recorded in British history since the time when the Anglo-Saxonsruled over the region. The name is assumed to have been given to someone who was a keeper of the ford or river crossing. [1]

Early Origins of the Ford family

The surname Ford was first found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where Bruma de la forda was listed at Winton, Hampshire. [2] Years later in Somerset, Eadric æt Fordan was listed as an Old English Byname, 1100-1130. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included Reginald de la Forthe in Suffolk and later, Geoffrey atte Forde was found in Sussex in 1296. [3]

The Hundredorum Rolls also included: Richard de la Forde, Norfolk; and William de la Forde, Kent. [4] In Somerset, David atte Forde was registered there 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III.) [5]

The name is “characteristic of the southern and western counties. Absent or singularly rare north of a line drawn from the Wash to the Mersey. It is at present most numerous in Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Hants, and Cheshire. In almost all the counties where this name is at all frequent we find it in one form or another as a place – name.” [6]

Early History of the Ford family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ford research.

Ford Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Ford has been spelled many different ways, including Forde, Ford, Alford and others.

Early Notables of the Ford family (pre 1700)

Notables of this surname at this time include: William Ford or Foord (c.1559-1616?), Church of England clergyman, he may have been the same William Ford who became Rector of Thurleigh, Bedfordshire in 1594 or the William Ford who became Vicar of Bristow, Herefordshire in 1615; Thomas Ford (1598-1674).

Ford World Ranking

In the United States, the name Ford is the 102^nd most popular surname with an estimated 203,934 people with that name. [7] However, in Canada, the name Ford is ranked the 327^thmost popular surname with an estimated 13,741 people with that name. [8] And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Ford is the 142^nd popular surname with an estimated 267 people with that name. [9] Australia ranks Ford as 111^st with 24,223 people. [10] New Zealand ranks Ford as 152^nd with 3,307 people. [11] The United Kingdom ranks Ford as 116^th with 42,269 people. [12]

 Migration of the Ford family to Ireland

Some of the Ford family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in excerpt.

 Ford migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Fords to arrive in North America: 

Ford Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• Mr. Robert Ford, who arrived in Jamestown, Virginia aboard the ship “Discovery” in 1607 [13]
• William Ford, from London, from London, who landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621 aboard the ship “Fortune” [14]
• Miss Martha Ford, from London, from London, who landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621 aboard the ship “Fortune” [14]
• Ms. Martha Ford, (widow), from London, who landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621 aboard the ship “Fortune” [14]
• Mary Ford, aged 17, who arrived in Nantucket, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship “Mary & John” [14]

Ford Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Reuben Ford, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1703 [14]
• Christopher Ford, who arrived in Virginia in 1711 [14]
• Ale Ford, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 [14]
• Matthew Ford, who arrived in Virginia in 1717 [14]
• Richard Ford, who arrived in Maryland in 1740 [14]

Ford Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• William Ford, who arrived in America in 1803 [14]
• George Ford, aged 25, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1812 [14]
• Robert Ford, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1812 [14]
• Benjamin Ford, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1832 [14]
• Sam Ford, who arrived in North America in 1832 [14]

 Ford migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were: 

Ford Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

• Henry Ford, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
• Jeremiah Ford, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
• James Ford, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749
• Joseph Ford, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749
• William Ford, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749

Ford Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• Margaret Ford, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1827
• David Ford, who arrived in Canada in 1828
• Ira Ford, who landed in Canada in 1828
• David B Ogden Ford, who arrived in Canada in 1832
• Edmund Ford, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1833

 Ford migration to Australia+

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: 

Ford Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

• Mrs. Mary Ford, English convict who was convicted in Somerset, England for 7 years for house breaking, transported aboard the “Britannia III” on 18th July 1798, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [15]

Ford Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Thomas Ford, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the “Ann” on August 1809, settling in New South Wales, Australia [16]
• Mr. Robert Ford, (b. 1787), aged 28, English labourer who was convicted in Jedburgh, Scotland for life, transported aboard the “Baring” in April 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [17]
• Mr. Charles Ford, (b. 1792), aged 24, English Sailor who was convicted in Devon, Englandfor 14 years for faculige (felony), transported aboard the “Atlas” on 16th January 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1832 [18]
• Mr. Benjamin Ford, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Elizabeth” in May 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [19]
• Francis Ford, English convict from Leicester, who was transported aboard the “Almorah” on April 1817, settling in New South Wales, Australia [20]

 Ford migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: 

Ford Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• Hayward Samuel Ford, who landed in Bay of Islands, Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
• William Ford, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
• Lydia Ford, aged 23, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship “Catherine Stewart Forbes” in 1841
• William Ford, aged 33, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship “Catherine Stewart Forbes” in 1841
• Hannah Ford, aged 26, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship “Catherine Stewart Forbes” in 1841

 Ford migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960’s many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. [21]

Ford Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

• Mr. George Ford, (b. 1616), aged 19, British settler traveling aboard the ship “William and John” arriving in St Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1635 [22]
• Mr. Tristram Ford, (b. 1614), aged 21, British settler travelling from Gravesend, Englandaboard the ship “Falcon” arriving in Barbados in 1636 [23]

Contemporary Notables of the name Ford (post 1700) +

• Richard Ford (b. 1944), American author and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1996
• Henry Ford II (1917-1987), known as “HF2” or “Hank the Deuce”, the oldest son of Edsel Ford and oldest grandson of Henry Ford, President of Ford Motor Company (1945-1960), Chairman and CEO (1960-1979), recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
• Ernest Jennings “Tennessee Ernie” Ford (1919-1991), American singer, actor and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
• John Ford (1895-1973), American four-time Academy Award winning film director, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
• Henry Ford (1863-1947), American Automotive industrialist, founder of the Ford motor company; he pioneered the assembly line technique of mass production
• President Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. (1913-2006), American congressman, Vice President (1973-74), 38th President of the U.S. (1974-77) and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
• Christopher Joseph “Chris” Ford (1949-2023), American professional basketball player and head coach from Atlantic City, New Jersey
• Hester Ford (1906-2021), American supercentenarian who lived to be 115, oldest American person (since 2019)
• Edward Charles “Whitey” Ford (1928-2020), nicknamed “The Chairman of the Board”, an American professional MLB pitcher who played his entire 16-year with the New York Yankees, inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974
• Douglas Michael “Doug” Ford Sr. (1922-2018), born Douglas Michael Fortunato, an American professional PGA golfer, two-time major golf champion from West Haven, Connecticut