Surname Ledford - Meaning and Origin
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read moreLedford: What does the surname Ledford mean?
The last name Ledford is of English and Scottish origin and is generally understood to refer to a "dweller in the meadow". It is believed to be derived from two ancient words from Old English language - "lea" meaning "meadow" and "ford", meaning "ford". In simpler terms, it is a topographical surname derived from the physical landscape of a place.
Historically, Ledford was a name used to describe a place where one could ford a river or brook at a meadow. It was likely used by people who held land near a meadow, or had a place of residence there. The surname may also have been adopted by people who moved to an area already bearing the name, which was often done as a tribute to the place of origin, or simply to make a new start.
These days, Ledford is still widely used, often as a part of 'double-barreled' surnames. The name is well-known outside of Britain too, especially in the United States, where there are a number of families bearing the name. It is still typically associated with people of an agricultural background, as farming and land management were once the main source of income for many families who bore the Ledford surname.
Order DNA origin analysisLedford: Where does the name Ledford come from?
The surname Ledford is most commonly found in the United States today, particularly in southern states such as Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, and North and South Carolina. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are over 8,000 individuals in the United States with the surname Ledford, making it the 1,017th most common surname in the country in 2020. The Ledford surname is especially popular in towns across Tennessee, such as Greeneville, Dandridge, Newport, and Gatlinburg, as well as Kentucky towns such as Jackson, Sulyukon, and Independence.
Ledford is also most likely an English and Scottish patronymic name derived from the Middle English personal name "Leve," and an alternate spelling of "Leadford." This suggests the surname was likely brought to the United States by English and Scottish immigrants in the 1700s and 1800s. The origin of the Ledford name can be traced back even further to pre-seventh century Old English, where it referred to a place by a ford, an old term for a shallow crossing of a body of water.
Although the surname is most commonly associated with the United States today, it is also found in smaller numbers in other countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and France.
Variations of the surname Ledford
The surname Ledford could be spelled in many different ways due to its phonetic and spelling variations throughout history. Spellings of the surname Ledford include Ledford, Ledforde, Ledfordes, Ledforth, Ledforthe, Leedford, Leedforde, Leedforth, Leedforthe, Lidford, Lidforde, Lidforth, Lidforthe, and Lutford.
Surnames of similar origin to Ledford include Ledford, Leford, Liford, and Leeds. These surnames are all derived from the Middle English word, "lefor" or "lefort" which means a ford by a wood or clearing. This is suggested by the presence of the ending suffix, "-ford".
The original form of the surname could have been Lea-ford, ‘the ford by the woodland clearing', and it has been found as such in ancient deeds and documents. When the Norman Conquest took place, the Vikings brought their language and customs with them, and the spelling of surnames became less consistent.
The derivatives of this surname are found in many countries in Europe, including Ireland, the United Kingdom, Norway, Denmark, Germany/Austria, Sweden, France, Italy, Spain, and Hungary. Ledford has most likely entered the United States via England, as it is most likely an older English surname. Despite the many spellings of Ledford families, the history and background of the name is still the same.
Famous people with the name Ledford
- Marty Ledford: Known as a professional golf player, Ledford has won several tournaments in the senior category across the United States.
- Ray Ledford: Ray was a singer and musician in the 1950s and 1960s, best known for his bluegrass style of music.
- Al Ledford: Al was an award-winning western swing bandleader during the mid-20th century and was inducted into the Western Swing Society Hall of Fame for his outstanding achievements.
- John Ledford: John Ledford was a professional American football player who played in seven games for the Detroit Lions during the 1949 season.
- David Ledford: David is a retired American football coach, and was the head coach at Arizona State University from 1973 to 1975.
- Marcella Ledford Sutton: Marcella is an American politician that served in the Idaho House of Representatives for four years.
- Ryan Ledford: Ryan is an English singer and songwriter who rose to fame in 2019 after his single "Pressure" was featured in an Apple advert.
- Bill Ledford: Bill is an American songwriter and producer who has been nominated for several major awards and worked for award-winning artists such as Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross.
- Harry Ledford: Harry was a professional baseball player and a member of the 1938 National American League Pennant-winning Pittsburgh Pirates.
- Kelly Ledford-Kelly is an American actor and model, best known for her roles in television series such as "NCIS" and "Heroes".