Duckfield

Recorded as Duckfield and Duckinfield, this is an English locational surname. It originates from the village of Dukinfield, near Stockport in the county of Cheshire. This village has been recorded since before the famous Domesday Book of 1086. Like all place names in England that commence with Duck or Duk, it probably has nothing to do at least directly with "ducks", as in ancient times these birds would have been found everywhere. It is more likely to be from the pre medieval 7th century English personal name "Ducca" meaning a leader, from which the later title of Duc or Duke descended, and as found in the place name of Duckington, which also happens to be in Cheshire. The place name is first recorded as Dokenfeld, which could mean almost anything, but as a feld is an open area, rather than a field, which is a closed fenced area, it could have been where wild ducks gathered. The surname is very early the first recording being that of Hamo de Dokenfeld in the charters of East Cheshire in 1293, whilst Edmund Duckenfield is recorded in Taunton, Somerset in1599, and Barbery Duckfield was christened at St Brides Fleet Street, in city of London, on March 14th 1679.