Langfield

This interesting name is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and may be either a locational or a topographical surname, found in the modern idiom as Longfield or Langfield. As a locational name, the source can be any one of the places called Longfield, in Kent and in West Yorkshire. The place in Kent is recorded as 'Langanfelda' in the Saxon Charters of 964-995, and as 'Langafel' in the Domesday Book of 1086. All the places share the same derivation, which is from the Old English pre 7th Century 'lang, long', long with 'feld', open country, pasture, land cleared of forest but not yet cultivated. As a topographical surname, Longfield or Langfield denotes residence by an extensive piece of such pastureland or open country, derived from the same elements as above. The marriage of John Langfield and Elizabeth Reeve was recorded at St. James's, Clerkenwell, London, on June 24th 1674. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John de Longefeld (witness), which was dated 1317, in the Assize Rolls of Kent, during the reign of King Edward 11, known as 'Edward of Caernafon', 1307-1327. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.