Balmforth

This name is of English locational origin from either of two places thus called - Bamford in Derbyshire and Lancashire. The former, recorded as Banford in The Domesday Book of 1086 and as Bamford in the 1228 Charter of that country, derives its name from the Old English pre 7th Century "beam" meaning a beam, plus ford, a fordhence, "river ford with a beam (or footbridge)". The latter, recorded as Baunford in the 1282 "Fine Court Rolls of Lancashire" and as Bamford in 1322 is named from the same elements. The estate of Bamford in Lancashire was granted to Thomas de Bamford by Sir Adam de Bury circa 1216. Amongst the dialectal variant spellings of the name are Banford, William Banford being recorded at the Church of St. Mary Whitechapel on December 4th 1664, Bunniford also found in London in the same period and Bunford, which may derive from either Banford or Bunniford. On September 4th 1820, Sarah Bunford, daughter of Thomas, was christened at St. Leonards Church, Shoreditch. The name appears as Bunford, Banford, Bamford, Balmforth, Bamforth and Baumford in the 1379 "Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire". The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William de (of) Bamford, which was dated 1228, in the "Pipe Rolls of Suffolk", during the reign of King Henry 111, known as "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. 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.