Staniforth

Old English surnames were in particular a description of one's profession such as "Smith" or "Thatcher" or described an area in which one lived.

It was undoubtedly first given to a place answering that description (there were ten parishes of the name in England) and was taken therefrom by its first bearer because of his residence there at the time of the adoption of surnames in Great Britain.

The 1434 Ecclesfield court rolls mention John of Stannyford passing on land in 'Stanyford' to his son Richard further backs up this claim.

It is found in ancient records in the various spellings of Staniford, Staniforth, Stanforth, Stamforth, Standiford, Stanniford, Staynfor, Stanforde, Stannyforthe, Standford and Stanford, of which the form last mentioned is that most generally used in North America today.

Among the early records of the family in England are those of Adam de Stanford, of Oxford County in 1273.