Arthur, William (1857) An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. New York: Sheldon, Blakeman. Public Domain.
BEDFORD
There are approximately 14,077 people named Bedford in the UK. That makes it the 721th most common surname overall. Out of every million people in the UK, approximately 223 are named Bedford.
Region of origin
British Isles
Country of origin
England
Language of origin
English
Religion of origin
Christian
Classification
English
Location or Geographical Feature
Related and similar surnames
BeadfordBedfford
Bedforde
Beddford
Bedfoard
Bedfords
Bedfforde
Badford
Bedferd
Badfordd
Bedfordh
Baddford
Bedfor
Bedeford
Beddeford
Beddiford
Bedforc
Bedfoord
Bedfer
Badeford
The Bedford surname in historical dictionaries
An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names (1857)
(origin: Local) A town and shire in England; from the Saxon bedan, battle, war, slaughter, and ford, a way or shallow place for crossing a river. Byddin-ffordd, Welsh, the route or way of the army.
Patronymica Britannica (1860)
BEDFORD. Godwidere and Osgar de Bedeford were tenants in capite in Bedfordshire, 1086. Domesd. The former had held the same lands before the Conquest.
Lower, Mark A (1860) Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom. London: J.R. Smith. Public Domain.