Bradford Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Bradford last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Bradford last name
Meaning of the Bradford last name: broad river crossing. Bradford is an English surname from any of the places called Bradford, "broad ford", a wide river crossing. The best known is in West Yorkshire, but there are others in Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire, so the last name arose in several regions. A curious detail: William Bradford sailed on the Mayflower and governed Plymouth Colony for many years, and his account of the colony is still read today.
Arms associated with the Bradford name
Coats of arms associated with the Bradford surname follow English heraldry, where each blazon names the colours first and then the figures, such as lions, bands or stars.
Get your full Bradford family history
This is only a glimpse of the Bradford story. The full Bradford history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Bradford coat of arms. Get the full Bradford report.
Bradford name FAQ
What does the Bradford name mean?
Broad river crossing. Common variants include Bradforth, Bradfort, Bratford.
Where does the Bradford surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Australia and Canada.
Is there a Bradford coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Bradford coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).