This interesting surname, of English locational origin, may derive from either of two places, "Mayford", a place in Surrey, recorded as "Maegtheford" in the 955,Cartularium Saxonicum, or "Meaford", in Staffordshire, recorded "Metford" in the Domesday Book, 1086. Mayford may come from the Old English, pre-seventh Century "maegth", maiden's ford, or "maegthe", a ford where mayweed grew. Meaford is on the Trent where it is joined by a tributary, thus the place-name means "ford at the junction of streams". Silvanus, son of Nathaniell and Ann Milford, was christened at Tong in Shropshire on September 23rd, 1672. On August 15th 1706, Mary Myford married William Beck in the Cathedral at Lichfield, Staffordshire. John, son of John and Elizabeth Miford, was christened on September 2nd 1734, at Wandsworth, London. In the same place, the christening of Elizabeth, daughter of John and Elizabeth Miford, took place on December 6th, 1735, while Thomas, son of John and Elizabeth Myford was christened here also on March 7th, 1738. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William Miford, married Mary Parke, which was dated 1647, Marriage licences of Titley, Hertfordshire, during the reign of King Charles 1, "The Martyr", (1625 - 1649). 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.