Recorded in a number of spellings including Duffield, Dufall, Duffell, Duffill, and others, this is believed to be an English surname. According to the listings within the International Genealogical Index it is locational from either a place called Duffield in the county of Derbyshire, or from North and South Duffield, villages in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The derivation of the place name is from the pre 7th century Old Norse word "dufa" meaning "dove", used perhaps as a personal name, plus the Old English word "feld" meaning open country suitable for agriculture. Hence the meaning of either a field frequented by doves, or more likely "Dove's field". The surname is first recorded as easly as the 12th century, (see below), whilst other recordings include John de Duffeld in the Hundred Rolls of Derbyshire, in 1273, and Geoffrey de Duffeld in the list of documents known as the Calendar of Letter Books of the city of London, in 1276. Elizabeth Dufelde, was christened at Christ Church Greyfriars, in the city of London, on October 10th 1565, Richard Duffell, who married Elisabeth Mills at St Leonards, Shoreditch, on September 30th 1776, and Charles William Dufall, who married June Munday at St Dunstans in the East, Stepney, on January 16th 1843. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Roger de Duffeld. This was dated 1190, in the Pipe Rolls of the county of Yorkshire. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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