Recorded in a number of spellings including Edsforth, Edysforth, Eddisforth and Eddisford, this is an English surname. It is locational, and whilst widely recorded particularly in the county of Lancashire, there is no certain proof as to its place of origin. It has been estimated that between three and five thousand British Isles surnames originate from "lost" medieval villages of which the only reminder in the late 20th century, is the surname itself, often, as with this one, in a myriad of spellings. The make up of the surname would suggest an Olde English pre 7th century origin from something like "eadisc-forda" which translates as the shallow river crossing in the park land. In addition locational surnames are usually "from" names. That is to say names given to people after they left their original homestead, and moved eslewhere. It was one of the easiest methods of identification to call a stranger by the name of his or sometimes her, former home. Spelling being at best indifferent, and local dialects very thick, soon lead to the development of "sounds like" spellings. Examples of the surname recordings taken from early surviving church registers of Lancashire include: Edwarde Edsfurth of Garstang, on June 2nd 1571, Alice Eddisford, thedaughter of James Eddisfgord, who was christened at St Thomas R. C. church, Claughton, on May 3rd 1803, and Martha Eddisforth, who married James Bardsley at Manchester Cathedral. on July 26th 1875.

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