This interesting medieval surname is English. Recorded as Oxford and the original Oxenford, it is locational from the city of Oxford, the county town of Oxfordshire. The placename is derived from the Old English pre 7th century word "oxa", meaning the ox and "forda", a shallow river crossing suitable for traffic, and thus cattle ford. The place name was first recorded as "Oxnaford" in the famous Anglo-Saxon Chronicles of the year 912 a.d., and later as "Oxeneford" in the Domesday Book of 1086. Locational surnames were usually developed when former inhabitants of a place moved to another area, often to seek work, and were best identified by the name of their birthplace. In this case the surname development since 1086 has included examples such as Walter de Oxenforde in the city of London in 1319, Johannes de Oxenford of Yorkshire in the Poll Tax rolls of 1379, Ann Oxford, who was christened at St Brides church, Fleet Street, in the city of London in 1593, whilst Job Oxford married Margrett Godworth on July 15th 1660 at St. Dunstan's in the East, Stepney. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Ulric de Oxenford. This was dated 1086, in the Domesday Book for the county of Kent, during the reign of King William 1st, 1066 - 1087. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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