This interesting surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is locational from a place called Sawbridgeworth in Hertfordshire. The first element of the placename represents the genitive case of the Olde English pre 7th Century personal name "Saebeorht", composed of the elements "sae", sea and "beorht, bright, famous; the second element is from the Olde English "worth", enclosure, settlement, but it has been confused with the Olde English "ford", a ford. The placename was first recorded as "Sabrixteworde" in the Domesday Book of 1086, as "Sabrichteworda" in the Pipe Rolls for the county of 1130, as "Sebreichewurth" in the Charter Rolls for the county of 1245 and as "Sapsforde" in 1568. The modern surname can be found as Sapsford and Sapsforde. Among the recordings in Hertfordshire are the marriage of Robert Sapsford and Katheryn Channdeler on August 27th 1582 at Great Amwell, and the christening of Edward, son of William Sapsford, on October 29th 1609, at Cheshunt. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard de Sabricheword, which was dated 1230, in the "Pipe Rolls of London", during the reign of King Henry 111, known as "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. 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.

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