HEADFORD'S of Bridgwater. is there an Irish connection??

[Nerja]

Hi,
Before I started my research, I thought my Headford ancestors were from the Manchester/Salford area.
, and before that possibly the town of Headford in Southern Ireland. However I now know they were from Bridgwater,
Somerset, but I have hit the preverbal brick wall with my 3 X Gt Grandfather William Headford, a Master Mariner, born Bridgwater in 1793.
, as there does not appear to be a baptism record.
Does any one know if the Somerset  Headfords have any ancestral connections to the Irish town of the same name.
Kind Regards to all.

Ian Headford,
Cumbria, England.

[Christopher]

Hello Ian,

There's a common denominator between Headford, Co. Galway and Bridgwater, Somerset ... each town had a Franciscan Friary.

Surnames fall into various categories ... some are names to locations or places
(or a description of a place), others are  related to the type of work done by the
person bearing the name and another group may describe a person's build or colour.
Headford was in the locational group of surnames. Apparently so called from the Old English 'heod' (heathland) and 'ford' meaning the dweller by the heather covered heath. 

Christopher

[Nerja]

Hi Christopher,
Many thanks for that information, I will enter it into my family research data program.

Regards,
Ian Headford

[Ponymad4]

Hi there I am a Headford of Somerset and I also wandered if we came from Headford Ireland. I beleive my Father's family were from Manchester Salford. Think this was war time or before war time
But also a lot of his close family are from the West Country of Somerset. Minehead area beeing the base predominantly.
  My grandfather would of been a Charles William Headford

[Jo.]

Bridgwater was at one time a very busy port, it's industries were around boat building and brick and tile manufacturing...

There were in Bridgwater several Mainers chapels, several of them.  One in St Mary's Street and one in St John's street.  So perhaps he may have been baptised in one of these chapels rather than the various other churches around Town.

Not sure if the registers still survive for these chapels, might be worth contacting Somerset Heritage (RO) to see what information they might have

[chempat]

Ponymad4,

Have you any dates for your grandfather, as there are a few of that name around?