Psychic Genealogy

[Ceeoh]

I should have added - I was not present at the time the questions were asked - so nothing was picked up from me as to what was or was not correct.

[Redroger]

The primary surname I am researching Luffman is in Hampshire Domesday Hayling Island as Leofman, can't connect him in yet though. Need some psychic assistance!

[Rena]

Several years ago my daughter tried the divining technique on a photograph I'd received in an effort to discover which young man in a group of several unknowns, some of whom were standing and others sitting, was her direct ancestor called William.

A couple of years back and I was with a medium when I remarked that the information she'd relayed was of my OH's family and I mentioned I'd got a photo at home of several males and didn't really know which one was the direct blood line.... to which she responded; "Oh, I can tell you who he was", she assumed a pose and continued, "he's sitting like this in the middle of the group". 

Yes, coincidentally that was the person my daughter's divining had picked out.

Was she a mind reader, or was something else helping her   

[Redroger]

John Luffman, Where were you born in 1776? Knock once for York, twice for Somerset.

[Ceeoh]

Doesn't work like that Redroger!

Are you being facetious or would you like someone to try - no guarantees.

[Rena]

John Luffman, Where were you born in 1776? Knock once for York, twice for Somerset.

knock, knock, knock - ratta-tat-tat 

I think you've probably got a Domesday Book name for the first syllable of your surname, which has been modernised somewhat and I'm hazarding a guess that your early ancestor was a trusted aide to a ruler of a district or lands belonging to an abbey.   At some point in time one of your ancestors was given his freedom and became a Yeoman able to conduct his own business.   The Anglo Saxon suffix for "ruler" is "ric" ...

 http://everything2.com/title/Anglo-Saxon+names

and I think possibly the early spelling of "Luff" was "Leof".  You will see on the domesday Book site that there's several rulers around the country with the name "Leofric" (Leof the ruler) and when surnames were handed out I think your ancestors took a surname something like "Leofsman"

Maybe you can spot a suitable place of origin/village with your ancestor's boss Leofric on the domesday book site:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/browse-refine.asp?CatID=24&searchType=browserefine&pagenumber=1&query=*&queryType=1

Good Luck,
Rena

[Redroger]

How does it work then Ceeoh?Not facetious, totally frustrated. If you can find this birth I would be delighted, thanks for offer.
Rena. My likely distant relative is described as a former thane of Harold Godwineson, then Earl of Wessex, who was dispossessed of Hayling Island in 1066 by Harold, so my suspicion is that he had sided with Tostig and the rebels who were defeated at Fulford and Stamford Bridge prior to Hastings.
Luffman or Leofman is an Anglo Saxon name meaning "belovedman" Initially it just meant that, by the time of Chaucer and later it has connotations, meaning lover etc. The surname does seem to be strongest in Dorset, Hampshire,Somerset and Wiltshire. Those in Lincolnshire (my branch) descend from the Somerset line, hence the problem with this York birth in 1776.

[Ceeoh]

Hi Redroger - do you mean York as in the city or York(shire) as in the county?
ceeoh

[Redroger]

The document it came from says in the parish of St.Marys in or near York. So my surmise is either the city itself, or a nearby village parish dedicated to St. Mary.