Where does “Clifford” come from?

Clifford derives from Old English clif combined with ford, where clif comes from Proto-Germanic klibą and ford from Proto-Germanic furduz, ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European pértus and the root per-.

Clifford (English): OS grid ref SO2445

Definitions

  1. OS grid ref SO2445

Ancestry of “Clifford”, step by step

Clifford traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English ford

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishfordford
2Proto-West Germanicfurduford
3Proto-Germanicfurduzford
4Proto-Indo-Europeanpértuscrossing
5Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

via Old English clif

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishclifa cliff; a group of rocks or crag
2Proto-West Germanic*klib—
3Proto-Germanicklibącliff, rock

Words derived from “Clifford”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →