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English: topographic name for someone who lived near a ford (Middle English Old English ford) or a habitational name from one of the many places called with this word such as Ford (Durham Herefordshire Northumberland Shropshire Sussex) Ford in Sefton (Lancashire) Ford in Crediton and Ford in Holcombe Rogus (both Devon) Ford in Litton and Ford in Wiveliscombe (both Somerset). Irish: Anglicized form (quasi-translation) of various Gaelic names for example MacGiolla na Naomh ‘son of Gilla na Naomh’ (a personal name meaning ‘servant of the saints’) Mac Conshámha ‘son of Conshnámha’ (a personal name composed of the elements con ‘dog’ + snámh ‘to swim’) in all of which the final syllable was wrongly thought to be áth ‘ford’ and Ó Fuar(th)áin (see Foran ). Americanized form of French Faure ‘blacksmith’. Americanized form of one or more similar (like-sounding) Jewish surnames.
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022