Tanfield Family History

Primarily from East and West Tanfield (NR Yorks) which is recorded as Tanefeld in 1086 but perhaps occasionally also from Tanfield (Durham) which is recorded as Tamefeld in 1175. The origin of the NR Yorks place-name is uncertain but it may derive from an Old English personal name *Tān or Old English tān ‘twig sprout shoot’ (genitive plural tāna) + feld ‘open country’.

The Durham place takes its name from the river Team (the name of which is related to the Indo-European root *tā- *tə- ‘melt flow’) + Old English feld.