Belford

Belford is a name used as both a place name and a surname, of English origin. As a toponym, it has been applied to several locations in the English-speaking world, and as a surname it appears in various genealogical and historical records. The name components typically reflect common English naming patterns that combine a personal or descriptive element with the word ford.

In the United Kingdom, Belford refers to a village and civil parish in Northumberland, England. It is a rural community with historic and local amenities serving residents and visitors, and it sits within the broader Northumberland countryside near the northeastern coast. The designation Belford in this context is primarily geographic.

In the United States, Belford denotes a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Located in the Jersey Shore region, it is part of the greater New York metropolitan area and is characterized by residential communities and local services that serve residents of the area.

Beyond these places, Belford may appear in other minor geographic, family-name, or institutional contexts, reflecting its broader use as a surname and place-name element. Etymologically, the name follows a common English pattern of combining a personal name or descriptor with the term ford, indicating a historic ford crossing. In reference works, Belford can be ambiguous without context, so disambiguation is often necessary to distinguish between places, people, and other uses.