Standifer
An English-style surname most likely built from a place-name, probably meaning someone from or near a stony ford or a standing stone feature.
The #9,464 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 89,804 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Standifer is usually treated as an English locational surname, though its exact source place is not certain. It likely combines Old English elements such as stan or stand- with a word for a ford or river crossing, or possibly refers to a distinctive standing stone or other landmark in the landscape. As with many rare surnames, the modern form may preserve an old place-name that no longer survives clearly in records.
History
The surname is uncommon and is found mainly in English-speaking countries, especially the United States. Its spelling may have stabilized in different ways after migration, which can make it hard to tie to a single original village or locality. Because the name is rare, there is no widely agreed family origin story attached to it.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Standifer is close in form to several other old English surnames built from landscape features, which often makes early spellings hard to separate in records.