Hello........ I'm delighted you were able to make it. 

After all, it has taken us an age to get here as the name Dufton has been passed down through the generations for well over a thousand years. 
And, it certainly has been a long and fascinating journey from those distant times, a journey that has taken Duftons to all parts of the world, and weaves many interesting characters and intriguing events into the story of the Duftons.

But, it hasn't been an easy journey.  In the shadows of the 'Border Battlelands of England and Scotland' the Duftons have been outlawed, hanged and even branded as traitors and murderers by the king.  They endured rebellions, wars, looting, pillage and plagues whilst they dwelt in those harsh 'Debatable Lands'.  However, there have also been heroes, champions, writers, explorers and inventors, and even some Duftons that have walked with kings and emperors.  
But, the story is mostly of hard working, ordinary folk.... and precious every one of them.

Whilst having an interest in all branches of the family tree, and it seems that all Duftons may share a common root, the main focus of this particular web site is to record for posterity the research of those Dufton families that have their ancestry in the old Cumbrian counties of Westmorland and Cumberland, and the Northumbrian counties of Northumberland and Durham. 

 This family history research has been carried out with amateurish enthusiasm, and lacks many of the finer skills that would be displayed by a serious family historian.   But, it seems that the collecting and fitting together of the various pieces of the family history jigsaw puzzle will always be a personal interpretation of the facts.  Some of the pieces in our puzzle are over 800 years old, many pieces are missing, so it needs to be emphasised that this is the way I have put the pieces together, and I gladly accept the blame for any errors.  But, it is hoped that the way in which these pages attempt to piece the puzzle together is one that produces an acceptable and reasonable picture.  However, we always need to bear in mind that,

Engraved into the pavement of the main street in the ancient Northumbrian city of Newcastle is a rather thought provoking, and perhaps appropriate quote, that states

  Please feel free to use the Guest Book to make any comments.
Any information you have about the name Dufton would be most welcome.

Visitors since 1st January 2008