Marford was formerly always pronounced and spelt "Merford", and continued to be written as such on the township rate books until 1804. The name is English in origin, and may mean either the "ford of the mere", or refer to "mere" in its alternative sense of "boundary". The Rofft was the site of an Iron Age hill fort and later a motte and bailey castle. Due to the history of the Rofft no physical remains are visible at the site. At the time of Domesday Merford was part of the English county of Chester, although it soon after became part of the Welsh kingdom of Powys Fadog. It returned to English administration in 1282, becoming under the manorial system part of Merford commote of the Lordship of Bromfield. It once formed a small enclave of Flintshire completely surrounded by Denbighshire. As the parish of "Marford and Hoseley" this status continued until the creation of the county of Clwyd in 1974. Formerly in the ancient parish of Gresford, in 1840 the township of Marford and Hoseley became part of the newly formed parish of Rossett.