 As a place name , Trafford is an Anglo @-@ French version of Stratford , deriving from the Old English words stræt ( a street , more specifically a Roman road ) and ford ( a river crossing ) . The Metropolitan Borough of Trafford has existed since 1974 , but the area it covers has a long history . Neolithic arrowheads have been discovered in Altrincham and Sale , and there is evidence of Bronze Age habitation in Timperley . Fragments of Roman pottery have been found in Urmston , and Roman coins have been found in Sale . The Roman road between the legionary fortresses at Chester ( Deva Victrix ) and York ( Eboracum ) crosses Trafford , passing through Stretford , Sale , and Altrincham . The settlements in Trafford have been based largely around agriculture , although Altrincham was founded as a market town in the mid 13th century . Although the Industrial Revolution affected Trafford , the area did not experience the same rate of growth as the rest of Greater Manchester . A 100 % increase in population in the Trafford area between 1841 and 1861 was a direct result of an influx due to the construction of the Manchester , South Junction and Altrincham Railway , which allowed residents to more easily commute from Trafford into Manchester . The area developed its own centres of industry in Broadheath ( founded in 1885 ) and Trafford Park ( founded in 1897 ) . They have since declined , although Trafford Park still employs 40 – 50 @,@ 000 people . Today , Trafford is mostly a commuter area . The borough was formed on 1 April 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 as one of the ten metropolitan districts of Greater Manchester . 
