Alseth Surname History

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The ancestors of the name Alseth date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Alseth family lived in Alsop-le-Dale, a chapelry in the parish of Ashbourne, in the county of Derbyshire. "Alsop is the Elleshope of the Domesday Survey. The manor was given by the crown to William de Ferrars, Earl of Derby, from whom it passed in succession to various families. " 1

"This ancient race were seated at Alsop-in-the-Dale, (Alsop-Le-Dale) in Derbyshire, about the time of the Conquest, and there continued in an uninterrupted descent for 19 or 20 generations." 2

Early Origins of the Alseth family

The surname Alseth was first found in Derbyshire in the midland of England where the Pipe Rolls of 1175 include and entry for Gamel de Haleshoppe. Later, Philip Alsope was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 in Cheshire. 3

The Hundredorum Rolls also included: William Alsape, Cambridgeshire; and Elena Alsope, Cambridgeshire. 4

"The ancient and distinguished family of Alsop were seated at Alsop-in-the-Dale, in the parish of Ashbourn, at the time of the Norman Conquest, and there they continued for 19 or 20 generations. Of this family there are numerous branches, of which the Allsopps of Burton form one. There was a Richard de Alsop of Shropshire in the 13th century. The name is also found in the surrounding counties, but Derbyshire is its great home." 5

Moving forward a few centuries, we did find these interesting entries in Hotten's Lists of Emigrants, (pp. 58, 78, 12): Joseph Alsopp (aged 14) went out to New England in the Elizabeth in 1635. Also Thomas Alsopp (aged 20). Also Robert Alsopp aged 18. 4

In Scotland, "this surname occurs in the Aberdeen Directory, and is most probably of recent introduction from England. From Alsop in the county of Derby." 6

Early History of the Alseth family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Alseth research. Another 47 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1580, 1601, 1603, 1616, 1626, 1630, 1637, 1641, 1656, 1696, 1703, 1706, 1726 and 1752 are included under the topic Early Alseth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Alseth Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Alseth are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Alseth include: Allsopp, Allsop, Alsopp, Alsop, Elleshope and others.

Early Notables of the Alseth family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Vincent Alsop (ca. 1630-1703), an English Nonconformist clergyman. Anthony Alsop (d. 1726), was an English poetical writer, educated at Westminster and Christ Church...
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Alseth Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Alseth family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Alseth or a variant listed above: Joseph Alsop who settled in New Haven in 1635; in 1647 he married Elizabeth Preston; John Alsop settled in Pennsylvania in 1682; Richard Alsopp arrived in Barbados in 1680.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)