| ![Show Contents]() Anstruther History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
Scotland
England
Etymology of AnstrutherWhat does the name Anstruther mean? The ancient Anstruther family derived their name from Anstruther, a small town and fishing village in Fife which is today home to the Scottish Fisheries Museum. The significance of this ancient crest and motto is according to Sir George Mackenzie, the family took the crest because a predecessor struck of the head of a neighbouring laird who came to his house to kill him. The crest of the hand grasping the battle-axe and the motto which literally means "I would have perished, had I not persisted," is a credit to the forebear's fortitude. 1 Early Origins of the Anstruther familyThe surname Anstruther was first found in Fife, where the Clan derives its name from the ancient barony of Anstruther. The lands of Anstruther were granted to William of Candela, who had previously been granted lands in Dorset in the south of England after the Norman Conquest in 1066 A.D. He was descended from Raoul de Malherbe, a Danish noble, a Viking, a close companion of Rollo, the first Duke of Normandy. Their descendants held lands in Devon, Dorset, and Kent after the Conquest. Early History of the Anstruther familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Anstruther research. Another 206 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1288, 1320, 1680, 1694, 1700, 1711, 1715, 1741, 1760, 1923 and 1929 are included under the topic Early Anstruther History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Anstruther Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Anstruther, Anstrothir, Anstoyer, Enstrother, Andstroyer, Anstroder, Ansteruthyr, Ansthother, Ansthrother, Anstrude and many more. Early Notables of the Anstruther family- Sir Philip Anstruther of Airdrie
- Lieutenant-General Philip Anstruther (ca.1680-1760), a Scottish soldier and politician, Member of Parliament for Anstruther Burghs (1715-1741)
- Sir William Anstruther, Lord Anstruther (died 1711), a Scottish judge
| Anstruther migration to the United States | + |
Anstruther Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- James Anstruther who settled in Georgia in 1753
| Anstruther migration to Canada | + |
Anstruther Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century- Major William Anstruther, U.E., United Empire Loyalist, who settled in Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 he was Major of the Roy Gar Battalion Regiment in 1782 2
| Contemporary Notables of the name Anstruther (post 1700) | + |
- Sir Alexander Anstruther (1769-1819), Scottish-Indian judge, the second son of Sir Robert Anstruther, bart., of Balcaskie, Fifeshire 3
- Sir John Anstruther (1753-1811), Scottish politician and Scottish-Indian judge, the second son of Sir John Anstruther, bart., of Elie House, Fifeshire 4
- Robert Anstruther (1768-1809), Scottish general, the eldest son of Sir Robert Anstruther, Bart., M.P 4
- Sir William Anstruther (d. 1711), Scottish judge, the son of Sir Philip Anstruther of Anstruther, a Royalist who was taken prisoner at the battle of Worcester, had his estates sequestered by Cromwell and restored to him by Charles II 4
- Abercrombie Anstruther Lawson FRSE FLS (1870-1927), Canadian-born, Australian botanist, foundation professor of botany at the University of Sydney
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Periissem ni perstitssem
Motto Translation: "I would have perished, had I not persisted," or " Periis-semus nisi perstitissimus" (We had perished had we not persisted) (Polson)
- Polson, Alexander, The Romance of Scottish Crests and Mottoes. Inverness: Walter Alexander, Inglis Street 1929. Print
- Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
- Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 17 Apr. 2019
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