Ainswort History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Ainswort belongs to the early history of Britain, it's origins lie with the Anglo-Saxons. It is a product of their having lived in the area of Ainsworth in the parish of Middleton. Some instances, generally the Hainsworth spelling, come from Hainworth in West Yorkshire, derived in turn from an Old English personal name Hagena; while other instances of the name came from Ainsworth in the parish of Middleton, in Lancashire, from the Old English personal name Ægen.

Early Origins of the Ainswort family

The surname Ainswort was first found in Greater Manchester at Ainsworth, a small village and now a suburb within Radcliffe, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury. Historically part of Lancashire, the place name is derived from Haineswrthe which dates back to c. 1200. 1

"The family of Aynesworth, located here, was of considerable antiquity, and is mentioned in the reigns of Edward III and Richard II, at which latter time John de Aynesworth was of Pleasington, in Blackburn parish." 2 The village is also called Cockey-Moor.

Early History of the Ainswort family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ainswort research. Another 54 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1523, 1554, 1560, 1571, 1622, 1660, 1743 and 1881 are included under the topic Early Ainswort History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ainswort Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Ainswort include Ainsworth, Ainsworthy, Aynsworth, Answorth and others.

Early Notables of the Ainswort family

Notables of the family at this time include

John Ainsworth (fl. 1523), English politician from Pershore and Worcester, Member of Parliament for Worcester in 1554
Henry Ainsworth (1571-1622), was an English Nonconformist clergyman and scholar, educated at Caius College, Cambridge. He was the "leader of the separatist congregation at Amsterdam, and controversial...
Robert Ainsworth (1660-1743), was an English Latin lexicographer from Clifton, Lancashire, author of a well-known compendious Dictionary of the Latin Tongue. 3

Migration of the Ainswort family

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Ainswort were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: Michael Ainsworth who landed in America in 1752; Jonathon Ainsworth who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1834; and two Johns, who landed at the same port in 1846 and 1860.

The Ainswort Motto +

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: Spero meliora
Motto Translation: I hope for better things.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print