Ampleford History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Ampleford family

The surname Ampleford was first found in Worcestershire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time.

Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Salwarpe, held by Earl Roger, who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. It is believed they were descended from Amfrid by Adeliza, sister of Hugh Grandmesnil through son Humphrey, the Baron Castellan of Hastings who returned to Normandy in 1069. The family were from Tilleul-en-Auge in Calvados or from Amflete, near Boulogne. 2 3

Some of the family were found in Norfolk in early days, as records there show Robert Amflet, Mayor of Lynn Regis in 1516 and William Amflete, rector of West Lexham in 1517. 4 Back in Worcestershire, we found this interesting entry "In 1669 Richard Amphlett sold certain lands in King's Norton to Daniel Greves to hold for 2,000 years." 5

Early History of the Ampleford family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ampleford research. Another 137 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1605, 1692, 1704, 1797, 1809, 1868, 1873, 1874 and 1883 are included under the topic Early Ampleford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ampleford Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Ampleford have been found, including Amphlett, Amflett, Amflis, Amphlis, Amphliss, Amphlet, Amflet, Amfliss and many more.

Early Notables of the Ampleford family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Richard Paul Amphlett (1809-1883), of Wychbold Hall in Worcestershire. He was an English barrister and Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1868 to 1874. Richard was the eldest of five sons of Rev. Richard Holmden Amphlett of...
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ampleford Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ampleford family

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Ampleford were among those contributors: A. William Amphlett, aged 39, who arrived at Ellis Island from Ludlow, England, in 1913; Andrew William Amphlett, aged 40, who arrived at Ellis Island from Bluefields, Nicaragua, in 1913.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.